This Is the Planet Where I Live

by K.L. Going, Debra Frasier (Illustrator)

This picture book celebrates and honors the interconnectedness of everything here on planet Earth.

The planet where we live is full of people, animals, insects, birds, trees, clouds, rain, oceans—and everything is interconnected. With a cumulative text and rich, highly-detailed collages, this book is a joyous ode to our wondrous planet.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Nature, Earth, Storytime, Environment, Fiction

40 pages, Hardcover

Published March 21, 2023

About the author

K.L. Going is the award winning author of numerous books for children and teens. Her first novel, Fat Kid Rules the World was named a Michael Printz Honor Book by the American Library Association, and was included on YALSA’s Best Books for Young Adults list and their list of Best Books for the Past Decade. Her books have been Booksense picks, Scholastic Book Club choices, Junior Library Guild selections, NY Public Library Best Books for the Teenage, and winners of state book awards. They’ve been featured by Publishers Weekly, School Library Journal, Kirkus, and Children's Book Council as Best Books of the year. Her work has also been published in Korea, Italy, Japan, Germany, and the UK, and her novel Fat Kid Rules the World is soon to be an independent film!

K.L. began her career working at one of the oldest literary agencies in New York City. She used this inner knowledge of publishing to write Writing and Selling the Young Adult Novel -- a how-to book for aspiring writers, published by Writer's Digest. She has also written short stories for several anthologies and currently has multiple picture books under contract. She lives in Glen Spey, NY where she both writes and runs a business critiquing manuscripts. She’s also a mom to the world’s cutest little boy.

To visit KL on-line go to www.klgoing.com, www.facebook.com/klgoing, or at http://twitter.com/#!/KLGoing.

Reviews

[Margaret · Rating 5 out of 5]

On January 6, 2023, in an attempt to provide readers with 2022 publications related to our beautiful planet and its protection prior to the ALA Youth Media Awards, I compiled a post of seventeen books, including early readers through middle grade titles. During the course of 2022 I talked about other climate crisis and earth-friendly books, but these were books I categorize as too-good-too-miss tomes.

I am setting up this post in the same manner as the previous post. Author, illustrator, and publisher links, when available, are provided. Social media accounts will be included. Passages from the books are shown. Short summaries, observations, are supplied. If there are other valuable resources about these books, links will be attached. These six titles are listed in order of release date.

This morning when Mulan and I were walking, I was reminded once more of how surprising and majestic our world truly is. As we were passing an association clubhouse, a sight stopped me in my tracks. More than a dozen birds were perched along the roof and its edges and perched on chimney tops. They looked like weathervanes or metal sculptures. Many of them had their wings fanned out to their sides as if drying them which is strange as we are under a red flag warning. They also looked like they were welcoming the sun's rising as they faced east.

It called to mind a book paying homage to our planet. My Friend Earth written by Patricia MacLachlan with illustrations by Francesca Sanna is a letter of love to this place we all call home. It can be paired with this gorgeous portrait and newly released title, Thís Is The Planet Where I Live (Beach Lane Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing Division, March 21, 2023) written by K. L. Going with artwork by Debra Frasier. K. L. Going and Debra Frasier have collaborated to create a poetic, picturesque tribute to Earth. At the publisher's website, you can view some of these marvelous interior spreads. There is also a link to a performance activity there. Here is another link to an activity titled Bird Sky Poem. At Debra Frasier's website, you can view a video where she explains her illustrative process for this book. Please take a few moments to watch this.

My full recommendation: https://librariansquest.blogspot.com/...

[Tonja Drecker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bright, vibrant and bold, this book displays the wide variety Earth holds with artistic flair.

These pages celebrate life and Earth in a playful and lively way. The writing flows smoothly as various aspects of life and things on Earth are mentioned. From animals to people to oceans, the large amount of variety on the planet comes to life.

The illustrations head in a more artistic direction, but also hold enough detail to leave much for listeners to view, search for, and enjoy. Most things are easy to recognize. Everything is bold and created with a joyful flair. While the various aspects are shown, there's also a clear, interconnected sense to everything to demonstrate that nothing stands alone, but that everything on our planet influences something else.

This is a more atmospheric read, which allows good feelings to flow, while building up a respect for everything around us. It would be a nice edition to a classroom, and I see it as especially being useful to set the tone for several social study themes. I received a DRC from the publisher and enjoyed the positive atmosphere.

[Erin Buhr]

This gorgeous new release is all about how interconnected everything is on our planet. It is written in a cumulative style that I think works great for reading aloud. As the text is repeated kids have fun reading along with the parts they remember. The illustrations are bright, colorful collages. Together they work great as a read aloud for storytime but also offer so many possibilities for art, poetry, and science extensions.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

A gorgeous picture book about Earth and all the life on it. The detailed collages and the cumulative rhyming text, similar to the “The House That Jack Built,” work beautifully to describe our planet where everything is interconnected. A fantastic book to include in units about bioscience, nature, and ecosystems!

[Kris Reguera · Rating 5 out of 5]

With text that adds on, like a song, this book takes us on a journey to appreciate all things and animals that make our planet. The illustrations are beautiful and the text flows really well around them. An ode to our planet!

[Great Books]

In this new book inspired by "This is the House that Jack Built", K.L. Going and Debra Fraser put a twist on towards the planet where we live. The beautiful colorful illustrations depict how we all rely on each other on our planet. A perfect book for Earth Day!

Reviewer 17

[Thomas Bell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definitely matches the rhythm of 'This is the House that Jack Built.' But at times it felt a little forced.

The artword was a fun mix of artwork and photographs. I enjoyed looking through that.

And I did like the word replacement at the end of the book. Nice touch.

[Sally · Rating 5 out of 5]

With gorgeous illustrations and a poem that begs to be memorized or acted out, this is the perfect book to show our interconnectedness with the earth and the people who live on it. It's perfect for an earth day unit!

[Children's Literature Centre at FSU · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoy this book. First of all, the illustrations are beautiful and so vibrant which I just love. Second of all, I love the meaning behind the story. It shows how everything is connected and how everything on our Earth plays a role. It would make a great classroom lesson on Earth Day.

[Jacqui · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cumulative tale.

[Leova Manbhat · Rating 4 out of 5]

good book to read for Earth Day. collage style illustrations.

[Aolund · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lovely cumulative celebration of the earth and all of its interdependent inhabitants and forces.

Themes: Earth, Interdependence
Age range: Toddler-Kindergarten

[Marcia · Rating 4 out of 5]

A brightly illustrated cumulative story celebrating our earth and all its interconnected parts. Perfect for a lower school read aloud in April!

[Christine (Tina) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gorgeous book about how precious our planet is and illustrates all of the whys for which we should care. Vivid illustrations with highly pigmented color kept Liliana's interest as well.

[Kathryn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really enjoyed collage art made me feel inspired to do more of my own

[Elizabeth]

I am loving these collage illustrations; there is so much to see.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

The prose is rough but the art is spectacular and will lead to many different projects and ideas.

[Y.Poston]

a beautiful overview of Earth as our home

[Viviane Elbee · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book reminds me of the house that jack built, but it is about our earth.

[Jackie · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is the house that Jack built style

[Sally · Rating 4 out of 5]

A kind of accumulating story about our planet Earth.

Beautiful and amazing illustrations - take a 2nd & third look at them

[Ms. B · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 stars, rounded up to 4. Told in the style of This is the House that Jack Built, this is a visual masterpiece.

[Christine Joy · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a prepositional phrase/dependent clause word salad. Relational nightmare to keep up with. Like a huge twisty family tree

[Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

Progressive story ( Like this is the house that Jack built) all about the earth and the people and animals on the earth. Pretty illustrations. Might be a little long for a storytime.