Earth Mother

by Ellen Jackson, Diane Dillon (Illustrator), Leo Dillon (Illustrator)

The circle of life turns in unexpected ways.

Earth Mother awakes with the dawn. As she walks the land, swims the seas, and climbs the mountains, nurturing all of creation, she comes across
Man, Frog, and Mosquito. They each give her thanks for nature's bounty,
yet can't help but give her advice about making their lives better. Everybody’s got an opinion, it seems, and Earth Mother is amused when it becomes clear that the circle of life is not without a healthy dose of cosmic humor.

Leo and Diane Dillon lend their formidable talents to Ellen Jackson's original folktale about the unexpected and sometimes humorous ways that life
is interconnected.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Fiction, Environment, Nature, Folklore, African American

32 pages, Hardcover

First published October 7, 2005

Reviews

[Shena · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got this book from the library for my children, shortly after my sister and her baby were tragically killed in a terrible car accident. It was a strange time, I remember it like living in a bubble and floating through life for a while, trying to make sense of things. The most confusing thing for me was religion and trying to figure out how anything could be, well, simply, OK. I read this book to my children every night for at least 3 months. It brought me a sense of peace and calmness. It was like there was a little bit of sense, purpose and beauty in our day...and for a little while, everything was OK. This book is a treasure.

[Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a beautiful, beautiful book! The illustrations are so lush and rich and interesting--full of the beauty of nature and the nuances of human emotion. I love the "message" of this book and how it is... not exactly subtle, but something that you have to think about ;-> I won't say more because I think the fun is in discovering it for yourself. Just be sure to look at Earth Mother's face as she talks to the man, the mosquito and the frog! Priceless! ;->

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved these illustrations, how Earth Mother’s clothes pattern changed fluidly and how the border foliage would extend past the illustration space. I really enjoyed the story, which at first had no plot it seemed, but developed into an ecological message.

[Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Upped the rating because of the gorgeous illustrations.

[Lisa Vegan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful illustrations. I loved another of this illustrator team’s books: Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears: A West African Tale and plan to read more books that they’ve illustrated. They do lovely work.

The story is a humorous, educational, take on the circle of life that shows each living creature has its own perspective. I love Mother Earth shown as a black woman in Africa, going through her day, from awaking to sleep time, tending to all of her creatures.

The book has a peaceful, gentle feel, yet is suffused with humor, something my cynical self appreciated.

[Terry Cross · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ellen Jackson presents a fabled tale about how Mother Nature awakens with the dawn and spends her day communing and nurturing all of creation. On her journey through the day she talks with man who thanks her for the frogs he catches for his meals, but complains about the mosquitoes. By afternoon, she listens to the frog who thanks her for the mosquitoes that fill its belly, but complains about man who catches him and eats him. By nightfall she listens to mosquito who complains about the frog and is grateful for man who lives by the river and is delicious to bite. Each one, the man the frog and the mosquito, exclaims how the world would be perfect if there were more of what he ate and a total absence of what ate him. Earth Mother's journey through the day is wonderfully told and beautifully illustrated by the couple Leo and Diane Dillon. Each time you read the book you notice something different in every picture. For instance, the cloak Earth Mother wears changes in each picture. When she's listening to man her cloak reveals a pattern of frogs, when listening to frog her cloak shows a pattern of mosquitoes, when she listens to mosquito her cloak contains a pattern showing figures of man. This playful tale reminds you of stories crafted long ago to tell people about creation and our relationship to the environment, and at the same time has a very modern feel to it due in large part to the colorful and harmonious imagery, all of which make it a great read for all ages, from 1st to 6th grade especially. Stories that bring to young people's attention our relationship with nature and reveal the cycles that exist in every day life make a marvelous contribution to the imaginations and thought processes of our young people which make these stories real treasures.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mother Nature knows best. The web of life needs all members. This looks & vibes spiritual, but it's good science, too. And the art is some of the best I've seen by the amazing Dillons.

I was lucky to find the last copy in any of my library systems... if yours has it, request it quickly before they cull. (It is not yet on openlibrary.org.)

[Rebecca Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story and imagery are stunning. The response of the earth mother when asked to fix the food chain from different points in it, is a calm and indulgent silence. It is a good, comforting read with a good lesson.

[Julia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is so beautiful! I can't believe that it's out of print! I want to tell the world just how much I love this book, but I waited until I secured a copy for our home on eBay first. ;)

[White House Public Library · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read Earth Mother by Ellen Jackson today. What a cute little story for children to learn how all weather, insects, etc. helps nurture our environment .

[Evie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful illustrations and a humorous story.

[Jeanine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent! Even introduces food chains and could be used to branch into food webs as well. Great demonstration of gratitude and perspectives to build empathy as well.

[Ronda · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this beautifully illustrated story, Earth Mother walks through the times of the day and through the seasons, her flowing robes reflecting each. Man thanks for her for frog, which fills his belly, but wonders why she sent mosquito to torment him. Frog thanks her for sending tasty mosquito to give him life, but wonders why she sent man to catch him. Mosquito thanks her for man, but wonders why she sent frog who has already eaten most of his sisters. Each says that the world would be perfect if only she got rid of one of the others. At the end, as Earth Mother says good night to all her children, she goes to sleep knowing that "the world, in its own way, was perfect."

I like to use this one in preparation for Earth Day lessons, asking the students (K-5) to think about why I might choose to share this one for Earth Day. In some classes, when I get to Frog telling Earth Mother that man is "Bad, bad, bad", after having just heard man say the same about Mosquito, they start to chuckle as they recognize the pattern. Some classes "get it" right away--some take a little prompting--"Have you heard the terms "Food Chain", "Food Web" or "Life Cycle"?

[KA · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'll read anything illustrated by the Dillons, or with a cover image of theirs. When It comes to Leo and Diane Dillon, you really can judge a book by its cover (that's how I got into both Wise Child and Sabriel, two of my favorite books and the starts of two of my favorite series).

Earth Mother shows a day in the life of Earth Mother, who's imagined as a tall African woman with a cape that changes based on what she's doing or seeing. Wind swirls on her cape as she sets the wind blowing; it has frogs on it when she's talking to a man catching frogs for his breakfast. One of my favorite things is how Man complains about mosquitoes: there should be more frogs, fewer mosquitoes. The frog, which Earth Mother meets while it's hunting mosquitoes, wants there to be more mosquitoes but no people. And the mosquito loves people and the food they provide but thinks frogs were Earth Mother's great failure.

This would be a great book to teach kids a little about an ecological perspective and to contextualize it in a spirituality of thankfulness.

[MotherMagic · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful artwork with an afro-70's earthy style, Earth Mother lookin' like Erikah Badu, so lovely! Folk tale style, Mother Earth walks through the world encountering her creations, frog, mosquito, and man. Each complains about whichever of them is prey of (mosquito complains of frog, frog complains of human, human complains of mosquito) but praises the one that they each feed upon (Frog says, I could do with fewer of that useless man, but mosquito is sweet and good, make more of him! etc.) Mother Earth doesn't preach at them, she just notices and chuckles to herself as she goes about her way, but in the end, my five year old got a big laugh when he realized how they all needed each other in the circle of life, even if they didn't know it. I love that he "got it" without needing any explanation, not from me, and not from the book's text. Very light and amusing hand at presenting the nature of ecology.

[Sam Grace · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a special book. The illustrations are really beautiful and the black earth mother with her changing African* clothes set in a non-Euro-based Earth (nevertheless, totally universalized in an awesome way) is great. It is short enough to work really well as a read-aloud bedtime book, but unlike many bedtime books it actually has a narrative to accompany Earth Mother's sojourn across the land (basically, what should she do to appease her children, who all want different things from her). I almost shelved this in books for feminist babies, because it certainly supports an eco-feminist agenda, but it has humanity represented as "Man" (both in visual representation and name), and so I decided to leave it off.

I want it.

* it totally might be some specific group's clothing style, but I wouldn't know ...

[Miya Yin · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story starts with the earth mother awaking up with the dawn. As she walks along the land, swims the seas, and climbs the mountains, she meets with all plants and animals she has created. Having conversations one by one with Man, Frog, Mosquito, each of whom thanks her for nature’s bounty yet complains for other creatures’ existences, the earth mother signs and smiles and goes on her journey. The book is an educational story that centers on the rule of nature and the circle of life, showing the fact that each living creatures on earth has their own perspective and thus the reason of existence. The earth mother is depicted as a black African woman and the story is based on some African folklore, making the images of the book vivid and energetic. The illustration is really gorgeous and the general tone of the story is soft and warm with some subtle humor. And it is through this subtle humor that the author conveys some important information of nature through a easy way.

[Marsha · Rating 5 out of 5]

A day in the life of the Earth is told with gentle instruction and illustrations of breathtaking beauty. Whether striding across the land, diving into the oceans or tending fauna and flora, each page shows its title character as a creature of pure loveliness.

The figure of Mother Earth is one of eternal youth, beauty and charm. She is also draped with patterned clothing that changes to reflect the world around her. She is mute but it is a muteness that reflects her inner wisdom, especially when listening to the complaints of the unknowing creatures of the planet, beings that don’t realize how their lives are inextricably entwined with each other.

As always, the artistry of Leo and Diane Dillon are a fine addition to this story, complementing its ecological tale with sumptuous drawings that are like mini photos framed by the whiteness of the pages.

[J-Lynn Van Pelt · Rating 4 out of 5]

An African woman is depicted as the earth mother walking throughout the land bringing needed rain, wind, nectar, and other facets of nature. Along the way she talks to man who can't stand the mosquitoes, frog who can't stand man, and a mosquito who can't stand frogs. Earth mother listens and then goes about her business and the reader is supposed to make the connection that all creatures are important to the life cycle.

The illustrations are by Leo and Diane Dillon who won Caldecott medals for Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears and Ashanti to Zulu: African Traditions. The pictures show a natural, but ethereal Black woman whose traditional African robes change pattern depending on which part of nature she is currently caring for.

[Meg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gorgeous illustrations for this sweet tale of Earth Mother as she hears from Man (sic)*, Frog, and Mosquito about how each likes and dislikes certain aspects of her creation. (Man likes Frog and doesn't like Mosquito; Frog likes Mosquito and doesn't like Man; Mosquito likes Man and doesn't like Frog.) I loved how the book portrayed the concept that even though we might feel dissatisfied individually ("Hey, that mosquito bit me!") the eco-system functions as a whole.

*I just have to say: Really? You refer to humans collectively as "Man"? (While reading it to my daughter, I flipped back to check what year it was published. 2005. No excuse.) I read it to my daughter as "Human" which I admit sounds kind of clunky. So I guess I can see where the author was coming from. But really.

[Dione Basseri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Leo and Diane Dillon have such a beautiful style that they really steal all the glory in any picture book they take on. Ellen Jackson has done a wonderful job of creating (or perhaps retelling, I was unable to determine) what feels like a universal story, to be found in every culture, somehow springing up organically, but the Dillons really keep your attention on the page. I especially love the repetition of Earth Mother's poses as she hears the complaints of her creations. Patient, amused, but in no way swayed, you can just tell she has heard this from the beginning of Life.

Still a good pick for school units on nature and the food chain, though perhaps not the best in areas like mine, where mosquitoes, while necessary, are spreading some diseases, at the moment....

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful Story of Earth Mother. Set in Africa. Great Star-Level Read Aloud and Moon Level Independent Reader. Africa, needing each other, symbiotic relationships, understanding differences, Nature.

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got this book because I liked the pictures. But it was a wonderful story about the cricle of life and how we are all connected. Bethy thougth that mother earth looked like her aunt Kidist and she wants me to read it to her all the time.

[Betsy · Rating 3 out of 5]

For some reason the Earth Mother and other humans are what bugged me about these illustrations. I liked the other parts so much. The story personifies Mother Earth and shows a day in her life, so to speak.

[René · Rating 5 out of 5]

The artwork alone is beautiful, pair it with the message of everything being interconnected and reliant on one another and you have a true treasure.

"When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the universe." John Muir

[Nicole S. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Earth Mother has powerful symbolizes all of metaphors from the continent of Africa. She dialogues with Man, frog and insect. There is a power struggle for survival amongst the triangle. She doesn't answer any of the creatures, but walk away, nurture Mother Earth and all asleep.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVED THIS BOOK. It had great explanations for a young child to understand that everything is here on Earth for a reason. Beautifully written and illustrated. Will read again and again.

[Candi]

Ages 4-8

[Sarah Sammis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovely story of Earth Mother talking to Man, Frog and Mosquito.

[Tichaona Chinyelu · Rating 5 out of 5]

I bought this for my child. He loved it. Asked me, "mother earth has a puff ball?"