IF YOU COME TO EARTH, by Sophie Blackall, Chronicle Books; Illustrated Edition, Sept. 15, 2020, Hardcover, $18.99 (ages 5-8)
Sophie Blackall is back with her gorgeous If You Come to Earth.
If You Come to Earth is a letter to visitors from outer space. It explains how there are more than 7 billion people on Earth, but everyone is different. We live in all kinds of homes, in all kinds of places and in all kinds of families. The one thing that connects us is our beautiful planet.
If You Come to Earth was inspired by the thousands of children Sophie Blackall met during her travels in support of UNICEF and Save the Children. It’s engaging and thoughtful and captures the essence of what it means to be human.
This visually arresting picture book features children from all walks of life and creatures in their environments. Her spread on birds is one of my favorites and the one featuring dead and blind people is lovely. Her spread on fighting is bold and thought-provoking.
If You Come to Earth is a book for children. It’s also a book for adults. I can’t help but think that if it were required reading, our society would be better for it. Blackall’s illustrations are delightfully detailed and bring her sparse text to life. This is one of the best picture books of 2020.
