One World: 24 Hours on Planet Earth by Nicola Davies

Abstract

Reviewed by: One World: 24 Hours on Planet Earth by Nicola Davies Kate Quealy-Gainer, Editor Davies, Nicola One World: 24 Hours on Planet Earth; illus. by Jenni Desmond. Candlewick, 2023 [40p] Trade ed. ISBN 9781536226133 $18.99 Reviewed from digital galleys R 6-10 yrs On April 21, at one minute to midnight in Greenwich, London, two siblings leap into the air to take a quick jaunt through Earth’s time zones. Jumping locations with a page flip, their first stop is the Arctic Circle, where a polar bear mother and baby cubs are hunting seals. Their next site is Zambia where a group of elephants welcome a newborn elephant, then on to a beach in India as baby sea turtles hatch and sprint toward the ocean. The siblings’ trip continues as midnight chimes, and they swim with whales, zip and zoom with hummingbirds and honeybees, and delight in the breadth of activity happening around the world at any given moment. The focus stays on Earth’s flora and fauna, and Davies points out the necessity of each ecosystem and the human impact on that environment, from the melting homes of polar bears, to the deforestation of gibbon habitats, to the danger of plastic in oceans. The combination of awe and wonder at nature’s beauty along with the various ways it is threatened is a poignant reminder of the caretaking role humans have mostly failed at. Mixed media art has varying textures and richness to match the settings: sweeping painterly strokes and deep jewel tones capture the drama of a breaching humpback whale, while softer dappling and cheerful hues evoke the gentle busyness of a springtime garden. This could make an engaging Earth Day storytime, especially when paired with Davies’ previous work, Emperor of the Ice (BCCB 2/23), or Fleming’s Polar Bear (BCCB 11/22). The book concludes with author and illustrator notes along with a brief note on climate change and potential action items. Copyright © 2023 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois