When Planet Earth Was New

Gr 1-3--Beginning with the formation of Earth millions of years ago, this work introduces the concept of evolution in a picture book format. Simple text describes Earth's slow progression from a lifeless, hot, and gaseous place, hostile to living things, to a land of mountains, oceans, and early life-forms. Creatures of the seas, skies, and land either evolved or became extinct. The narrative emphasizes that our planet will continue to transform. Striking, slightly surreal illustrations complement the prose and offer much to contemplate, from an Earth covered in molten rock to a present-day city. The "Look Again" section offers readers a second chance to find more subtle details in the artwork. VERDICT A broad overview of the evolution of our planet, and a fine addition to science collections.--Eva Elisabeth VonAncken, formerly at Trinity-Pawling School, Pawling, NY

Debut talents Gladstone and Diemert neatly distill a complex concept--the sheer vastness of Earth's history, and how it evolved over billions of years--using evocative, conversational language and bold mixed-media artwork. The text grabs readers from the start, describing the planet billions of years ago, devoid of life: "You could not walk on the searing-hot molten rock that flowed there... or breathe the deadly poison gas that swirled there. Nothing could." A purposefully vague timeline and streamlined explanations lend a simple, poetic presence to each page ("A sky full of water vapor poured down as rain. For millions and millions and millions of years, it rained. The rain formed huge oceans"). Washed in a rainbow of neon colors, Diemert's inventive portrayals of nearly unfathomable times--a molten-red Earth assailed by meteors, marbled undersea rock formations, long-vanished species--will spark readers' imaginings of a nascent Earth. ("Human life is a speck in time in the history of old Earth," Gladstone notes.) A concluding "Look Again" section reproduces the 18 illustrations in miniature and provides details about the eras they represent. Ages 4-up. (Sept.)