The nonfiction picture book Green: The Story of Life on Our Planet by Nicola Davies (illustrated by Emily Sutton; Candlewick, 2024) explains how plants support the world. Detailed pages with illustrations and diagrams explain the structure of a plant cell, the process of photosynthesis, a basic energy food web, and the general evolution of plants from the beginning of time. Not only that, Davies explains how the decay of early plants led to fossil fuels, the danger the use of these fossil fuels give to the world, and our need to protect the green of our world in order to continue to live and enjoy the earth.
As always, Davies’ words and Sutton’s friendly and gorgeous illustrations combine to make a fantastic nonfiction volume for learning and understanding. The text is familiar and friendly, making this truly feel like a “story of plant life” rather than a nonfiction text book.
