Little Land, written and illustrated by Diana Sudyka. Little, Brown and Company, Hachette. 2023. $23.99 ages 5 and up

"Until the land was so covered, many rarely 
thought of it anymore ... except when they 
wanted to take from it. 

Then they dug into the land, too, 
for everything they needed to make 
those buildings, factories, cars, 
and power plants work."

The book opens with a young child taking care of a small bit of land; she is watering plants growing above, while readers can also see the layers of earth below. That little bit of land was never big, nor was it tiny. It was home to the creatures it could sustain. Long ago it did not look the way it does now. 

In following spreads, the author describes the 'little land' as it looked millions of years ago, and even one hundred thousand years ago. It was cold then, and supported little life. Over the years, it changed and life began again. It was in a constant state of change, offering everything that humans needed to sustain their lives. Many of the events that caused it to change were catastrophic. Still, the land restored itself and supported life again. 

Too soon, humans built a house on the little land. Then, more and more people arrived and built houses, factories, and power plants, covering the land until no one remembered it had been where it once was. Problems arose and the world turned upside down. There was no stopping what they deemed progress. 

Toward the end, three young children who have been witness to some of the alarming changes make a decision to make a difference. 

"But even when things seem unstoppable, 
unrecognizable, 
and beyond repair ... 

look closely,
and listen, too." 

The little land is talking to us. It wants to find a way to begin again. What can we do to help that happen? The art was created in gouache watercolor on watercolor paper, and digitally enhanced. Ms. Sudyka is brilliant at creating impactful scenes that bring understanding to the way in which our planet replenishes itself despite the many changes it undergoes. She allows readers to see the imbalance in the world created by humans, and offers hope while watching the small changes the three children are encouraged to make in even the smallest ways. There is much to notice and discuss as the book is shared - it promotes important conversations. 

Back matter includes an author's note, a glossary of important concepts and questions, a nod to some of the animals and plants in their order of appearance, the different epochs represented in the telling, and a list of further resources. 

Informative, while also encouraging.