The Dirt Book

Praise

★ “This charming picture book is a splendid way to encourage an understanding and appreciation for nature and the often-unseen life that inhabits the planet alongside humans.”—Shelf Awareness, Starred Review

“An appealing mix of lively poems, engrossing pictures, and smart bookmaking.”—Kirkus Reviews

“The best part of this title is the gorgeous illustrations, done with colored pencils and digital tools. Realistic and creative, they offer more information about the animals than the poems. Readers of many ages will enjoy poring over the illustrations and observing all the details.”—School Library Journal

“Fittingly laid out in a vertical format to take readers deep down into the ground, the full-bleed illustrations showcase gorgeous earth tones sparked with turquoise, yellow, peach, and lavender. Colored pencil has been manipulated digitally to resemble pastels and depicts a charming world aglow with life. Inviting in every way, this book is perfect for units on soil and animal habitats and is every bit as pleasurable for leisure reading.”—School Library Connection
 
“The vertical double spread layout showcases activity at different depths, with Cosgrove’s lush colored pencil and digital renderings an array of sophisticated colors and designerly patterns that fairly begs to be translated to fabric print. End matter comprises a chatty paragraph of additional information and a brief bibliography for each poem.”—The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books