It’s Up to Us: Building a Brighter Future for Nature, People & Planet (The Children’s Terra Carta)

K-Gr 2–Thirty-three artists are each given a spread to illustrate a slice of the world. The collection of artwork is broken into four parts: Nature, People, Planet, and Terra Carta—which is a UK document to address climate change, and the primary focus of this book. The artwork depicts a range of scenes, from microorganisms that we can’t even see to farms, cities, oceans, deserts, and even littered public parks. The scale and execution of the artwork seems almost too big for a picture book—and that makes the text feel out of place. In colored blocks placed over the artwork, a didactic text tells young readers why “we” need the Terra Carta, which is a jarring contrast to the gorgeous and engaging visuals. The front and back materials offer some opportunities for further research, with an index that serves as a glossary, too, and the preface text of the Children’s Terra Carta. The foreword by HRH, the Prince of Wales, invites children to become artists of nature, too.