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This Pretty Planet

Illustrated by Lee White
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About The Book

Based on the touching song “This Pretty Planet” by Tom Chapin and John Forster, this hopeful and whimsically illustrated picture book celebrates the pretty planet we call home.

Winds blow. Tides flow.
Shooting stars descend.
Our lives begin, middle, and end on
This pretty planet.

From icy tundras to sandy beaches, lush forests to tall mountains, this exuberant picture book journeys around the globe and presents the natural wonders of the planet with a contagious sense of awe and whimsy. Young readers will get lost in the detailed illustrations as the narration serves as a gentle reminder of why we must care for and protect our pretty planet.

About The Authors

Photograph by Bonnie Chapin
Tom Chapin

Tom Chapin has entertained, amused, and enlightened audiences of all ages for more than forty years and through twenty-seven CDs, eight Grammy nominations, three Grammy awards, and thousands of live performances. A pioneer in the field of children’s music, he is also a respected singer-songwriter and a strong advocate for the arts in education. Tom lives in Piermont, New York. Find out more at TomChapin.com.

Photograph by Lisa Levart
John Forster

John Forster is a singer-songwriter, playwright, and humorist whose acclaimed output includes musicals on and off Broadway, Grammy-nominated recordings, humor books, and many delightful projects for children, including the perennial stage musical How to Eat Like a Child and a dozen albums with Tom Chapin. John’s comedy CDs include Entering Marion, Helium, and Broadsides, a duet album with Tom featuring their satire for NPR. John lives in South Nyack, New York. For more information visit JohnForster.com.

About The Illustrator

Lee White

Lee White lives with his wife and their three crazy cats in Portland, Oregon, and you can visit him online at LeeWhiteIllustration.com.

Product Details

  • Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers (November 3, 2020)
  • Length: 40 pages
  • ISBN13: 9781534445338
  • Ages: 4 - 8
  • Lexile ® AD360L The Lexile reading levels have been certified by the Lexile developer, MetaMetrics®

Raves and Reviews

"The many allusive details in the illustrations will make adults smile and keep child readers coming back for more....Engaging and true to the message."

– Kirkus Reviews, October 2020

"The illustrations are bright and filled with details....A lovely choice for starting conversations with small groups or one-on-one. Many songs have been turned into picture books, but this one is particularly deft at capturing hope and possibility, which defined the original work. It’s a sweet accompaniment to Earth Day sing-alongs."

– School Library Journal, December 2020

"The lyrics...offer inspiration for some really magical illustrations. The fanciful detail-rich pictures, on full-bleed single pages, double-page spreads, and panels, celebrate the song's message to care for our planet."

– The Horn Book Book Bundles, May 6, 2021

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More books from this illustrator: Lee White