Biomitos

July 1, 2023

Gr 3-6-A charming, highly illustrated volume on climate change and conservation. An anthropomorphized Earth takes readers on a tour through time and space to meet creatures that preach against pollution and waste. Their goal is not only to teach children about the past and current state of the world but to also encourage them to save their planet before it's too late. Figures like chimpanzees and dragon trees implore the halting of deforestation. The illustrations are sometimes silly; Earth sports alarming googly eyes that sometimes detract from the seriousness of the subject. The cartoony depictions of the different speakers riff on the mythological beings they are named after. For example, the Scutisorex thori, a shrew, wears Nordic armor and carries a hammer. It charges readers to reduce the use of petroleum and gas as an energy source. However, these renderings add levity to the text and will keep readers engaged. Half of the book focuses on animals and insects named after figures of Greek mythology. The latter half features Chinese, Pre-Columbian, Indian, and Polynesian creatures, and more. Diagrams are scattered throughout. The Earth concludes its tour with a plea to humans to take care of it and to live in equilibrium, existing in harmony with it and its creatures. VERDICT A kid-friendly entry point to important and urgent topics. A good choice for Spanish-language nonfiction shelves.-Shelley M. Diaz

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