“Your breath is alive with the promise of flowers. Each time you blow a kiss to the world, you spread pollen that might grow to be a new plant.” The author, Elin Kelsey, uses her poetic voice to show her love for the environment. She does a wonderful job explaining to younger children how very close our human connection is with nature. For example, we see that people shed their hair much like trees shed their leaves, and how our life began with just a single atom, as was true for the lives of fish, dinosaurs, and other living things. This book teaches children how animals depend upon one another and it is a book that will make children continually ask questions. Once children read this book, they will want to learn more about how they are connected to nature and all that we have in common. The illustrator, Soyean Kim, uses a combination of pen, pencil, ink, and paper cuts to illustrate brightly colored dioramas throughout the book. The illustrations add interest to the book and also help the younger children better understand the world that surrounds them.

Even though this book may not directly relate to recycling, it does discuss how closely connected humans are to their environment. After reading this book, it should become evident to students that it is very important to keep our Earth clean because it is a huge part of us.