Why the Sky Is Far Away - by Mary-Joan Gerson (Paperback)

About the Book

The sky was once so close to the Earth that people cut parts of it to eat, but their waste and greed caused the sky to move far away.

Book Synopsis

This Nigerian folktale, with colorful illustrations by an award-winning artist, conveys a timely environmental message about waste and greed.

The sky was once so close to the Earth that people pulled down parts of it to eat. They never had to grow crops or cook--whenever they were hungry, they could just reach up and take a piece of sky. It sometimes tasted like stew, sometimes like corn...and it was always delicious! But people became greedy and took more than they needed, throwing the leftovers away. The sky soon became angry and decided to teach the humans a lesson by moving far away, and it remains there to this day.

This picture book based on a 500-year-old Nigerian folktale features bright, dynamic illustrations by an an award-winning artist and a powerful environmental message as relevant today as it was five centuries ago.

About the Author

Mary-Joan Gerson has written five books for children. She was inspired to write this story after spending time in Nigeria with the Peace Corps. Mary travels extensively to explore different cultures and discover new ways to see the world, and enjoys sharing that experience with children and adults through her books.

Carla Golembe is an award-winning illustrator, artist, author, and teacher. Her artwork, in a wide range of mediums including acrylic on paper and canvas, gouache, and monotype, has been featured at galleries across the country.