The Big Empty - by Kirbi Fagan (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

People passing by call this land the big empty. / But I call it home.

In spare, poetic text written from the point of view of big sagebrush, readers are transported to the vast landscape of western North America. This incredibly resilient plant, which can live as long as one hundred years, provides food and shelter as well as shadows to conceal both predators and prey. After a wildfire passes through, it grows again and will thrive once more. Author and illustrator Kirbi Fagan captures the beauty of this essential plant in her lyrical words and richly detailed illustrations.

Review Quotes

"This survival story picture book is a comprehensive, inviting introduction to the western North American landscape for young readers. Reviewer Rating: 4"--Children's Literature

"The words read aloud smoothly, and the images will show well, making Kirby's auspicious authorial debut a good choice for small-group sharing. A dramatic depiction of an unusual ecosystem."--Kirkus Reviews

"Attractive fare for young fans of natural history."--Booklist

"Poetic lines establish the barren quality of the environment, but just as the hardy plant calls this place "home," so too does it represent a dwelling place for the many critters who rely upon the flora for shelter, nourishment, and cover. . . Featuring pastel, colored pencil, collage paper, and digital techniques, Fagan's moody, dusky-hued illustrations showcase species (identified in back matter) interacting with the plant's densely twisted limbs."--Publishers Weekly

"With its lilting text and gorgeous artwork, this is the rare book that amplifies the ferocity and the necessity of fire in nature, employing the ecology of the sagebrush."--starred, School Library Journal