The Living Earth

As the back cover blurb of this Swiss buy-in says, this book tells of the complex ecosystem beneath our feet and how people depend on the living earth. And indeed, it does both things but I found it a very mixed bag. The crayon artwork is pleasant but patchy - in places wonderfully detailed, as in the spread showing a close-up view of plants above and under the ground; in places, oddly empty and featureless. The text is stodgy and stiff and would perhaps benefit from a more narrative approach and a more imaginative presentation. The book could then work as picture book non-fiction for younger readers. At present, it is difficult to decide where its audience lies.