A young space traveler happens upon Earth in the future in this gorgeous wordless adventure for fans of Shaun Tan. A transportive graphic novel for ages 6 to 9, perfect for Earth Day.
A young space traveler visits Earth on a whim and finds a planet empty of people. She happens upon a strange contraption that contains images of what the planet used to be like, and using this viewfinder, she sees Earth as it was, juxtaposed against Earth as it is: abandoned, but still full of amazing things.
Her adventure takes her to a museum full of hints about the planet’s past and the strange glowing mushrooms that grow everywhere, a library that has become home to a variety of zoo animals, and a beautiful but crumbling space station from which she makes a daring escape. As she wanders, though, she sees signs that perhaps there is still someone here. A time capsule, a friendly cat and a makeshift railcar all add to the mystery . . . is she really alone?
The lush and captivating art and subtle nod to stewardship in this wordless graphic novel will draw readers in and leave them with a renewed sense of wonder for the resilient and extraordinary place we call home.
SELECTION Golden Duck Award
SELECTION
| 2025 Maine Student Book Award
RECOMMENDED
| 2025 Green Earth Book Award
SELECTION
| 2024 ALA Graphic Novels and Comics Round Table - Best Graphic Novels for Children
SELECTION
| 2024 New York Public Library Best Books for Kids
SELECTION
| 2024 School Library Journal Best Book of the Year
FINALIST
| 2024 Elizabeth Mrazik-Cleaver Canadian Picture Book Award
A 2024 American Library Association Best Graphic Novels for Children Selection A School Library Journal Best Book of 2024 Selected by School Libray Journal for their Best Science Fiction Books for Kids list A Golden Duck Notable Picture Books List Pick One of CCBC’s Best Books for Kids and Teens for 2024 A 2025 Bank Street College Best Children's Book of the Year A Bank Street Children's Book Committee Monthly Pick for November 2024 A New York Public Library's Best Books for Kids 2024 An OLA Best Bet A Shelf Awareness Best Book of the Year, 2024
"Beautiful and precisely depicted, a gentle, generous reflection on civilization and community life." —STARRED REVIEW, Kirkus Reviews
"Striking a balance between whimsical adventure and wistful contemplation, this title underscores the beauty and fragility of life on our planet. A first purchase for youth graphic novel collections." —STARRED REVIEW, School Library Journal
"[A] surprising and touching tale of what it means to find home." —STARRED REVIEW, Shelf Awareness
"Juxtaposing sepia scenes of the lost world with dream-like colors of nature reclaiming places once bustling with people, Chung and Majoka craft an awe-inspiring adventure tinged with a melancholy sense of loss that imparts a gentle warning to safeguard the planet." —Publishers Weekly
"Young readers will be transported by this sensitive and imaginative take on the evolution of our planet’s ecosystem." —Booklist
"Chung and Majoka’s consummate environmental artistry combined with the quietly revelatory storytelling results in a tranquil, thoughtful read for middle graders hoping to make first contact with environmental activism." —The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
"A luminous, thought-provoking adventure." —The Horn Book
CHRISTINE D. U. CHUNG is a Vietnamese Canadian artist living in her home city of Toronto, Canada. Her interest in storytelling started by making animated films in high school and partnering with the Adobe Youth Program. After that, she graduated from Sheridan College's Bachelor of Animation Program. Since then she's worked on 2D, 3D, animated TV and feature film projects.
View titles by Christine D.U. Chung
SALWA MAJOKA is an illustrator and 2D artist for the animation industry based in Toronto, Canada. She has created work for RBC Royal Bank, Georgia Straight Magazine, CBC Kids, Netflix, Guru Studio, Mercury Filmworks and more.
View titles by Salwa Majoka
A young space traveler happens upon Earth in the future in this gorgeous wordless adventure for fans of Shaun Tan. A transportive graphic novel for ages 6 to 9, perfect for Earth Day.
A young space traveler visits Earth on a whim and finds a planet empty of people. She happens upon a strange contraption that contains images of what the planet used to be like, and using this viewfinder, she sees Earth as it was, juxtaposed against Earth as it is: abandoned, but still full of amazing things.
Her adventure takes her to a museum full of hints about the planet’s past and the strange glowing mushrooms that grow everywhere, a library that has become home to a variety of zoo animals, and a beautiful but crumbling space station from which she makes a daring escape. As she wanders, though, she sees signs that perhaps there is still someone here. A time capsule, a friendly cat and a makeshift railcar all add to the mystery . . . is she really alone?
The lush and captivating art and subtle nod to stewardship in this wordless graphic novel will draw readers in and leave them with a renewed sense of wonder for the resilient and extraordinary place we call home.
Awards
SELECTION Golden Duck Award
SELECTION
| 2025 Maine Student Book Award
RECOMMENDED
| 2025 Green Earth Book Award
SELECTION
| 2024 ALA Graphic Novels and Comics Round Table - Best Graphic Novels for Children
SELECTION
| 2024 New York Public Library Best Books for Kids
SELECTION
| 2024 School Library Journal Best Book of the Year
FINALIST
| 2024 Elizabeth Mrazik-Cleaver Canadian Picture Book Award
Praise
A 2024 American Library Association Best Graphic Novels for Children Selection A School Library Journal Best Book of 2024 Selected by School Libray Journal for their Best Science Fiction Books for Kids list A Golden Duck Notable Picture Books List Pick One of CCBC’s Best Books for Kids and Teens for 2024 A 2025 Bank Street College Best Children's Book of the Year A Bank Street Children's Book Committee Monthly Pick for November 2024 A New York Public Library's Best Books for Kids 2024 An OLA Best Bet A Shelf Awareness Best Book of the Year, 2024
"Beautiful and precisely depicted, a gentle, generous reflection on civilization and community life." —STARRED REVIEW, Kirkus Reviews
"Striking a balance between whimsical adventure and wistful contemplation, this title underscores the beauty and fragility of life on our planet. A first purchase for youth graphic novel collections." —STARRED REVIEW, School Library Journal
"[A] surprising and touching tale of what it means to find home." —STARRED REVIEW, Shelf Awareness
"Juxtaposing sepia scenes of the lost world with dream-like colors of nature reclaiming places once bustling with people, Chung and Majoka craft an awe-inspiring adventure tinged with a melancholy sense of loss that imparts a gentle warning to safeguard the planet." —Publishers Weekly
"Young readers will be transported by this sensitive and imaginative take on the evolution of our planet’s ecosystem." —Booklist
"Chung and Majoka’s consummate environmental artistry combined with the quietly revelatory storytelling results in a tranquil, thoughtful read for middle graders hoping to make first contact with environmental activism." —The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
"A luminous, thought-provoking adventure." —The Horn Book
Author
CHRISTINE D. U. CHUNG is a Vietnamese Canadian artist living in her home city of Toronto, Canada. Her interest in storytelling started by making animated films in high school and partnering with the Adobe Youth Program. After that, she graduated from Sheridan College's Bachelor of Animation Program. Since then she's worked on 2D, 3D, animated TV and feature film projects.
View titles by Christine D.U. Chung
SALWA MAJOKA is an illustrator and 2D artist for the animation industry based in Toronto, Canada. She has created work for RBC Royal Bank, Georgia Straight Magazine, CBC Kids, Netflix, Guru Studio, Mercury Filmworks and more.
View titles by Salwa Majoka
