Everyone Starts Small

Ages 4 to 8, Grades P to 3

Sun and Grass, Water and Tree, Fire and Rain—nature’s cycle of creation unfolds in a compelling lyrical text and striking illustrations.

Sun grows beams

and Grass grows blades

and Cloud cannot contain herself.

Spring rains change Water from a tumbling creek to a roaring river and bring Tree nutrients it needs to stretch toward the sky. As Sun’s rays intensify, the sprouts and fruits and insects of the forest grow and bloom and develop, all working together in harmony. Even Fire, whose work causes Tree to ache from the inside, brings opportunity for the next generation of flora and fauna. Paired with the vivid, organic imagery of Dominique Ramsey, Liz Garton Scanlon’s poetic tribute to our planet’s resilience is a resonant story of life, death, and regeneration.

About the Author

Liz Garton Scanlon is the author of many books for young people, including the Caldecott Honor picture book All the World, illustrated by Marla Frazee, and her debut novel for middle-grade readers, The Great Good Summer. Her recent novel Lolo’s Light was a Kirkus Reviews Best Middle-Grade Book of the Year. Liz Garton Scanlon is on the faculty of the Vermont College of Fine Arts and lives in Austin, Texas.

Dominique Ramsey is an award-winning illustrator and designer whose work has been featured by the Society of Illustrators, the Art Directors Club, American Illustration, and more. Everyone Starts Small is her debut picture book. Dominque Ramsey lives in North Carolina.