We are so excited to have Frank Murphy join us today to share information about Environmental Picture Books!
Frank Murphy has taught various grades at the elementary level for 32 years. He has published several award-winning picture books and easy readers for over 23 years. He loves traveling with his wife and co-author, Carla. He roots on the Philadelphia 76ers and UFC matches with his sons. He loves the hobby of collecting and trading sports cards - he has two of the biggest Tyrese Maxey and Bo Nickal collections in the hobby. Two of his own favorite books are Heroic Heart and A Boy Like You. His all-time favorite kids' book is When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead. He's most proud of the accomplishments his kids are making - Griffin (marketing), Chase (filmmaking), and Haley (teaching).
“If not us, then who?” - that’s the quote from A Planet Like Ours that matters the most to me. It’s a rallying call to readers, young and adult, to care for our world - and all that lives in it. And it’s why Charnaie Gordon and I wrote the text.
A Planet Like Ours is the fifth book in the “like You” series. After writing the first book, A Boy Like You, I didn’t imagine that the book would turn into a whole series of picture books. After A Girl Like You, A Teacher Like You, and A Friend Like You - our team wanted to take a little bit of a different path. We arrived at the idea of taking care of our planet. It was the first book in the series where the title didn’t end with “You”. I had already co-authored A Friend Like You with Charnaie Gordon. I really really love collaborating with Charnaie – we have great chemistry together and we just get each other; it’s always a seamless and smooth writing experience with Charnaie.
There is so much happening in our world that is about division. We have hoped all along that this book would relate to everyone - no matter what. Even though politics and its inherent divisions (now more than ever) make their way into debates about climate change, global warming, and the ways we use and abuse natural resources – we think everyone can agree that we can all contribute to caring for Earth. From eliminating littering to caring for animals we wanted to give readers gentle reminders and inspiration to remember that we’re all sharing the same home – our Earth.
Kayla Harren, the books’ illustrator, is the driving force in illuminating our words. Her art ignites everything we write and she is the one who actually creates the story with her illustrations - in each book. With A Planet Like Ours, Kayla created some memorable and dramatic images. My favorite piece of art is the full spread of the child sitting in a boat, attempting to clean the waters below; the way Kayla put the readers underneath the water, looking above is powerful. Also, the scene of barren land with only tree stumps remaining is stunning - and so sad. Additionally, Kayla is skilled at representing the vast diversity we have as humans. With each “like You” book we hope that every kid sees a part of themself in the art.
Another hope we have is that teachers, librarians, and caregivers share the book year-round, not just on and around Earth Day. The messages in this book need to be taught and acted upon daily. The last message I wanted readers to notice and remember is that caring for each other is incredibly important – maybe now more than ever. Charnaie and I were very intentional about having that message in this book.