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Footprints Across the Planet from Reycraft Books Shows Young Readers How All Life Affects Our World

The nonfiction picture book explains that all living things leave footprints—literally and figuratively—that help shape planet Earth.

New Rochelle, NY, Oct. 1, 2022—Leading children’s trade publisher Reycraft Books has teamed up with award-winning author Jennifer Swanson to take readers in Grades 3 and up on an exciting and fascinating journey around the world to see how every living being leaves an imprint—with their feet, their words, and their actions. Through the book Footprints Across the Planet, readers will discover that each “footprint” left behind, whether it’s physical or digital, permanent or fleeting, helps tell a story of the past, the present, or the future.

Footprints Across the Planet, published on August 14, 2022, features vivid images of people, animals, objects, places, events, and activities, combined with crisp, compelling text, to convey how things in our world are interconnected and the concept of cause and effect. Explaining how she conceived the book, Jennifer Swanson said, “I thought about how every little bit of science makes an impact on Earth, from animals, to erosion, to technology, and of course, people do the same throughout history. This story needed to be about inviting young readers to think about what their impact on the world might be one day—and hopefully inspire them to take action to change the world for the better.”

Swanson said that she sees Footprints Across the Planet equally as both an activism book and a STEM book. “To me, STEM by its very definition implies involvement, through curiosity, awareness, and yes, even supporting and standing up for what is right,” she said. “When I talk to kids about STEM, I want them to think not only about how it is all around them all the time, but I invite them to participate in it. This can be through observation, experimentation, or in whatever way they feel comfortable interacting. STEM is about doing things, not just learning them. It is my hope that this book will get kids of all ages thinking about that.”

Footprints Across the Planet has received widespread praise. Kirkus Reviews called the book “an excellent choice for nature-loving elementary readers.” New York Times bestselling author Pat Zietlow Miller said it is a “beauty of a book [with] gorgeous photographs [and] classic writing.” Newbery-winning author Rajani LaRocca described it as “a fascinating, lyrical look at footprints of all kinds that will inspire young readers to consider the marks they want to make on the world.” And leading ocean explorer and environmental advocate Fabien Cousteau said, “Footprints Across the Planet thoughtfully tackles the very big job of teaching the next generation to love, nurture, and explore our oceans and lands and the life teeming within them. Through the book, Jennifer Swanson is leaving her own mark on the world that will last for years to come, inspiring young children to adopt a strong sense of self-awareness when it comes to their personal impact on the world around them.”