If We Were Gone

January 1, 2020
This picture book challenges children to imagine the Earth as it exists now in a future without humans. Coy opens his provocative thought experiment by reminding readers, "People need water to live. / We need air to breathe. / We need plants to survive. / But do they need us?" Without humans, infrastructure would begin to break down. "Lightning strikes would cause fires that would burn uncontrolled." The air and water would become cleaner. Between erosion and unchecked nature, humanity would eventually become a dim planetary memory. Capannelli's accompanying watercolors depict graffiti-tagged overpasses hung about with blossoming vines, a tree sprouting through a factory's chimney, the skeletal frames of suburban homes ablaze, the rubble of a long-vacant classroom. Birds and animals roam these places freely. Coy closes by declaring that air, plants, and water don't "need us," but we "absolutely" need air, plants, and water. "And because we do, / we must take care, / in all the ways we can, / so we're here on Earth together / now / and in the future." Coy's persuasive strategy is weak. Earth without humans is so clearly better off it's hard to imagine children will be anything but profoundly discouraged by this book. A closing note headed "What Can We Do?" encourages readers broadly to reduce consumption and embrace the outdoors but ultimately fails to empower. Poor Earth. It's stuck with us. (author's note, bibliography) (Picture book. 5-10)

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March 1, 2020

Gr 1-4-Coy's environmental picture book challenges young readers to imagine Earth without humans. The book stresses that people need air, water, plants, and a healthy environment to survive, while the reverse is not true of the natural world. The author presents a scenario where nature thrives and pollution disappears. The text is brief and the vocabulary is at the level of a young elementary student. However, the dystopian concepts may not be fully accessible to elementary readers. The text and Capannelli's double-page watercolor spreads work together to paint a vivid picture of the harm unleashed on the world by humans, and highlight the beauty of the ocean and rainforests when left to thrive without human interference. The idyllic scenes of families enjoying the outdoors contrasted with the demolished buildings and apocalyptic fires are harsh and might be hard to reconcile with young children. Coy explains the book's purpose in the back matter. A bibliography features adult books that use a similar thought experiment. His "What Can We Do?" section offers positive ideas that children can use to reduce their negative environmental impacts. VERDICT An optional purchase. The book, while provocative, lacks the substance and scientific detail needed for older children but would be difficult conceptually for younger children.-Theresa Muraski, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point Library

Copyright 2020 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

March 9, 2020
In this disturbingly beautiful dystopian meditation, Coy uses direct and dreamy language, encouraging readers to imagine a world without humans—“Pipes would burst/ and pavement buckle.” The net effect imagined is undeniably beneficial: “The air would become cleaner/ with each rainfall.// Plants and animals would grow wild/ and forests and jungles expand.” Coy’s point: “People need water to live./ We need air to breathe./ We need plants to survive./ But do they need us?// Maybe not.” Capannelli’s watercolors show crumbling structures, rising waters, and animals merrily scavenging, beady eyes peering out from broken computers. A closing note states that “virtually 99.999 percent of all life on the planet has gone extinct” and calls readers to action: “This is the planet you are going to live on. What will you do to protect it?” Ages 5–10.