When the Animals Saved Earth

Rooted in a 10th-century Iraqi fable, this picture book makes a case for justice and compassion toward creation through a story that crosses cultural lines with ease. One honorable youth stands with the animals before a wise king, and right wins out. Alexis York Lumbard's alliterative prose is a pleasure to read aloud, and the moral arc is clear and satisfying. The honest caveat: Demi's soft pastel illustrations feel tonally lighter than the story's content — the text describes human cruelty to animals in pointed terms that may be intense for the youngest children. The 2015 Middle East Book Award is well deserved. A meaningful choice for families who want stories about stewardship and justice.