The Planet in a Pickle Jar
Martin Stanev
Flying Eye Books

The brother and sister in this story aren’t keen on visiting their Grandma’s house. They consider it boring and would much prefer to spend all their time using their screens. Immediately we see some of what they are missing by so doing. They don’t enjoy her meals, or listen to the stories she tells: but a boring Grandma she is most assuredly not. Just take a look at her shopping, knitting and pickle making.

Then one evening she starts telling them something she considers important and on this occasion the children do listen and even spend time that night thinking about what has been said. As they do so a star falls from the sky and vanishes; so too has Grandma when they go to tell her about it. 

Their search yields only a wild cat that gives chase, and the children flee to the basement via a door they’d not noticed before. There they discover shelf upon shelf of pickle jars in which are preserved everything Grandma considers precious – ‘history, languages, nature, memories, smells, feelings’ and more. In addition, she has created an amazing underground sanctuary for endangered wildlife.

When eventually the children find Grandma, she explains that in order to prevent the complete destruction of the natural world, she now needs help to continue her life’s work. And so it is that , along with Grandma, the two children become custodians of the planet. 

Let’s hope that other children too are inspired by the story. It’s magnificently illustrated by the author and tells much of the tale without the need for lots of words; indeed what is shown is often at odds with what is said.

A book to share and discuss at home and in the classroom, and most importantly, for children and adults to act upon.