4 stars
A lovely beast of a book, packed with gorgeous illustrations and complex ideas. Much more intricate than it first appears.
When I checked this out from the library, I was expecting the obvious before/after relationships (caterpillar to butterfly, acorn to tree). But this book goes far beyond that. Some are before and after shots of the same scene. Some are direct cause and effect. Others show how one object was replaced by another (ink and quill with typewriter). Some show something being used to create something else. Others show the passage of time.
All of the illustrations are so captivating. I was especially drawn to the night sky scenes. Inspiration is pulled from the natural world, fairy tales, everyday objects, and technological advancements. Some scenes are obvious. Others offer a great starting point for a bigger learning opportunity such as how a cacao bean becomes chocolate or how a rocket leads to footprints on the moon. Some tell a story in their own way and provide a great opportunity for children to fill in the gaps to determine what happened (a slingshot paired with a broken window).
This lovely wordless book exceeded my expectations both in art style and its content. A beautiful collection of interrelated scenes that start simple and get more complex as the book goes on. A fantastic wordless read to explore.