Book excerpt: Just what exactly is the "thing"? It is green—great and gorgeous green, dark and dangerous green, real mean green. And it's got green things—broccoli and praying mantises, watermelons and waves of mountains. It's green, green, green all over . . . except where it's blue. The Great Big Green is, of course, our earth. Both a riddle and an ode to the earth, this ingenious picture book arrives just in time for Earth Day. Perfect for budding environmentalists and lovers of poetry alike, this irresistible read-aloud by Peggy Gifford is illustrated with an astonishing mix of collage and painting by Lisa Desimini. Readers will revisit the gorgeous world over and over after the riddle's reveal to find the many green things hidden in each piece of art.