What can we do to help save the planet?

In his new interactive children’s picture book, Planet Rescue, illustrator Patrick George, represented by Debut Art, shows young readers that there are small steps each of us can take to help protect our planet. Comprised of colorful illustrations and a diverse range of characters, Planet Rescue incorporates fun and interactive tools to teach young children about respecting the planet while promoting clear environmental goals such as sustainability, minimizing waste, maintaining clean air and water, and more. The little red capes worn by the characters are intended to inspire young readers that they, too, can become “eco-warriors” by performing some of the environmentally friendly practices outlined in the book.

The concept of Planet Rescue is simple but effective. Between each of the 11 interactive spreads is a transparent page which magically transforms the action illustrated underneath. For example, in the first animated GIF below, the action of flipping the page from right to left highlights a benefit to our environment: choosing to leave one’s car at home in favor of riding his or her bike.The simplicity of turning the page is immediate and gives the reader a sense of empowerment as if they have actually made it happen! In creating these transparent pages, Patrick had to make sure each page turned and landed exactly in the right place for the illustrated idea to be conveyed. He also had t0 consider how the colors, which were to be printed onto the acetate, would blend with the paper page underneath.

Check out a few more examples of these interactive pages below.

Patrick recently launched a Kickstarter campaign to help finance the production of Planet Rescue. Here’s Patrick’s statement from his Kickstarter site:

“We feel it’s essential to maintain high quality production values at an affordable price. We will be printing with vegetable inks and FSC paper which also comes at a price. We can only do this with your investment. We’ve worked hard to reach a point where you can see exactly what you’re getting before you pledge. We have everything set up to make sure that if we get funded, printing can start at the push of a button!”

The Kickstarter campaign runs until March 28th. With your support, you can help Patrick reach his goal and publish Planet Rescue by the fall. Make a pledge here!

We wanted to learn a little more about Patrick’s inspiration for creating his book, as well as the important messages he hopes to convey. Read what he had to say below!

Directory of Illustration: What inspired you to create the Planet Rescue book?

Patrick George: I created Animal Rescue back in 2015 which was welcomed by parents and teachers as a great way of introducing the concept of empathy and respect for animals but for a young audience, and I wanted to follow that up with a similarly environmentally aware book. With the people like Greta giving the younger generations a voice I wanted to create something that could encourage a meaningful conversation about protecting our planet.

DI: What was your thought process behind including interactive, transparent pages in your book?

PG: This is the eighth book I’ve done which uses transparent pages and I think in an age where kids are used to seeing digital transformations on screen I wanted to create that kind of magic and surprise from books. By turning the page from right to left you can tell a story, change a meaning, mix a colour, or reveal something unexpected. And it’s all controlled by the child, so in the case of Planet Rescue it became a powerful tool allowing them to plant a tree with a simple page turn. Other examples are removing litter from the ocean/putting it in a bin, switching off a light/opening a curtain and feeding the bees.

DI: What are a couple key messages you hope readers will take away from your book?

PG: I tried to keep the book positive, showing that there’s a benefit to the reader by not using the car, or recycling their plastic, and that these changes in behaviour are achievable – so even if you don’t have access to a garden then a window box can provide a haven for bees. I’d also like them to spend more time outside – when children spend time outdoors they become curious about nature and develop a better understanding of our environment, and who knows, maybe become the eco-warriors of the future.

For more information about the project, visit Patrick’s Kickstarter site or visit the Planet Rescue Facebook page. Make sure to check out his portfolio for additional work.

Patrick George (illustrator) and Ann Scott (publisher) with their dog Oscar.