Hoffman looks at how earth, fire, water and air have been a force on earth and fuel for human imagination throughout time. Exploring history, folklore and customs of cultures around the world, as well as scientific and environmental perspectives, she looks at each of the elements in turn, acknowledging their innate power and celebrating the ideas they have inspired. Her narrative is set against Ray's exquisite illustrations: burnished, beautifully detailed expressions of nature's power and the creativity of the human mind. (Ages 8-14)

An acclaimed storyteller and master illustrator have teamed up to dramatize the four basic constituents of physical life--earth, fire, water, and air--so that young readers can appreciate the life-giving role they play in our world. Jane Ray's illustrations brilliantly cross cultures to remind us of the ways that earlier inhabitants of our planet animated these forces with spirit. Full color.