Beautifully written and illustrated, this picture book brings voice to the world of western North American through the eyes of the sagebrush that covers the landscape. Themes of resilience and determination to thrive after loss.

I read this with my 5 year old and he enjoyed the pictures and asked questions about what was happening. The informational matter at the end was thoughtful and a great way to learn more about the Big Empty.

I will be adding a physical copy of this book to our home bookshelf and to my classroom library.

A love letter to the west and the sagebrush that sustains it. I always knew that sagebrush was important to the ecosystem, but I had no idea just how much! It is truly more than it appears to be, and absolutely the saving grace of its dry, hot desert climate. This book teaches us this very fact with such poetic reverence, as well as beautifully atmospheric illustrations.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for providing me with a free eARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Big Empty
By Kibi Fagan
This book has wonderful beautiful illustration. The story highlighted the value of the ecosystem and sage bush. It was also metaphorical about the importance everyone has in life.

I read it to my eight, five, and two year old and they all loved the story and looking at the pictures.

The Big Empty would be a perfect mentor text for our STEM unit on plant adaptations. I loved that the story is told from the perspective of the Sagebrush and how this strong and resilient plant is able to provide for so many basic needs of the other living creatures in it's home. The informational pages at the end of the book would be great for digging deeper to understand this amazing plant and noting the differences from one area or region to another all with the same aim - to survive.

This picture book about sagebrush is perfect. Stunning illustrations capture the essence of the desert, and the prose and plot reveal both the harshness and the beauty of the environment.
The story is simple but allows for readers to become curious. The additional information at the back of the book is a great place to begin more research. I'll be adding a physical copy to my childrens' collection.

Informative, poetic and gorgeous. This book tells the story from the POV of sagebrush itself and forces the reader to grapple with the importance and significance of every aspect of an environment and life. This is stunning, engaging and a great addition to any collection or classroom. There is both ordinary glimpses of life AND immense hardship.

I received an arc of this title from NetGalley. A gorgeous picture book about where and how a sagebrush lives. A small amount of text with breathtaking illustrations makes this one of my favorite reads of the year.

A beautiful picturebook that is both informational and poetic in its nature. It is marked as intended for 5–10-year-olds, but it's clearly not only for them, as the artistic merit and the contemplative mood give the book great crossover value.

I don't want to get deeply into the topic of whether it is actually for 5–10-year-olds, as has been suggested in another review, as it hinges too much on our, adults’ construction of what children are and what they like. The idea that preschoolers mostly like cartoonishly cute and exaggerated characters, with fast-paced action, might have some psychological basis, but by the middle-grade age category, this predilection is as much taught through exposure as anything. Okay, sorry, I did get into this topic after all.

But the sagebrush as the protagonist and narrator of the story that tells us about their world! Isn't that amazing? I truly appreciate that there are more and more titles out there that show the world from a more ecological, environmentally conscious point of view.

Publication date: October 7, 2025.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC. The opinion above is entirely my own (informed by a professional interest in children's books rather than by my own age or by an experience of reading it with children in my care).

What. A. Gorgeous. Book.

The illustrations are striking, lovely, and have major staying power — this artwork is something I’m going to be reflecting on and remembering for a long time.

As someone who has lived exclusively along the Mississippi River my entire life, the sagebrush and its ecosystem is not one I have learned about and certainly not contemplated much. This was fascinating to learn about and to be able to share with my own kids.

I’ve got two kids in this target demographic and let me tell you what they love in their stories: cute animals and overcoming hardship. Tales with grit. Endearing illustrations. The Big Empty has ALL of that — every single element they enjoy!

And for me? The lines within this story like “I am nourishment when there is nothing else” speak to me as a mother on a deep level. Much like the sagebrush we offer our children so many elements of “home” as the sagebrush does in its ecosystem. Mothers are a safe place, a source of nourishment, and we are their nursery. Mothers endure even when all hope seems lost.

I loved this story and I’m so glad creative people like Kirby Fagan exist in this world.

Thank you to NetGalley and Millbrook Press for the early eARC of this book in exchange for my review.

The Big Empty
Kirbi Fagan
Beautiful paintings, and research on the life of sage brush, not only what they provide for the environment. The images of fire and life cycle bring the story of sage to young readers. I liked the information about each of the animals related to the sagebrush.

Absolutely breathtaking landscapes adorned with varying style texts. The Big Empty will serve as a cozy and curiosity piquing read aloud. This story can sour further conversation and research, while doubling as a relaxing and joyful storytime. Children will root for rebirth and growth of big sagebrush. They will leave with a new appreciation for something that they probably hadn’t heard of before. The back contains further information on the topic to explore with little ones. This is a truly special title that manages to capture some of the magic of nature within it’s limited pages, with such a small amount of words.

A beautiful look at the South West desert, told from the point of view of a sagebrush, narrating all the many, many ways sagebrush contributes to the surprisingly thriving environment of the desert, paired with hauntingly beautiful pictures.

This was a beautiful look at the landscape of the southwest, the effect of the sagebrush and the damage of wildfires. The illustrations are lovely, and the writing is sparse, but personal. I think this would make a great read-aloud for learning about the Southwest, conservation, and habitats. I recommend this book for schools and libraries.