A parable depicting the consequences of the overgrazing of a village field by sheep serves as the basis for analogies to the overuse and depletion of our planet’s natural resources – the seas, forests, water, air and fossil fuels. Though the primitive style paintings and text are simple and direct, the profound message of author and illustrator Molly Bang’s picture book inspires reflection about the eventual consequences of short-sighted actions and the responsible stewardship of the water, earth and air that we share and which sustain our lives on our “common ground,” the Earth.