Celebrate Earth Day - April 22, 2009
Every April 22, people of the world participate in Earth Day, promoting awareness of the need to protect the planet. This year we are featuring Kim McKay and her book, True Green Kids: 100 Things You Can Do to Save the Planet as a tribute to those who work to make the earth a better place for all of us.
One person can make a difference. Australian Kim McKay has given credence to this statement through her work in a variety of areas, not the least of which is her commitment to the earth itself. With an "international career in social marketing, communications and corporate partnerships that spans 25 years and every continent,"* McKay has spear-headed many efforts to "Clean Up" the earth. Starting with the 1986, Solo-Around-the-World Yacht Race, McKay worked with the solo captains to keep all plastic on-board–no ocean dumping for the duration of the race. Sailing into Sydney harbor at the conclusion of the race, her friend, Ian Kiernan, told her about the amount of trash he had seen there; and, so, Clean Up Sydney Harbor Day was born, which resulted in over 40, 000 people turning out to help clean up the shoreline of their own harbor. Kiernan and McKay co-founded "Clean Up Australia" (http://www.cleanup.com.au/au/About/the-board.html) and have worked together to create "the largest community environmental project in Australia." They have both been named in the Queen's Birthday Honours List as Officers in the General Division of the Order of Australia (AO).
"Following on from the success of this effort, in 1992 she co-founded Clean Up the World, securing partnership with the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) and international corporate support. The program now operates in 120+ countries and annually involves over 30 million volunteers. She also continues as Deputy Chair of Clean Up the World."
Recently, while in Washington, DC, she performed hands-on service with a youth group from the Earth Conservation Corps and friends from The National Geographic in cleaning up a section of the Anacostia River. In the shadow of the Nation's capital we, too, have the need and responsibility to pitch-in and help with the clean-up of our own waterways. During her visit to the Metro DC area, I had the distinct pleasure of spending some time with Kim and was able to observe first hand the high level of energy and dedication that she embodies. Our discussion began with her newest book, True Green for Kids, but quickly expanded to her huge variety of interests and life pursuits. She is one of the most curious people on earth, asking the why?, how can we?, and what should we do? questions about every aspect of life. Her obvious dedication to the environment is coupled with many other driving interests such as the her work with the Discovery channel and its Eco Challenge programming, National Geographic (including its involvement in the Genographic project), working with the United Nations, her position on The National Breast Cancer Foundation's board, as well as a multitude of other global endeavors.
While her work and travels around the world reflect her interest in the whole planet, she did stress that local awareness is the most basic beginning of a more ecologically sound earth. Because Australia has endured drought conditions for some time, the people have become experts at water conservation and make a concerted effort to curb water use. McKay says that a positive approach, influenced by first hand observation, is the path to making adjustments to one's lifestyle that become second nature. "Everyone in Australia has a timer in the shower!" She is convinced that people need to "speak out and take ownership of issues such as the environment"–a conviction that she lives every day in her work and in her own "eco-friendly" condo (habitat) at home in Sydney.
Her book, co-authored with Jenny Bonnin, True Green - 100 Everyday Ways You Can Contribute to a Healthier Planet. was the beginning of a five book series which includes: True Green at Work 100 Ways You Can Make the Environment Your Business (2007); True Green Kids: 100 Things You Can Do to Save the Planet (2008). The next two books will deal with being True Green at Home and True Green in Travel and Life. This series offers concrete, effective measures that can often be instituted quickly and easily; some of the ideas may require more planning and effort but will result in real energy savings. Many of the ideas are simple and easy to incorporate into daily routine. For some, reading these books will be a real eye opening experience and for others they will reinforce and support habits that are already growing into the accepted standard. During a recent public gathering I noticed that along side the garbage cans, re-cycle bins were clearly marked and ready to capture the many cans and plastic bottles evident among the crowd. At past events, we would have had to carry our soda cans home in order to re-cycle them. This kind of awareness is encouraged in the books and examples of how much energy can be saved are presented in accessible prose with vibrant photographs, charts, and diagrams-an extremely informative and useful collection.
*Quotes are from the Clean Up Australia web site shown above.
Contributor: Sheilah Egan
Reviews
Dire Predictions, Understanding Global Warming; The Illustrated Guide to the Findings of the IPCC
Michael E. Mann and Lee R. Kump
Dire Predictions helps the reader traverse the difficult terrain of climate change facts and figures through the use of photos, charts, and maps. It doesn't downplay the science behind the articles, but it really is all about presentation and the implications of that science. The authors are both professors of geosciences and they are able to make the information palatable to even the most science-phobic reader. They do this by dividing the material into an introduction that explains the credentials and methods used to develop their conclusions, followed by five chapters: Climate Change Basics; Climate Change Projects; The Impacts of Climate Change; Vulnerability and Adaptation to Climate Change; and Solving Global Warming. While describing climate change as "one of the greatest, if not the greatest, challenge ever faced by human society," they believe that if we work together, we have a good chance of success. The book ends with a glossary and index. I found this book to be one of the clearest and easiest to digest explanations of climate change I have ever read. Students may feel called to action and the authors give them ideas of what they need to do as the newest guardians of the Earth. Category: Science Nature, Ecology. KLIATT Codes: JSA--Recommended for junior and senior high school students, advanced students, and adults. 2008, DK, 208p. illus. index., $25.00. Ages 12 to adult. Reviewer: Nola Theiss (KLIATT Review, November 2008 (Vol. 42, No. 6)).
ISBN: 978-0-7566-3995-2
ISBN: 0-7566-3995-6
The Dirt on Dirt
Paulette Bourgeois
Wow! Who knew there was so much to learn about dirt? If you thought dirt was just something you add water too in order to make a great mud pie, think again. The world is FULL of dirt, so follow along as you explore its different properties. On the "Contents" page, five categories are listed: "You and Dirt," "Dirt Matters," "Buried!" "Building with Dirt," and "Dirt for Gardening." These five categories are explored so in depth, you will learn something no matter what your age. From the typical knowledge of dirt as something that plants grow in, to learning about some of the amazing things that archaeologists have found buried underneath it, your mind will be covered in dirt from top to bottom before you are through. Photographs are accompanied by cartoon illustrations, making it kid-friendly and providing concrete knowledge. With tons of fun facts and instructions for science experiments (such as making fossils), readers are encouraged to participate in hands-on learning. Because dirt is involved in many aspects of science, the information and experiments in this book could be useful in preschool to elementary classrooms covering many different units, such as plants, animals, dirt, dinosaurs, or archaeology, just to name a few. The highly necessary glossary and index in the back help to keep the educational aspect of the text very user-friendly. You will learn more than you ever wanted to know about dirt by the time you are through. 2008, Kids Can Press, $15.95. Ages 6 to 12. Reviewer: Carly Reagan (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-1-55453-101-1
ISBN: 978-1-55453-102-8
ISBN: 1-55453-101-2
ISBN: 1-55453-102-0
Earth-Friendly Crafts: Clever Ways to Reuse Everyday Items
Kathy Ross
Everyday items such as old toys, games, puzzle pieces, balloons, greeting cards, and playing cards can be used to create clips, picture boards, magnets, frames and jewelry. Ross includes twenty-one different crafts that will appeal to younger crafters. Using a folding game board, crafters can create a practical art folder to keep artwork protected and flat. A pair of stretchy gloves with bits of foam and pipe cleaners turn into an octopus puppet, while a tuna fish can and old marker caps become a pencil holder. An old greeting card is transformed in to a new one using fabric or wrapping paper and a fashion doll outfit, while a cereal box can be created into a chain of links or a collage. Each project includes a photo of the completed project and step by step directions and illustrations. A table of contents, page of web and book resources, and environmental tips and statistics are other key features of this book. Additional tips or recycling facts accompany each craft. This is a great supplement to any science or art classroom, or elementary library. 2009, Millbrook Press/Learner Publishing Group, Ages 8 to 12, $21.28. Reviewer: Barbara Wheatley
ISBN: 978-0-8225-9099-6
The Forever Forest: The Children's Eternal Rainforest
Kristin Joy Pratt-Serafini, with Rachel Crandell
Illustrated by Kristin Joy Pratt-Serafini
When Peter takes his first trip to Costa Rica on his summer break, he encounters the diverse beauties of a tropical rainforest known as the Children's Eternal Rainforest. Intriguing and exotic creatures like blue-crowned motmots, brown tent-making bats, two-toed sloths, mantled howler monkeys and kinkajous capture his attention during a hike through Central America's tropical terrain. With the help of his mom and her two friends, Dwight and Rachel, Peter learns to appreciate these illustrious animals and their intriguing habits. He also learns firsthand of the intricacies of the rainforest's vegetation, like the strangler fig, a massive, hollowed tree composed solely of thick vines and the impressive "air plant," the blossoms of which never touch the ground but are suspended several feet in the air, forming a beautiful canopy of orchid blossoms. To Peter's amazement, he learns that this piece of heaven on Earth would have perished if it weren't for enthusiastic, pro-active second-grade students in Sweden who made it their mission to preserve the rainforest. With a little ingenuity, they raised more than $100,000, which was used to help this rainforest live up to its name--the Eternal Rainforest. Based on a true story, this beautifully illustrated narrative is both inspiring and educational. 2008, Dawn Publications, $8.95. Ages 5 to 10. Reviewer: Stacey L. Hester (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-1-58469-101-3
ISBN: 978-1-58469-102-0
ISBN: 1-58469-101-8
ISBN: 1-58469-102-6
Generation Green; The Ultimate Teen Guide to Living an Eco-friendly Life
Linda Sivertsen and Tosh Sivertsen
Tosh is Linda's 18-year-old son, and he is able to connect the basic Green message to his own generation with the help of his committed mom. We all know how sometimes a parent's insistence on a certain way of life, however admirable and necessary, can backfire, but it sounds like Tosh has truly made the commitment to Green his own. There is so much information, inspiration, and practical advice packed into this volume. With each topic (e.g., Eating Green, Guilt-Free Shopping and many more), the authors have a section called "Thinking Big" and another section, "Thinking Small." On the Big scale are government policy, international efforts and the like; the Small scale lists what an individual or a family can do. Interspersed with the information and advice are brief essays on individuals like Daryl Hannah and Ed Begley, Jr., committed environmentalists who live their lives true to their beliefs and hope to change other people's choices as well. This is a teen guide, after all, and so there are many pieces of the advice directed to adolescents that could change the choices they make every day in order to do less damage to the Earth. So much of it is about choices: what we eat, what we wear, what we drive, where we live. How long are our showers? How much trash do we accumulate and how do we dispose of it? Also, there are numerous suggestions about how teens could influence their own school's or community's policies, how they could get active more globally in protecting the ocean, protecting forests--there are so many topics, a reader could easily find some way to get involved in the Green movement. And throughout, the authors talk about the importance of taking small steps to begin--change a few things in your life first and become more aware of the effects of your choices. More than 30 years ago, I read Diet for a Small Planet, promptly became a vegetarian and still am to this day, so I totally believe in the power of a logical argument to change a reader's life. This book has that power. Category: Social Studies; Current Topics. KLIATT Codes: JS--Recommended for junior and senior high school students. 2008, Simon & Schuster, Pulse, 248p. bibliog., $10.99. Ages 12 to 18. Reviewer: Claire Rosser (KLIATT Review, September 2008 (Vol. 42, No. 5)).
ISBN: 1-4169-6122-4
ISBN: 978-1-4169-6122-2
The Grass Patch Project
Molly Blaisdell
Illustrated by James Demski, Jr.
The teacher has challenged her students to come up with a project for Earth Day. Jason, who recently started attending Sunrise Elementary, is a little unhappy because there is no grass around the school. He proposes that the kids plant grass to make the school yard more attractive. The students have other suggestions, but his garners the most votes. It is hard work, and it takes a few weeks for the grass to grow. Readers follow the students' activities while inset fact boxes provide more information about plants and their importance as well as specifics about grasses. Does the class win the prize? Will Jason make new friends? Read the story and then stretch yourself a bit more by trying out the activities at the end of the text. There is also a glossary and time line showing the life cycle of grass. The cartoon style illustrations are well matched with the text. The books in the "learn more" section are quite up-to-date, and FactHound is available to help kids find sites on the Internet. This is a Green Level book in the "Science Read It Readers" series, which presents more complex ideas, extended vocabulary, and language structure. 2008, Picture Window, $19.93. Ages 7 to 9. Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-1-4048-2292-4
ISBN: 1-4048-2292-5
Investigating Climate Change
Rebecca L. Johnson
The atmosphere controls the temperature of the Earth and the glaciers on Earth. The author describes the greenhouse effect and the Carbon Cycle clearly and concisely. There have been clues throughout history to show people that the atmosphere has a direct effect on what is happening on Earth. The rings on the tree trunks, the ice cores of glaciers, volcanic eruptions are just a few of the indicators of what is going on with the temperature of the Earth. The author gives a lot of history behind this research and evidence of the warming of the Earth. The research indicates that there is more involved in the warming of the Earth than just climate change. The burning of fuels and use of greenhouse gases also contribute to the overall warming. When all of these atmospheric changes are occurring, there is potential for floods, droughts, fires, hurricanes and severe changes in seasons. Because there are more regularly occurring storms, animals are affected and some are even on the endangered list. By reducing greenhouse gases released, people are able to reduce any future warming. Climate change will affect all people in the future. Action needs to be taken to reduce some of the tragedies that could occur due to climate change. The author gives ways to help to reduce these changes. The limited photographs in this text portray what is being described accurately; however, more images or illustrations would benefit the reader to help the reader fully understand what is being explained. 2009, Twenty-First Century Books, $30.60. Ages 12 to 18. Reviewer: Reviewer: Rachel Miller (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-8225-6792-9
ISBN: 0-8225-6792-X
It's Earth Day!
Mercer Mayer
Little Critter learns about Earth Day in school, and the most alarming news for him is that the polar bears' habitat is disappearing. He decides that he needs to find a way to keep the Polar ice from melting. He and his dad do some research at home, and Little Critter takes things a bit too far--turning off lights is good, but not when you are in the room. Turning off computers and the like that draw energy is also good, as is using water more carefully. Projects such as recycling cans, newspapers, and the like generate money that can be used for causes such as the one Little Critter is supporting--We Love Polar Bears. On Earth Day, his class plants trees--which is a fairly traditional activity--trees help clear the air. Little Critter papers the town (probably not the best idea) with signs that say "reduce, reuse, and recycle." The story gets a bit far-fetched when he tries to develop a climate control machine, but, as his dad points out, all of his efforts have brought much needed attention to the things that we can do to conserve and protect the Earth. Kids will enjoy the antics and also get the message--conservation is good whether or not you accept the premise of global warming. 2008, HarperFestival/HarperCollins, $3.99. Ages 4 to 8. Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-06-053959-7
ISBN: 0-06-053959-3
Love Every Leaf: The Life of Landscape Architect Cornelia Hahn Oberlander
Kathy Stinson
If ever there was a multi-purpose biography, it is this. Cornelia Hahn was born in Germany in the early 1920s. From the time she was 11 years old she knew she wanted to be a landscape architect. In this book she talks about what it was like for a Jewish family in Germany, and how she came to the United States in 1939. Educated at Smith College and Harvard, she was one of only a few women landscape architects in the mid-20th century. Stinson covers Hahn Oberlander's professional life, but what makes it interesting reading is discovering what books and philosophies shaped her own. Information about her family and their move to Canada, and how spending time with her own children influenced how she thought about park design for children, are interestingly presented. "Sustainable development" and "green buildings" are big buzz words today. In fact, Hahn Oberlander was designing with these in mind long before the general public was concerned with the environment. Great care was taken in selecting just the right heading for each chapter. Author Stinson was just as careful and is equally engaging in telling the life story of this truly remarkable woman who continues to work today. Readers will be inspired by her story and her continuing desire to make the world a beautiful place for everyone. There are so many ways this book can, and should, be incorporated into the curriculum: careers, plants and the environment, urban life, influential women, early 20th century life in Germany, Canada, senior citizens and more! 2008, Tundra Books, $26.95. Ages 11 up. Reviewer: Sharon Salluzzo (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-88776-804-0
ISBN: 0-88776-804-0
Michael Recycle
Ellie Bethel
Illustrated by Alexandra Colombo
There once was a town called Abberdoo-Rimey, where garbage was left to grow rotten and slimy.' And so begins a romp through the pages of Michael Recycle. As readers can see from the starting stanza, the town needs help, and lo and behold who should appear but Michael Recycle. He helps the townspeople to change their ways until they can say ‘Look at our town! It gleams and it glitters! Now nothing's wasted and nobody litters!' This wonderful rhyming book about recycling and going green is set to the familiar cadence of ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas. The story is complemented with bold and humorous illustrations that perfectly match the text. This is a wonderful book on a timely topic that is sure to be a hit with both readers and listeners. Highly Recommended. 2008, Worthwhile Books, 28pp., $15.99 hc. Reviewer: Cheryl Whitmore Stevens (Library Media Connection, October 2008).
ISBN: 978-160010224-0
ISBN: 1-60010224-7
Night of the Spadefoot Toads
Bill Harley
Ten year old Ben Moroney is not only in a new school, he's what seems like a million miles away from his beloved Sonoran desert in Tucson, Arizona. He doesn't connect with the kids or the Massachusetts rainy spring weather and is miserable. In the science classroom at school, he opens a cage of mice and lets one loose. But his new science teacher, Mrs. Tibbets, doesn't make a fuss and, although she is old, she comes to class wearing hiking boots, which intrigues Ben. Mrs. Kutcher, who teaches the rest of the fifth grade subjects, assigns a geography project where the students must write about an ecosystem. Ben picks the desert, of course. But as he gets to know Mrs. Tibbets, and all she can teach him about Massachusetts wildlife, he has trouble focusing on his desert project. Mrs. Tibbets introduces him to endangered spadefoot frogs, which come out of their homes in the mud only once a year to lay eggs in vernal pools--puddles of water that appear for a short time after heavy spring rains. Ben can't resist checking out the shelter in Mrs. Tibbets's backyard that she had warned him not to go near. He accidentally lets out the two timber rattlesnakes she had living there. Along the way Ben learns how to make friends and how to confess to things he's done wrong. He also convinces Mrs. Tibbets's sister-in-law not to sell all the family land, but instead to preserve the area of the vernal pool. Although some of elements of the story may seem a bit formulaic, this book gives a lot of good information about nature and why we should preserve our environment. The writing is quite good; giving the reader a feeling for place and characters. 2008, Peachtree Publishers, $15.95. Ages 8 to 12. Reviewer: Sarah Maury Swan (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-1-56145-459-4
ISBN: 1-56145-459-1
Our Living Earth: A Story of People, Ecology, and Preservation
Isabelle Delannoy
Photographs by Yann Arthus-Bertrand
Absolutely outstanding photography is the main focus of this European environmental guide that will delight students. The photographs from around the world include deforestation of the Amazon, Iceland's Blue Lagoon, and laundry drying in Mali. The photographs are accompanied by narrative and captions. Inequalities in the availability and use of resources around the world are addressed. For example, an American consumes an average of 185 gallons of water each day, compared to 5.3 gallons in Haiti. Although much of the information is indeed sobering, there are examples of success in addressing problems, such as locating wells at schools so young girls are able to bring home water and attend school on the same day. American students will probably not be impressed with suggestions to rent items such as DVDs or cars or to avoid plastic bottles. Different sections feature green cities, energy sources, and agricultural problems. This great resource will generate awareness and enthusiasm for environmental issues, but it will be of marginal use for research as there are no citations to accompany the many statistics. Students will need to find other sources to explain and verify the information from this book. Suggested resources include Internet sites from United Nations and Greenpeace. Some patrons might consider the content to be extreme environmentalism, but students would benefit from the proper use of the book. VOYA CODES: 3Q 4P M J S (Readable without serious defects; Broad general YA appeal; Middle School, defined as grades 6 to 8; Junior High, defined as grades 7 to 9; Senior High, defined as grades 10 to 12). 2008, Harry N. Abrams, 160p.; Glossary. Index. Illus. Photos. Maps. Further Reading., $24.95. Ages 11 to 18. Reviewer: Marilyn Brien (VOYA, December 2008 (Vol. 31, No. 5)).
ISBN: 978-0-8109-7132-5
ISBN: 0-8109-7132-1
People and the Environment
Jennifer Boothroyd
This attractive and colorful nonfiction text is one of three titles in a series of "First Step" Lerner books about ecology. This particular text describes and presents photographs about people in their environments. Some of the interesting examples of people in their environments include workers picking crops from a lush field and a mother and child applying sunscreen as they sit at the beach on a bright sunny day. The appealing, full-color photographs, simple patterned text, and bold captions all help support early readers in gaining an understanding of different people adapting to their unique settings. This book introduces young readers to important vocabulary words such as adapt, environment, and resources. Important words are highlighted in boldface type and included in a glossary at the back of the book. Also at the back of this small text are an index and several pages of additional facts about people helping and hurting the environment. For example, some people recycle and some plant trees to stop soil erosion, but others cut down too many trees or leave trash on the ground and in the water. Very young children will enjoy reading and learning from this attractive nonfiction text, with or without adult assistance. Teachers in primary grade classrooms will welcome this engaging child-friendly book that compares and contrasts the environments in which different people live because it will appeal to their young students while supporting national curriculum standards related to the natural sciences and ecology. 2008, Lerner Publishing Group, $18.60. Ages 3 to 7. Reviewer: Susan Borges (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-8225-8601-2
ISBN: 0-8225-8601-0
Plants and the Environment
Jennifer Boothroyd
This attractive and colorful nonfiction text is one of three titles in a series of "First Step Lerner" books about ecology. This particular text describes and presents photographs about plants in their environments. Some of the interesting examples include green broad leaf plants that collect lots of sunlight and plants with roots that grow deep into the soil. The appealing, full-color photographs, simple patterned text, and bold captions all help support early readers in gaining an understanding of specific plants and how they adapt to their unique environments. This book introduces young readers to important vocabulary words such as adapt, nutrients, and pollen. Subject-specific words are highlighted in boldface type and included in a glossary at the back of the book. Also at the back of this small text are an index and two pages of several additional plant facts. For example, forests are shrinking because people are cutting down trees, yet we need forests because they help make the oxygen that people breathe. Very young children will enjoy reading and learning from this attractive nonfiction text, with or without adult assistance. Teachers will welcome this engaging, child-friendly book about plants because it will appeal to their students while supporting national curriculum standards related to the natural sciences and ecology. 2008, Lerner Publishing Group, $18.60. Ages 3 to 7. Reviewer: Susan Borges (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-8225-8603-6
ISBN: 0-8225-8603-7
Polar Bear, Why Is Your World Melting?
Robert E. Wells
Why are polar bears in trouble? Why is the Arctic Ocean becoming warmer? The Arctic Ocean is very cold and covered with floating ice, but it is just the right temperature for polar bears who live on the ice and hunt seals. Every year, the Arctic temperature slowly rises, and more and more ice melts. It is harder for Polar bears to survive and thrive with ice floes few and far in between. In order to be a healthy planet, the earth must maintain equilibrium; the average temperature must stay around 59 degrees Fahrenheit, and the main greenhouse gases must stay at a healthy level. At this point in time, there are too many greenhouse gases in the air, and the air is becoming too warm. Most of the carbon dioxide comes from factories and machines that burn fossil fuels like coal and oil. People are using more and more electricity, causing carbon dioxide to go into the air. Every day millions of people use oil when they drive cars, fly planes, and sail in ships. So how important is Arctic ice, and why does it matter that we work to save it? Arctic ice helps regulate weather all over the world. In this fun book, children can see the link between ice floes, the greenhouse effect, and a myriad of problems that could have long-lasting consequences. The author provides examples of what parents and children can do on a regular basis to conserve energy (and save the Arctic ice) so that Polar bears will be around for many years to come. 2008, Albert Whitman & Company, $16.99. Ages 4 to 8. Reviewer: Suzanna E. Henshon, Ph.D. (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-8075-6598-8
ISBN: 978-0-8075-6599-5
ISBN: 0-8075-6598-9
ISBN: 0-8075-6599-7
Reduce and Reuse
Sally Hewitt
The Green Team is a series of six titles designed to increase awareness through action. The authors show what young people all over the world are doing to make the world a more sustainable place. The books are inexpensive yet valuable reading for elementary classrooms. Reduce and Reuse is a book that asks the question "Where did this product come from, and where will it go after I use it?" Litter, landfills, pollution, incinerators, and overflowing garbage problems beg us to make less trash. But how? First, we can buy less and make sure we are responsible shoppers. Then, we can either allow someone else to use it or recycle it. Ideas for reducing trash include, mending clothing, exchanging clothes, going to the library, reusing packaging, recycling machines, holding a yard sale, avoiding the use of plastic bags when shopping, and then challenging others to do the same. These global books have a universal appeal; through pictures, words, and deeds they connect children from one culture to another. Not only did I learn something new with almost each new page but I also felt that the more I read, the more able I was to see the similarities among the children of the world and the children I teach. Links were forged. This bond can only serve to unite amidst diversity and encourage young people to learn to think about what they have, what they are doing, and compare this to what others have, and what others are doing. We can all be members of the Green Team. Grades 2-6. 2008, Crabtree Publishing Company, 32p, $8.95. Ages 7 to 12. Reviewer: Teri Cosentino (National Science Teachers Association (NSTA)).
ISBN: 978-0-7787-4102-2
ISBN: 0-7787-4102-8
ISBN: 978-0-7787-4095-7
ISBN: 0-7787-4095-1
True Green Kids: 100 Things You Can Do to Save the Planet
Kim Mckay and Jenny Bonnin
True Green Kids provides readers with 100 "green" activities that are designed to help children understand that the choices they make each day affect the Earth. Activities in True Green Kids are geared toward a child's environment and are divided into those that might be appropriate in a child's room, at home, outdoors, with friends, while buying stuff, at school, those requiring teamwork, on vacation, and while making fun things. The book includes a forward, an introduction, and a section on true green facts. The resource section lists many websites that encourage additional research. This book provides practical and easy activities that can be adapted and used with children of all ages, and the illustrations are bright, colorful, and highlight children engaged in environmental issues. Many of the suggestions presented could be used with young children with adult supervision. There are sections of the 143-page book with large font that could be read by average readers in grade four; however, most of the book is written in small font size. I would recommend this book to elementary teachers who are looking for green activities to incorporate into their science lessons. Average middle school readers should be able to read this book independently, so I would also recommend it for addition to a middle school reference library. I would also recommend this book to art education teachers because the craft section has many ideas that could be incorporated into an art curriculum. There are many ways to adapt the suggested activities, so teachers looking for differentiated instructional ideas will appreciate it as well. Grades 1-8. 2008, National Geographic Society, 144p, $15.95. Ages 6 to 14. Reviewer: Lois Spangler (National Science Teachers Association (NSTA)).
- SB&F Prize for Excellence in Science Books Finalist 2009 Middle Grades Science Book United States
ISBN: 1-4263-0442-0
ISBN: 978-1-4263-0442-2
Why Should I Care About Nature?
M.J. Knight
Part of the "One Small Step" series, which introduces key environmental issues and shows how everyone (even kids) can take small steps that make difference in habitat conservation and endangered species efforts, chapters in this volume include "Somewhere to Live," "Who Eats Who?," "Links in a Chain," "What Can Go Wrong?," "Breaking the Chain," "Why Do Habitats Change?," "Room for Everyone?," "Underwater Wildlife," "The Last Wilderness," "Wildlife at Risk," "Closer to Home," "Wildlife At School," "Make A Wildlife Garden," a glossary, websites page, and index. The illustrations are clear, photos are great, and interspersed throughout the book are factoids, called "One Small Fact," which kids will love. Each chapter includes a section, titled "I Can Make a Difference," which shows readers specific steps that can be taken to conserve habitats. The text is at about third grade reading level, in a nice clear typeface, and although many of the illustrations portray elementary age kids, this series could reach into middle school or even high school libraries where reading levels might be an issue. 2008, Smart Apple Media/Black Rabbit Books, $27.10. Ages 8 up. Reviewer: Gwynne Spencer (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-1-59920-266-2
To view reviews of books on Earth Day from a previous year, click here.
To view reviews of 2009 Science Books, click here.
Added 03/27/09
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