Here is another environmental title that I think parents and teachers will find very useful.
Molly Smith
Illustrated by Tad Carpenter
Nonfiction
Ages 10 and up
Chronicle Books, 2010, 978-0-8118-7141-9
Almost every day we are bombarded with news articles, television shows, and radio programs about the state of our environment. The situation can seem overwhelming, and many young people wonder how they can “possibly make a difference.” The truth is that one person can make a difference simply by implementing “little choices every day” that can help our planet.
This book is full of activities that will help young people to better understand how their everyday choices both help and harm our home. There are five chapters in all, and at the end of each there is a list of “simple steps” that we can all follow to make our lives greener and more environmentally friendly.
The author begins by looking at “Energy and Climate.” There
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By: Marya Jansen-Gruber,
on 4/26/2010
Blog: Through the Looking Glass Book Review (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Picture books, Children's book reviews, April is TTLG's Save the Environment Month, Add a tag
Here is another book for TTLG's Save the Environment Month.
Illustrated by Viviana Garofoli
Picture Book
Ages 4 to 6
One day Max, the Little Green Monster, goes to the beach to have a picnic. Max loves the ocean, but he does not like having to clean up his picnic things. Then Max goes snorkeling, and instead of seeing fish and other ocean creatures, all he sees are pieces of trash. How can anyone enjoy the ocean if it is full of plastic bottles, old tires, and broken toys?
There and then Max decides to clean up the trash from his picnic so that it does not end up in the ocean. However he doesn’t stop there. Soon he is picking up other people’s trash as well, and he decides that he needs to do more to make sure that the ocean stays clean.
This amusing little book will introduce children to the idea that we all need to do our part to keep our environment trash-free. With the funny green monster as their guide, children will discover that many of their actions can impact the environment in unexpected ways, but&
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By: Marya Jansen-Gruber,
on 4/21/2010
Blog: Through the Looking Glass Book Review (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: April is TTLG's Save the Environment Month, Mary Meyer, Earth Friendly Toys, Add a tag
A few weeks ago I was thumbing through a magazine when I saw an article about a line of toys that are being made by Mary Meyer, a company in Vermont. The line is called Earthmates and there are three collections: Fuzz that Wuzz, Bamboo, and Organics. I contacted the people at Mary Meyer and asked them so send me some information about the toys, which they did. In fact they were kind enough to send me a sample animal from the Fuzz that Wuzz collection, and he is sitting on my desk as I write this blog post. Here is some information about the Earthmates toys.
Fuzz that Wuzz is a collection of cuddly companions made from plastic bottles. The outer fabric and the stuffing are both high-quality polyester fiber made from 100% recycled plastic bottles. These toys feel as good as they look while helping to reduce waste. Each toy keeps 10 bottles out of landfills. The companions include an assortment of beloved friends: puppies, dogs, hounds, bunnies, bears, cats, moose, elephants, lions, penguins, turtles and more. All are designed to be loveable, pleasing toys that minimize waste as they are made from recycled products.
According to Kevin Meyer, president of Mary Meyer, “Our intention is to do our part to set a course for a more sustainable future that minimizes waste, recycles and maximizes the uses of recycled materials. There is a long way to go but we are proud of what we have done with the Fuzz that Wuzz and all the EarthMates collection.” The Fuzz that Wuzz toys include dogs, a cat, a cow, teddy bears, a turtle, a horse, a rabbit, a monkey (which is what I have), an elephant, and a lion. There is also a six piece collection of Fuzz that Wuzz minis.
Landfill Facts: Two million plastic bottles are used in the United States United States
By: Marya Jansen-Gruber,
on 4/6/2010
Blog: Through the Looking Glass Book Review (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Picture books, Children's book reviews, Environmental books, April is TTLG's Save the Environment Month, Add a tag
Here is my first review for TTLG's Save the Environment Month. Enjoy!
Joanna Cole
Illustrated by Bruce Degen
Picture Book
Ages 7 to 9
Scholastic, 2010, 978-0-590-10826-3
Ms. Frizzle and her class are going to put on a play about the Earth and “all the changes” that are taking place all over the planet because of global warming. One morning Ms. Frizzle brings in a book for the children to use to help them create pictures for the scenery for their play. Unfortunately, the book is rather out of date and Ms. Frizzle decides that the children need to go on a field trip so that they can better understand what is happening to the Earth and why.
The adventure begins in the Arctic Sea, and when the children compare the picture in Ms. Frizzle’s book with what they are seeing outside of the school bus window, they quickly realize that there is a lot less ice outside then there was some years ago. Apparently, an area of ice the size of “ The school bus (actually, it is a plane at this point) flies all over the planet and the children see how global warming is causing problems all over the planet. They see crops being destroyed by freakish weather, rising sea levels, melting permafrost, drought, blizzards, and much more. The question is what is causing all these changes? What is global warming and why is it happening?
In this excellent Magic School Bus title, children are given a very clear and comprehensive picture of what global warming is, why it is happening, and what all of us can do to protect our home planet from global warming in the future. As with all the Magic School Bus titles this book is packed with information that is presented in a way that is both interesting and visually engaging.
You can find out more about the book on the official book page
Find out more information on Ms. Frizzle’s April 20th Webcast:Climb on board with author Joanna Cole and illustrator Bruce Degen on Tuesday, April 20th at 1pm ET / 10am PT as they join Ms. Frizzle to celebrate Earth Day and their new book The Magic School Bus and the Climate Challenge at the Liberty Science Center in
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