A book for Earth Day! 4.18.22

 While Friday may be Earth Day, it's really something we should be thinking about everyday!  Here's a perfect book for your celebration:

Be Thankful for Trees:

A tribute to the many and surprising ways trees relate to our lives

written by Harriet Ziefert

illustrated by Brian Fitzgerald

published by Red Comet Press

Author Harriet Ziefert tells us many reasons why we should be thankful for trees - a tree is food, is comfort, is recreation, and so much more!  Divided up by the reasons we should be thankful and some great examples for each one, this story is told in a rhyming format.  I love that there is minimal text on each page, usually just an example per page (two per layout) which makes it a great read aloud and it's accessible to all readers.  The examples are wonderful springboards for further conversation, such as, did you ever think about how trees give us music since it makes so many musical instruments?  Or, maybe talk about the surprise when we figure out that trees give us so many recreation objects, like baseball bats or paper kites!  By the end of the book readers understand that while trees help us so much with our everyday lives, we also need to remember to conserve this valuable resource!

Looking for more Earth Day stories?  Click here for more posts and more books!

Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesday - Be a Tree! - 4.28.21

One more gorgeous book that celebrates nature and you for the month of April!   Did you ever know how much in common you have with trees?  Come along and learn in this comparison book of trees and you!

Be a Tree!

written by Maria Gianferrari

illustrated by Felicita Sala

published by Abrams Books for Young Readers

Goodreads Summary:

An illustrated look at the majesty of trees—and what humans can learn from them

Stand tall.
Stretch your branches to the sun.
Be a tree!
We are all like trees: our spines, trunks; our skin, bark; our hearts giving us strength and support, like heartwood. We are fueled by air and sun.
And, like humans, trees are social. They “talk” to spread information; they share food and resources. They shelter and take care of one another. They are stronger together.

My thoughts:

I cannot express enough how gorgeous this book is!  Felicita Sala's illustrations beautifully illustrate the magnificence of trees.  Maria lyrically explains the importance of trees, its many jobs, and how we may be more similar than we think!  From the main text to the important backmatter, it's a book readers will love and educators and librarians will want for their collection!

Teaching ideas:

• be sure to note the compare and contrast structure of the book.  Can you find ways that people are similar or different to trees?
• there are some fantastic metaphors in the story.  Make a list of favorites and talk about the way metaphors give readers additional visions of the writing.
• community building - what are some ways that trees are valuable members of their communities?  How is it like humans?  Can we learn something from trees?

Maria has generously agreed to stop by and tell us more about this beautiful book.  Take it away, Maria!

We Can Be a Forest of Trees

Be a Tree!, a collaboration with illustrator Felicita Sala, invites readers to imagine themselves first as individual trees, and then as trees in a forest. I like to think of it as an extended metaphor of the ways that we are, and can be like trees. 

Felicita’s gorgeous and vibrant opening spread does just that—imploring readers to stand tall and stretch their branches to the sun! I love this spread’s warm, golden sun-kissed colors.

The book is a direct address to you, the reader, to imagine the ways you’re like a tree: you have arms, a tree has branches. You have a spine that supports you, a tree has a trunk. You have skin that protects you, a tree has bark for protection. 

This spread shows Felicita’s favorite tree, a ghost gum, tattooed like the old man, whose wrinkled skin resembles the tree’s bark. 

Next, the reader is asked to see beyond her/his/their individual self, and to see themselves as part of a forest, a “we” of trees—and to learn from them. 

Together, tree crowns in a forest, swing and straighten—they make space for each other to stand in the sun.

Together, forest trees are homes; “we” form microhabitats and sustain ecosystems.

But even more importantly, we can learn from the ways that they support each other. Single-species forests are more vulnerable to destruction from disease and insect damage, so are “immigrant” trees, away from their native habitats.

The strongest, healthiest, most resilient forests are those that are biodiverse, made up of many species of trees that work together—they talk, share resources, alert each other to dangers, all through a network of fungi, a “wood wide web.”

Together, we are stronger because of our differences. Let’s celebrate and appreciate that diversity, and remember that we must continue to work toward equity and justice for all in our forest families, schools, communities, countries.

Let’s plant seeds of kindness and compassion.

We are stronger.

Together.

That’s the way we can be forest trees.

Thanks, Michele, for featuring Be a Tree! 

And thanks to the generosity of Abrams Kids, we are giving away a copy of Be a Tree! (US addresses only—sorry!)

More about Maria:

Maria Gianferrari has climbed fig trees in Italy, stood under stately coastal redwoods and twisted Torrey pines, marveled at mitten-shaped sassafras leaves, colorful coral trees and sawtooth oak acorn nests. She lives with her family, including dog, Maple, in a house encircled by trees.

After seeing a peek of this beautiful book, I know you will want a copy!  Thank you to Maria and Abrams Kids!  A winner will be selected on May 5th.

Rescue at Lake Wild review - 4.27.21

Happy Book Birthday to Rescue at Lake Wild!  This environmental-conscious story is perfect to celebrate in April and one that will appeal to many readers.

Rescue at Lake Wild

by Terry Lynn Johnson

published by HMH

Madi considers herself an animal-whisperer novice.  She's learned so much from her grandmother and wants to follow her legacy.  She practices a lot, so much that her parents have ruled out her taking in any more lost animals.  But when a local beaver has been shot and killed, Madi feels like she has to take care of the orphaned beaver kits.  Unbeknownst to her parents, Madi - along with friends Jack and Aaron - brings the kits home and hides them in her backyard clubhouse.  Madi knows the kits need care for the first 2 years of their life and they need opportunities to follow their instincts and build things.  

However the big mystery is who shot the adult beavers and why?  When the kids discover that flooding has been an issue for their town and it seems like the cause of the flooding is coming from the beavers' dams, it becomes open season on beavers!  How can Madi and her friends solve the mystery and protect the lives - and future lives - of the beavers?

Coming in at 181 pages, this book is the perfect length for readers who are looking for a fun and engaging story but not one that will overwhelmingly long.  I loved the adventure and mystery in this story and I know readers will devour this read.  This book also makes a great read aloud, especially for this time of the year!  Johnson includes a lot of facts about the animals as well as different conservation tips about living alongside native animals.

Don't you love the cover?  I love the bright, outdoorsy colors and all of the little details.  Do you see Jack and Aaron in the background?  And look at the faces of the beaver kits!

This book is a great addition for 3rd-6th grade libraries.

Want to know more about this book?  Video extra! Terry Lynn Johnson talks about the inspiration behind Rescue at Lake Wild  here. 

Terry Lynn Johnson writes about the wild with the wisdom and passion of someone who has spent her life working to preserve and protect it - both as a backcountry canoe ranger in Quetico Provincial Park and in her current job as a conservation officer with the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry. She lives at the edge of a lake in northern Ontario, Canada, where she loves watching all wildlife, including beavers. Visit her online at terrylynnjohnson.com

Twitter: @TerryLynnJ

Instagram: terry_lynn_johnson

Thank you to Barbara at Blue Slip Media for the review copy!

I know you want a copy of this book for your library!  Thanks to publisher HMH, I have a copy to giveaway (US residents only).  Be sure to enter by Tuesday, May 4th for your opportunity!

Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesday (or Thursday) - Celebrating Earth Day with "The Last Straw" - 4.22.21

 Happy Earth Day!  Every year I try to be more and more mindful about the carbon footprint I am leaving on the Earth.  I've also noticed kids being even more conscious about this.  I often hear parents comment how their children actually remind them to do some of the little things we can do to better take care of Mother Earth.  

Here's a new book by Susan Hood that you'll want to have in your library!

The Last Straw:  Kids vs. Plastics

written by Susan Hood

illustrated by Christiane Engel

published by HarperCollins

Isn't the cover so inviting?  The illustrations by Christiane Engel bring to life the information Hood is imparting upon her younger readers.  Although Hood's lyrical words certainly create images in your head as you read the information.  I love seeing the kids on the cover cleaning up a beach.  Don't have a beach by you?  I bet there is a local park that has a few things that need to be cleaned!  

Did you notice the subtitle - "Kids vs. Plastics".  The entire book stays very focused on  things young readers can do to help the environment.  I love that this book encourages kids to get busy with this kind of activism!

The book starts with a forward from kid (now young adult) activist, Milo Cress.  He started the Be Straw Free project, which was a project that started out by giving a voice to kids about what they can do to help the Earth.  Cress encourages young readers to use their voice and talk to adults because that is a way change can happen.

This is a book that doesn't have to be read from cover to cover (although it's easy to do).  Hood includes a table of contents for readers who are looking for specific information.  What follows are 17 poems that educate readers on the importance of taking care of the environment, while sharing ideas of what you can do to help.  Hood turns the spotlight on certain projects that are already making a difference in communities - such as in Baltimore where there is a trash eating boat that goes down the river to pick up trash before it floats out to sea.  Want to know about natural recyclers?  How about the wax moth caterpillars that have a chemical inside their digestive system that breaks down plastic!  Want to encourage kids to be plastic activists?  There are several pages that encourage kids to speak up and shows some fellow kid activists that are already doing the work.

Each poem is accompanied by a gorgeous illustration and also some additional facts.  Hood includes a quote that goes along with the information from different researchers, activists, and scientists.  Also included are facts that give even more information about what is presented in the main text.  I like that this gives different options of how you want to read the book.

Looking for more information?  The backmatter is full of it and different web sites and books to find even more info!  Want to know more about the poems?  Each one is a different format and I found myself going back and rereading poems to look for different techniques Hood used.

I promise you, you'll finish this book and think about what you can do to help the environment.  A few years ago, I switched to using reusable straws.  I try and remember to carry them in my purse so I have something to use when at a restaurant (although that has not been a problem in over a year now....).  While I use reusable metal water bottles everyday, I still use plastic ones while exercising.  It's been on my mind to do something about that.  I think this is the year to start!

I'm grateful that author Susan Hood stopped by to talk even more about the book.  Here are some questions I had for her:

This book is full of information!  How long does it take you to pull everything together and create a complete book?

A couple of years. I started the book in February 2019 and it came out this spring. Two years is speedy for a picture book, but my editors and I felt a great urgency to call more attention to the perils of plastic pollution. The research took a lot of time and I’m indebted to Dr. George Leonard, Chief Scientist, at Ocean Conservancy for vetting the science in the text and in the art. I was especially thrilled when a hero of mine, Dr. Jane Goodall, endorsed the book.

Is it easy to pick the different poetic formats you use?  Do you know what format you want to use right away or does the poem go through a few before you find the right one?

Some poetic forms seemed obvious, such as “A Sea Change,” which is an elegy to the whales who are dying from eating too much plastic.  A concrete or shape poem seemed the perfect format for “The Great Pacific Garbage Patch.” The poem rotates in a circle as the ocean gyres do. Other poems took more thought and experimenting. “The Road Back” is found poem using words from traffic signs.

What sparked you to write this book?

I’ve lived by the ocean all of my life. So much of the fun I’ve had since I was a child—sailing, swimming, kayaking, scuba diving—was thanks to the sea. I was heartbroken by news of whales dying from ingesting pounds of plastic. They eat the plastic, feel full, and stop eating. They have no way to digest and expel the plastic so they die of starvation and dehydration. Sea turtles mistake plastic bags for a favorite food—jellyfish—and suffer the same fate as the whales.

We all think we’re recycling plastic, but it turns out that we’re not. In 2015, a groundbreaking study by scientists at UC Santa Barbara found that 91% of plastic isn’t recycled. The situation has only gotten worse since then and there’s no end in sight. Plastic production is predicted to triple by 2050. By the time our kids are adults there could be more plastic in the ocean (by weight) than fish. It’s a tragedy. That was it—the last straw! I knew I had to do something. And I was thrilled to discover that kids around the world already are. For them, this fight is personal.

I find this book so inspiring!  I imagine it will spark an idea for all readers.  What is something that you started doing after learning all of this information?

Thank you so much, Michele. I hope others are inspired by the can-do kids in the book. One thing I’ve done: I’ve opened my eyes. I started seeing plastic everywhere, as indeed it is. (Try to go one day without touching plastic. Bet you can’t!) 

I visited my local recycling center to learn about the problems they face. It’s worth doing in your area, because recycling regulations are determined by states and local municipalities. I never knew that we can’t recycle wet cardboard because it gums up the works. A recycling bin with a top on it is an easy solution. 

I also saw firsthand how plastic grocery bags, straws, and plastic utensils slip through the cracks in the sorting machines and break the equipment. Along with plastic bottles, I’m working hard to ban these “use-it-once-and-throw-it-away” plastics in my life. These are the things we use for an average of 12 minutes and then they pile up in the ocean and on landfills for the next 450-1000 years! Some scientists believe they never really disintegrate, but break into smaller and smaller microplastics that end up in our food and in the air, with dire consequences for our health. These “disposable” plastics are 40% of the problem and they’re easy to replace with washable cloth bags, metal water bottles, bamboo utensils, and metal straws. 

Going forward, I’d add a few more RE-words to the old REUSE, REDUCE, RECYCLE slogan. REFUSE is a big one. Just say NO to this stuff we don’t really need. And REWARD RESEARCH. Support companies that are fighting back. Our lives depend on it.

Thank you for stopping by and sharing this gorgeous book with me.  Although I'm sharing this on Earth Day, it's definitely a book to be shared everyday! 

new books to celebrate the environment! - 4.07.21

It's April, which makes me think about Earth Day and the environment.  Here are some books that you can use this month or any month to inspire young readers to think about the world around them.

Rock by Rock: The Fantastical Garden of Nek Chand

written by Jennifer Bradbury

illustrated by Sam Boughton

Until Barb Rosenstock's book about Mr. Chand was the first time I had heard of him or his amazing rock garden.  Sculptures, waterfalls, structures, and more all built out of rocks and other materials found in junk piles, Nek Chand created a place of refuge in his new land of India.  Having moved from his native Pakistan to India during the Partition of 1947, Mr. Chand wanted to find a place that reminded him of his home.  For eighteen years he worked on it by himself before workers discovered his refuge.

A wonderful book to celebrate reusing and creating something new!

Zee Grows a Tree

written by Elizabeth Rusch

illustrated by Will Hillenbrand

This was such a clever book!  Inside is both a fiction story and nonfiction facts about a youngster growing up alongside her Douglas fir tree.  The day young Zee is born, her parents (owners of a tree farm) gift her with a newly sprouted Douglas fir tree.  Readers watch as young Zee and the tree grow up side by side.  Each layout has a smaller print nonfiction fact that explains to readers what is happening to the tree as it grows.  Additional information is included in the backmatter.

The Wisdom of Trees: How Trees Work Together to Form a Natural Kingdom

by Lita Judge

This book has been receiving a lot of praise lately and I am jumping on the bandwagon!  You'll never think of a tree the same way after reading this book.  It's amazing how trees form their own community and know how to help one another out - whether it's from a common predator or from needing additional nutrients in the soil.

In each layout, Judge has a gorgeous illustration, a poem that lyrically tells you information, and a longer piece of text that gives a scientific explanation.  Whether you read this book from cover to cover, or just specific layouts, readers will walk away amazed at what these quiet giants can do!  In the backmatter, Judge includes even more information about the poem that covers historical information, facts, and environment protection information.

I would expect to hear this title being mentioned during award season next winter.

The Big Beach Cleanup

written by Charlotte Offsay

illustrated by Katie Rewse

Young Cora is excited about the end of summer sandcastle contest, but it's cancelled early on because of the waste that clutters the beach.  Cora knows her two hands can help with the cleanup, can she get more hands to help?

Full of reminders of how people can help keep beaches and the environment clean, this book is a great one to read this Earth Day!

Look What I Found in the Woods

written by Moira Butterfield

illustrated by Jesús Verona

An interactive book that shows three children walking through the woods and finding some woodsy treasure.  Full of information about trees, leaves, seeds, and shells, readers will learn new facts and also get an idea of the treasure that can be found on a walk.  I also like the interactive checklists of things to find in certain illustrations!

publishes April 20th

This is not a new book, but it is new-to-me, so I'm including it in the roundup!

What a Waste: Trash, Recycling, and Protecting Our Planet

written by Jess French

This book came to my attention because it is listed on our 2022 IL Bluestem Award list.  It's a DK book, so you know it's a book that you don't have to read cover to cover, but will have lots of facts and infographics.  The environment is a topic that more and more young readers are growing concerned about and this one breaks down a lot of information and gives tips that will make young readers think and act upon the new information!

Hope you found a new book or two to share this month!