Review: Total Garbage by Rebecca Donnelly and John Hendrix

Total Garbage by Rebecca Donnelly and John D. Dawson

Total Garbage: A Messy Dive into Trash, Waste, and Our World
Rebecca Donnelly and John Hendrix
Henry Holt & Co.
Published March 7, 2023

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About Total Garbage

Total Garbage by Rebecca Donnelly dives into the messy truth about trash, garbage, waste, and our world—it’s a fact-filled and fascinating illustrated middle grade environmental read!

Trash has been part of human societies since the beginning. It seems like the inevitable end to the process of making and using things—but why?

In this fascinating account of the waste we make, we’ll wade into the muck of history and explore present-day STEM innovations to answer these important … Continue reading

Review: When Sea Becomes Sky by Gillian McDunn

When Sea Becomes Sky by Gillian McDunn

When Sea Becomes Sky
Gillian McDunn
Bloomsbury USA Children’s
Published February 28, 2023

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About When Sea Becomes Sky

In this heartfelt summer story, acclaimed author Gillian McDunn paints a stunning portrait of the bond of siblings and the love we’ll always carry with us.

Bex and Davey’s summer in the saltmarsh is different this year, thanks to the record-breaking drought. Even the fish seem listless–and each day the water level lowers farther. When they discover a mysterious underwater statue, they’re thrilled at the chance to solve the puzzle of its origin. This is the summer adventure they’ve been waiting for.

When they learn of … Continue reading

Review: Outdoor School: Tree, Wildflower and Mushroom Spotting by Mary Kay Carson and John D. Dawson

Outdoor School: Tree, Wildflower and Mushroom Spotting by Mary Kay Carson and John D. Dawson

Outdoor School: Tree, Wildflower and Mushroom Spotting
Mary Kay Carson and John D. Dawson
MacMillan
Published February 28, 2023

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About Outdoor School

With 448 full-color, highly-illustrated pages, Outdoor School is your indispensable tool for the outdoors.

This interactive field guide to plant and mushroom spotting includes:
– Immersive activities to get you exploring
– Write-in sections to journal about experiences
– Next-level adventures to challenge even seasoned nature lovers.

No experience is required—only curiosity and courage. Inside you’ll find easy-to-follow instructions on how to:
– Grow mushrooms with cardboard
– Compare bark types
– Count tree rings
– … Continue reading

Review: The Big Dreams of Small Creatures by Gail Lerner

The Big Dreams of Small Creatures by Gail Lerner

The Big Dreams of Small Creatures
Gail Lerner
Nancy Paulsen Books
Published October 4, 2022

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About The Big Dreams of Small Creatures

From Black-ish writer and director comes a whimsical and heartwarming tale where two unlikely allies band together to protect and defend the insect world from the worst enemy of all…humans.

Ten-year-old Eden’s quiet life is upended when she saves a paper wasp nest from destruction and discovers, to her awe and amazement, that she and its haughty queen can talk to each other. This first conversation is the start of a grand adventure, leading Eden to The Institute for Lower Learning, a … Continue reading

10 Great Books on the Environment and Climate Change for Young Readers

10 Books on the Environment and Climate Change for Young Readers to Celebrate Earth Day

10 Great Books on the Environment and Climate Change for Young Readers

It’s Earth Day on April 22, so to celebrate, I wanted to share some of my favorite books on the environment and climate change for young readers. These books cover topics from the water crisis in Flint, Michigan to the falling populations of giraffes or butterflies. Some explore the damage to the environment (and to us!) caused by pollution. Others tell stories about activists who’ve dedicated their time and energy to problem-solving and speaking out to protect the planet.

Trashing the Planet by Stuart A. Kallen Continue reading

Review: Making Waves by Albert Bates

Making Waves by Albert Bates

Making Waves: Saving Our Oceans
Albert Bates
Groundswell
Published August 5, 2021

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About Making Waves

This book provides an educational and engaging look at the interdependent relationship between the oceans and ourselves, and what is needed to protect the oceans’ ecosystems. Young adults learn about a variety of human activities that affect water temperature, oxygen levels, acidity, ice density, sea levels and sea-life populations.

Bates explains how measures such as blue carbon initiatives to prohibit deep-sea mining, replanting mangroves, protecting salt marshes and seagrasses and restoring coral reefs have benefits that have a multiplier effect–and that it is more cost-effective and financially rewarding to do … Continue reading