How we Know What we Know About Our Changing Climate
Meant to be like a youth version of Braasch’s Earth Under Fire: How Global Warming Is Changing the World, this beautifully photographed global guide offers a look at how research in diverse fields leads to an understanding of the warming climate-and what children and adults are doing about it. The first and largest of the book’s four sections, “Where We Find Clues About Climate Change,” presents researchers, citizen scientists and schoolchildren examining the natural world and unearthing data about climate. Spreads jump from topic to topic, from rainforests to tree rings, oceanic mud samples to 800,000-year-old ice cores. The empowering “What Scientists and You Can Do” section provides practical, proactive suggestions, e.g., eating less meat, drinking tap instead of bottled water. While heavy on the jargon, Cherry (The Great Kapok Tree) immediately and clearly defines all science terms. The book would be overwhelming to read in one sitting; kids and educators will find this timely information is best served up via its bite-sized chapters. Readers young and old looking to make a difference will appreciate the book’s hopeful tone as well as its comprehensive resource lists. Ages 10-14.
— Publisher’s Weekly (March 10, 2008) – Starred Review
Drawing on Native American and other spiritual traditions, this parable tells of a young moose lured from lake to town by his curiosity. Moss – the Algonquin word for ‘moose’ – travels down a ‘laughing’ stream. But soon the moose’s ears twitch at unfamiliar sounds, and he disregards the “small voice within” that “spoke of the bog.” “Come home, little brother.” Pursuing the call of the river (“Follow me!”) he climbs the riverbank and sees a “hard” river roaring with “speed and power” (a busy road). Enthralled, he follows strange smells through the night, and rests among concrete “cliffs.” By mid-morning, his curiosity waning, he realizes he is lost. Fortunately, flocks of migrating Canadian geese overhead point the way back to his bog-home. By holding steadily to the moose’s unique perspective, Kasperson balances the preachy undertone of his tale. Holman’s soft-focus, full-bleed watercolors adhere tightly to the text, amplifying it with needed visual cues.
— Publishers Weekly (1995)
Over in the Ocean, In a Coral Reef
Remarkable clay compositions recreate the undersea world in the board book Over in the Ocean: In a Coral Reef by Marianne Berkes, illus. by Jeanette Canyon, a riff on the classic “Over in the Meadow.” Youngsters can almost touch the smooth scales of a fish or the rough spikes of a coral reef as they count up from a fuchsia “mother octopus and her octopus one” to 10 lime-green seahorses with their father.
— Publishers Weekly (March 27, 2006)
Over In Australia: Amazing Animals Down Under
Why shouldn’t the meadow in the nursery rhyme “Over in the Meadow” be in Australia? Berkes recasts the song to introduce readers to counting, Australian animals, and the names of their young (“Over in Australia / Looking like a kangaroo / Lived a smaller wallaby / And her little joeys two”). Dubin’s lively collages feature textured papers, with pencil and crayon providing extra detail for the animals. Add musical notation for the song as well as detailed information about the 10 featured animals (plus 10 more hidden throughout the spreads), and it’s a remarkably layered and entertaining tip to the land of Oz.
— Publisher’s Weekly (January 17, 2011)
And many a family will want to load up the minivan for an outing expressly to hear John Denver’s Take Me Home, Country Roads, which has been released in a book-and-CD package, adapted and illustrated by Christopher Canyon (who also adapted the late singer’s Sunshine On My Shoulders for kids). Jaunty artwork with the busy color and texture of a patchwork quilt add to the listen-while-you-look fun.
— Publisher?s Weekly (October 10, 2005)
