A strong reference addition to any library.
A well-designed collection of environmentally focused activism ideas that are scalable and accessible to children.
Today’s children are already on the forefront of environmental activism, increasingly aware of the dangers to planet Earth—but the problems seem so large, and they are so very small. This resource is a smartly designed catalog of ideas to make it easier for individuals to put into practice actions that can help save the planet. Divided into categories addressing topics such as plastics, clothing, food, energy, and animals, each section is filled with information and activities to help readers become more aware of wastefulness and environmental impacts. Readers will find a recipe for toothpaste, tips for a plastic-free birthday party, and instructions for starting an outdoor garden. These suggestions provide tangible ways to change mindsets about consumption. Engaging factoids lead readers to inspirational stories of children from around the world who have made a difference in areas they care about. Full-color illustrations throughout are colorful and engaging with a friendly, modern look. The book concludes with a fitting chapter on kindness, making donations, and raising awareness, making it quite possible to raise a generation of children capable of changing the world. Backmatter contains a list of the children mentioned in the book, along with contact information, as well as additional resources and organizations.
A strong reference addition to any library. (Nonfiction. 8-12)Pub Date: Oct. 6, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-5248-6092-9
Page Count: 224
Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing
Review Posted Online: Aug. 17, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2020
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Overall, the book offers an appealing introduction to the diverse nations and remarkable resilience of the original...
A comprehensive overview of the Indigenous populations of North America from 100,000 years ago until the present in just over 100 pages is an ambitious undertaking.
Happily, this one is surprisingly successful. A collaboration between Yellowhorn, a Piikani professor of First Nations Studies, and Lowinger, a white children’s author, the text engages readers through a variety of means: stories from different nations, straightforward scientific and historical information, and sections labeled “imagine,” portraying slices of life in various times and places. From captivating origin tales to mind-boggling advances in archaeological technology, there is a little something here for everyone, with stock images that complement the text. It is a pity that the final chapter on modern times was not fleshed out more, leaving out much Native political and environmental activism from the 1960s to the present day as well as continuing struggles over demeaning sports team names and mascots. The list of notable people skews heavily toward men (where are Maria Tallchief and Louise Erdrich?). Oddly, this chapter also consistently refers to Indigenous people as “they” rather than “we,” depriving young Native readers of a more intimate reading experience.
Overall, the book offers an appealing introduction to the diverse nations and remarkable resilience of the original inhabitants of this continent and is likely to inspire respect, pride, and a desire to learn more. (maps, sources, further reading, index not seen) (Nonfiction. 8-12)Pub Date: Sept. 12, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-55451-944-6
Page Count: 116
Publisher: Annick Press
Review Posted Online: July 1, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2017
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Like many oral folktales, the stories meander, but here the craft is also in perfect synchrony with its content: “Good...
A lyrical, dreamy picture storybook of five interlocking outings among the Kadar adivasi (indigenous) community in the Anamalai hills in southern India.
The Kadar tribes were historically nomadic hunter-gatherers, but 40 years ago, according to the authors’ note, they were “forced to live in small permanent settlements at the edges of [the] forests”; today, they act as guides to tourists and traders who want to traverse their lands. Researchers Ramesh and Chandi spent hours with tribal elders, and the result is this magical collection, exquisitely illustrated by Frame. The stories are mostly narrated by Madiyappan, a Kadar elder, as well as his uncle, Krishnan, and his cousin Padma. They guide the narrator, presumably an urban visitor, through a dramatic and philosophical forest walk: “Paths have character: there are easy ones, challenging ones, unforgiving ones, one that encourage you to walk with a steady swinging rhythm and other that tease your stride with odd twists and turns,” Madiyappan says. The book introduces the hills’ and forests’ flora and fauna—bison, monkeys, hornbills—and uses Indigenous words unapologetically, although many can be deciphered in context or found in the book’s short glossary.
Like many oral folktales, the stories meander, but here the craft is also in perfect synchrony with its content: “Good forest people are curious,” says Padma. “We constantly explore.” (Folktales. 8-12)Pub Date: April 15, 2018
ISBN: 978-93-83145-60-7
Page Count: 56
Publisher: Tara Publishing
Review Posted Online: March 26, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2018
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