The mangrove tree: Planting trees to feed families by Cindy Trumbore, illustrated by Susan Roth
The Text: There are two threads of text running through this
story. The basic story is told in a “This is the house that Jack built” style,
with the mangrove trees that saved the people as the central players. This
rhythmic text is placed on the background of illustrations. To the right of
each spread, the story is told in more detail, about Dr. Gordon Sato, who
taught the people of Hargigo on the Eritrean coast to grow mangrove trees,
end the famine and fight back against poverty.
The Illustrations: Roth’s paper and fabric illustrations are
warm backgrounds for the simple cumulative verse. She blends a surprising
amount of detail into her simple textured illustrations and they are a good fit
for the verse and more detailed information.
The Extras: Further information, background, photographs,
sources and more are included in the lengthy afterword.
Verdict: A nice combination of verse for younger children
and information for older children with plenty of additional information. However, I'm always wondering if these "activism" books really have a long enough shelf life to justify their purchase. Will kids still be interested in this movement in five years? Ten? Am I prejudiced because I don't personally care for Roth's illustration style? I'm not sure - you decide.
ISBN: 978-1600604591; Published May 2011 by Lee & Low; Borrowed from the library
Saving animals from oil spills by Stephen Person
This latest addition to the
Rescuing animals from disasters
series focuses on the Gulf oil spill in 2010. Person takes us through real-life
rescue stories, a simple explanation of the oil spill’s causes, how oil damages
sea life, especially birds and turtles, and how rescue workers clean and return
animals to the wild.
There is an overview of other oil spills, information on
long-term damages, and stories of animals rescued from various oil spills. The
facts are amply illustrated with a variety of photographs.
The Extras: As always, Bearport has a good selection of
additional information, glossary, sources, and websites.
Verdict: This is an excellent title, not so specific that it
will be outdated, but with plenty of up-to-date information. Recommended
ISBN: 978-1617722882; Published August 2011 by Bearport; Review copy provided by publisher
Eco dogs by Judith Bauer Stamper
This latest addition to the Dog Heroes series brings
together Bearport’s high interest subjects, photographs, and plentiful
information to create another popular and well-written title.
The book features a variety of dogs who have been trained in
search and detections that aid ecological research and rescue.
Python Pete, a
beagle, searches for Burmese Pythons, an invasive species in the Everglades, Jamberry,
a black lab, helps scientists count seals in the Arctic. Some dogs help find
turtle nests, some track scat for wildlife researchers. Information on the dogs' training and how they work, their teams, and how they are used in wildlife
enforcement and scientific research is included throughout the book
The Extras: More facts about eco dogs, glossary, additional
websites and bibliographies, are also included.
Verdict: This high-interest series will be a hit with kids
who like animals and dramatic stories.
ISBN: 978-1617721526; Published January 2011 by Bearport; Borrowed from the library
First garden: The White House garden and how it grew by Robbin Gourley
The story begins with a brief introduction to the White Houses’ history and grounds, including a list of all the children who used its
outdoor gardens. The author next introduces us to the current presidential
family, the Obamas, and Michelle Obama’s decision to create a kitchen garden.
More history on White House gardens is interspersed with the creation of the
current garden by Mrs. Obama and some of the children from Bancroft Elementary
School. Now the garden produces food for the White House, a nonprofit
organization called Miriam’s Kitchen, and is a tourist destination for many
people around the world
Gourley’s simple watercolors emphasize the colors and shapes
of the garden and vegetables. Some of the spreads include quotes about the
White House in italicized font around the edges of the picture. Some of the
portraits of various historical figures have captions, which they need as it
can be difficult to identify them from the washed-out features.
The Extras: Additional tips on gardening, healthy eating,
and recipes from the White House are included as well as extensive further
resources and websites.
Verdict: An interesting book, but will quickly be outdated
when the White House occupants change. An additional purchase.
ISBN: 978-0547482248; Published April 2011 by Clarion; Borrowed from the library
How the weather works: A hands-on guide to our changing climate by Christiane Dorion, illustrated by Beverley Young
The Text and Illustrations: The text and illustrations in
this book are smoothly integrated. Chunks of text are crammed together with
small illustrations, flaps, pull tabs, and other moving parts to create a
picture of the science of weather and changing climates. A general explanation
of weather is followed by more detailed explanations of the water cycle,
weather fronts, winds, meteorology, weather disasters, climate, a timeline of
weather history, and a final section on global climate change.
Each spread is full of information, moving parts,
illustrations, and text. The font is a casual script that looks hand-written
and the pictures are colorful and cheerful.
The Extras: There are no sources or bibliographical information.
Verdict: This is an excellent introduction to weather,
packed full of information, facts, and pictures. However, the moving parts make it a
doubtful choice for a library and despite the title there is little information about climate change. There are quite a few general weather
books out there that would be more long-lasting. This might be a good gift for a child
interested in weather and science.
ISBN: 978-0763652623; Published February 2011 by Templar; Borrowed from the library
Jane brocket’s clever concepts: Ruby, Violet, Lime, Looking for Color; Spiky, Slimy, Smooth, What is Texture
Both of these books are photographic delights and present an
unusual look at concepts. A readable font presents short chunks of text about
various textures and colors, “Raw eggs are wobbly and runny and slimy. They
feel very funny.” and “Orange is hot and fiery. Copper berries, a tangerine
sunset, amber peppers, and flame-colored flowers make every season feel warm.”
The adjectives introduced in each section of text are highlighted in different
colors. The text is a great introduction to a huge variety of vocabulary words
describing colors and textures. The real stars of these books, however, are Jane
Brocket’s photographs, chock full of color and texture.
Verdict: These books are a visual
feast, perfect for a storytime, classroom project, or reading on your own.
Recommended.

Ruby Violet Lime
ISBN: 978-0761346128; Published September 2011 by Millbrook; Borrowed from the library
Spiky Slimy Smooth
ISBN: 978-0761346142; Published March 2011 by Millbrook; Borrowed from the library