Children’s Book Review: Earth Matters
March 10, 2010 by Karlynn Johnston
Filed under Book Nook
The book Earth Matters practices what it preaches; the paper was sourced from responsibly managed forests, their printer generates 100% of it’s own electricity and it is printed using vegetable inks instead of petroleum based.
Subtitled “an encyclopedia of ecology” it is exactly that, a wonderful volume full of amazing photos, facts and information about the state of our planet. Each habitat/climate is profiled in detailed pictures with the problems that each is facing laid out for us to learn about.
Endangered animals from the region are also featured, some, like the the golden frog, are completely wiped out and the only way we now see them are through photographs like the one we view in the book.
Of course, you can’t have a book about ecology without encouraging young readers to make a difference and showing them how. The Making a Difference pages shown below are throughout the book, bursting with tips, activities and tricks that kids can do to take part in making a difference on their own.
This is an excellent resource for children, whether it be reading it at home for their own personal interest or serving as an encyclopedia to help them with projects or presentations for school.
Reading level: ages 8 and up
Page Count: 256 pages
Publisher: DK Publishing
Publisher’s synopsis: With a biome-by-biome structure that mirrors Mother Nature’s own design, Our Earth Matters is a celebration of our fragile Earth, a warning to protect it, and an inspiring source book full of ideas for making a positive change.
The book begins with a brief history of our planet’s birth and development, revealing how an astonishingly unlikely series of accidents made Earth the only planet in the universe known to be suitable for life. As life flourished and spread, it changed the planet and created the “biosphere.” Scientists divide the biosphere into global ecosystems, or “biomes,” such as Desert, Ocean, Tropical Forest, and Grassland.
Earth’s delicate ecology is the unifying theme. Each section explores the unique ecological structure of a biome and reveals how human interference can upset the balance and damage the life-support systems upon which our existence depends Reference pages make up the first part of each section, with maps showing the extent of the biome, and spreads on climate, natural history, and ecology explaining how the biome works. Subsequent spreads explore the threats arising from human activity and show how positive efforts can often overcome the threats and preserve the biome. Throughout the book, spectacular and intimate photography showcases the living world’s endless diversity and beauty, providing a compelling visual argument to support the book’s core message.
Awards and Notable lists:
Parents’ Choice Gold Award in Nonfiction category (2008)
SSLI Honor Book Science K-6 (2008)
Notable Social Studies Trade Book (2008)
2009 Santa Monica Public Library Green Prize for Sustainable Literature Award in the Youth Reference category
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