What do ocean currents have to do with preserving our marine environment? Dr. Curtis Ebbesmeyer became inspired to study this topic when his mother saw an article about hundreds of sneakers washing up on the beaches near Seattle. Dr. Ebbesmeyer wanted to discover the origin of the shoes. He stated,

Tracking toys and sneakers gives us a chance to see what the ocean does with our trash. We can see the movement of trash by the great ocean currents and we can see the disintegration of the trash over time…and we can learn from it.

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The Green Series: Eco Kids Books

I’ve been getting a lot of questions lately on how families and children can “go green” without spending a fortune. Let’s face it: bamboo cribs, cork floors and reusable diapers aren’t for everyone. Additionally, there’s an issue about how to teach kids about the environment. Parents and caregivers are in a position to either foster an appreciation for the natural world, or, unfortunately, terrify their kids into submission (no more polar bears!).

The truth of the matter is, media can sometimes play a hindering role in eco-education, challenging families to stay indoors and watch TV rather than go outside and jump in the leaves. But not all the time. Children’s media has its role on the green bandwagon, too. So with that idea comes the first in what will hopefully be more of Children’s Media Consultant’s The Green Series.

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Fire Race is beautifully illustrated by Sylvia Long, and the illustrations hold true to Karuk traditions in the garb of the animal characters. For example, Coyote wears a basket cap traditional to the Karuk Tribe. The Karuk Tribe resides in far northern California along the Klamath River. Fire Race tells the traditional tale of how Coyote appealed to the vanity of the yellow jacket sisters to steal their fire. The race begins, with many local animals passing the fire to one another as the yellow jacket sisters chase them. Eventually, the fire is swallowed into the wood, where it is stored today for us to burn and stay warm.

I just love this book! It has always been one of my favorites as a teacher and a parent. There are so many things to discuss, such as the vanity of the Yellow Jacket Sisters and the cooperative effort of the animals. I love to connect the story to our hearth for our children, as we give thanks for the warmth our woodstove provides us. It is a gift from the land.

Spiders Spin Webs is written by Yvonne Winer and illustrated by Karen Lloyd-Jones. Each page begins with the line, “Spiders spin webs….” and features rhyming words and amazing, detailed illustrations. For example,

Spiders Spin Webs is full of rare words, like filigreed, that expand children’s growing vocabulary. Reading this book gives children (and adults) appreciation of these little eight legged creatures that invade our homes and Halloween hearts.

The ABC’s of Fruits and Vegetables and Beyond could end after the alphabet is over, but there is much, much more! The “Beyond” portion of The ABC’s of Fruits and Vegetables and Beyondprovides recipes, fun facts, geography, links to other great children’s literature on the letter or fruit/vegetable, jokes, tongue twisters, etc. This is a great resource for parents, teachers, homeschoolers, etc. to extend the nutritional and alphabet lesson.

ABC books are great for young children. They offer an enjoyable method to expose children to the alphabet. The more exposure children have to letters, the more they will notice their characteristics, etc. ABC literature is an effective method for letter introduction and reinforcement, and it is much more developmentally appropriate method than direct instruction. The ABC’s of Fruits and Vegetables and Beyondoffers a fun way for children to learn about nutrition in the context of the alphabet. I can’t way to try out some of the recipes!

The Carrot Seed has just celebrated its 60th anniversary! This simple, almost Zen-like story tells of a young boy’s determination to grow a carrot, despite his family’s doubts and opposition. The little boy tends the seed, ever patient, keeping his expectations high. In the end, he is rewarded with a carrot so large, it has to be hauled with a wheelbarrow. Not only does this book teach the basics of growing a plant from seed to harvest, but also children learn how to persist in the face of opposition. It is unfortunate that the boy’s parents are not supportive of his efforts, but the boy triumphs in the end. Crockett Johnson’s simple illustrations, reminiscent of his other famous work Harold and the Purple Crayon, match this minimalist tale of gardening and positive attitude. Planting carrot seeds, especially in a root viewer, is a great extension of the story in the classroom.

For more great children’s literature reviews on gardening books, please visit Green Family Values: Children’s Literature on Gardening/Green Options.

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Lynne Cherry’s illustrations are detailed and realistic, something that is often missing from children’s books that try to create cutesy animals to entertain children. How Groundhog’s Garden Grewis also full of very useful information about gardening, and as one reviewer wrote, “It would be impossible for a child to hear this story and not learn something of vital importance, about everything from the complicated interdependence of the natural world to the simple effectiveness of composting and going pesticide-free. Parents be forewarned: It’s also probably impossible to read How Groundhog’s Garden Grew and not have your child want to plant a garden.” How Groundhog’s Garden Grew leaves the readers feeling good and learning important lessons about community participation and sharing,as well as gardening!

Check out other Lynne Cherry’s books for your children too! She is great author and illustrator! We have previously reviewed one of her other books The Great Kapok Tree.