300s: Green Actions, Green Activists: Series Nonfiction on the Environment
RSSReviewed by Kathy Piehl, Minnesota State University, Mankato, MN -- School Library Journal, 04/01/2009
New national policies and programs to promote conservation measures and the development of alternative energy sources keep environmental issues in the news. The series below introduce past and present champions of such causes, remind students what they can do right now to conserve, and offer thorough discussions of resources that might help meet the growing global demand for energy.
MORRIS, Neil. Looking After My Environment. ISBN 978-1-59566-543-0. LC 2008010277.
––––. Recycling. ISBN 978-1-59566-540-9. LC 2008010278.
––––. Saving Energy. ISBN 978-1-59566-541-6. LC 2008010279.
––––. Saving Water. ISBN 978-1-59566-542-3. LC 2008010280.
ea vol: 24p. (QEB Green Kids Series). diag. illus. photos. glossary. index. notes. CIP. QEB. 2009. PLB $24.25.
Gr 2-4–A different cartoon creature in each book guides students over familiar ground. For example, a green recycle bin offers suggestions such as starting a green club or planting seeds in your garden or on school grounds in Environment. Spreads feature “Did you know?” questions and answers or simple “You can do it” conservation tips. Swooping arrows point out details in large photos as the text speeds from topic to topic. Among those in Saving Energy are fossil fuels, pollution, electricity production, and renewable energy sources. Notes for parents and teachers provide ideas and some Web sites to extend learning, but no print resources are suggested. This series includes little new material, making it an unnecessary purchase for most collections.
ANDERSON, Dale. Al Gore: A Wake-Up Call to Global Warming. ISBN 978-0-7787-4666-9; ISBN 978-0-7787-4679-9. LC 2008054508.
CALLERY, Sean. Victor Wouk: The Father of the Hybrid Car. ISBN 978-0-7787-4664-5; ISBN 978-0-7787-4677-5. LC 2008052558.
ELLIOT, Henry. John Muir: Protecting and Preserving the Environment. ISBN 978-0-7787-4668-3; ISBN 978-0-7787-4681-2. LC 2008053024.
GAZLAY, Suzy. David Suzuki: Doing Battle with Climate Change. ISBN 978-0-7787-4665-2; ISBN 978-0-7787-4678-2. LC 2008055883.
GRAYSON, Robert. Ed Begley, Jr.: Living Green. ISBN 978-0-7787-4667-6; ISBN 978-0-7787-4680-5. LC 2008054509.
LANTIER, Patricia. Rachel Carson: Fighting Pesticides and Other Chemical Pollutants. ISBN 978-0-7787-4663-8; ISBN 978-0-7787-4676-8. LC 2008054511.
ea vol: 48p. (Voices for Green Choices Series). photos. reprods. chron. further reading. glossary. index. Web sites. CIP. Crabtree. 2009. PLB $29.27; pap. $9.95.
Gr 3-6–Biographical accounts from childhood explorations to adult achievements emphasize encounters with nature, family support, and other influences. Each person profiled, except Wouk, used some form of media–from books by Muir and Carson to television programs from Suzuki and Begley–to champion environmental causes, and those presentations are discussed at length. Callery instead stresses the hybrid car technology that Wouk pioneered. Suzuki is valuable because that environmentalist’s achievements are less familiar to readers in the United States than in his native Canada. Although all volumes suggest additional print and Web resources, many of those in Begley target adults. Effective use of color photos and sidebars against bright backgrounds make the volumes visually attractive.
TABAK, John. Biofuels. maps. Apr. ISBN 978-0-8160-7082-4. LC 2008024349. ––––. Coal and Oil. map. Apr. ISBN 978-0-8160-7083-1. LC 2008024343.
––––. Natural Gas and Hydrogen. maps. May ISBN 978-0-8160-7084-8. LC 2008026072.
––––. Nuclear Energy. maps. May ISBN 978-0-8160-7085-5. LC 2008026036.
––––. Solar and Geothermal Energy. maps. May ISBN 978-0-8160-7086-2. LC 2008026741.
––––. Wind and Water. map. May ISBN 978-0-8160-7087-9. LC 2008028247.
ea vol: 224p. (Energy and the Environment Series). charts. illus. photos. chron. further reading. glossary. index. Web sites. CIP. Facts On File. 2009. Tr $40.
Gr 10 Up–Wide-ranging overviews consider scientific, economic, environmental, political, and social issues. Tabak discusses the historical development of each energy resource, explains its current utilization, and considers its potential to meet future global demand. He explains scientific principles and technological requirements for converting energy sources to usable power. The series considers factors such as environmental impact, required economic investment, industry influences, and government legislation and subsidies. Each volume includes an interview with an expert on one of the featured energy sources. Annotated reading lists of print and online resources lead to a wealth of information. The numerous color illustrations include charts, graphs, and maps showing various aspects of energy use and its effects, and photographs and schematics of related mechanisms. While not for browsers–reading these resources requires concentration and a willingness to follow complex arguments–the series has value both for the explanations it offers and the questions it raises.
Because of its broad range and thorough coverage of energy resources, “Energy and the Environment” is a top choice for senior high students. “Voices for Green Choices” offers well-designed, informative biographies to supplement or replace those in elementary school collections. However, libraries that have purchased conservation books recently will find little that is new in “QEB Green Kids.”
Making a Difference: Series Nonfiction on the Environment (Fall 2008)
