Books

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2020 Book Selection

Suggested age: K through 5th grade

One Plastic Bag: Isatou Ceesay And The Recycling Women Of The Gambia
by Miranda Paul

The inspiring story of five women who creatively dealt with their village’s plastic trash problem. Despite limited resources and ridicule, Isatou and her friends persevered for more than a decade, eventually realizing economic empowerment through their recycled plastic purse project. The book also includes bonus information such as a Wolof language glossary, timeline of actual events, and photos of the women of Njau.

Book website: oneplasticbag.com

Suggested Activities: oneplasticbag.com/teacher-resources/

Suggested age: Pre-K and K

The Earth Book
by Todd Parr

“I take care of the earth because I know I can do little things every day to make a BIG difference…”

With his signature blend of playfulness and sensitiviy, Todd Parr explores the important, timely subject of environmental protection and conservation in this eco-friendly picture book. Featuing a circular die-cut Earth on the cover, and printed entirely with recycled materials and nontoxic soy inks, this book includes lots of easy, smart ideas on how we can all work together to make the Earth feel good – from planting a tree and using both sides of the paper, to saving energy and reusing old things in new ways.

Author’s website: toddparr.com

Suggested age: 2nd through 5th grade

What Is Climate Change?
by Gail Herman

The earth is definitely getting warmer. There’s no argument about that, but who or what is the cause? And why has climate change become a political issue? Are humans at fault? Is this just a natural development? While the vast majority of scientists who study the environment agree that humans play a large part in climate change, there is a counterargument.
Author Gail Herman presents both sides of the debate in this fact-based, fair-minded, and well-researched book that looks at the subject from many perspectives, including scientific, social, and political.

Suggested Activities: coming soon

Suggested age: 5th through 8th grade

We Are All Greta: Be Inspired to Save the World
by Valentina Giannella

Follow in Greta Thunberg’s footsteps and join the global mission to save our planet from climate change. With in-depth text and data, this necessary and timely book will answer readers’ questions on what climate change means, what its consequences will be, and what must be done to protect our world.

Author’s (info) website: blog post about the author and illustrator

Suggested Activities:

Suggested age: K through 5th grade

10 Things You Can Do to Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
by Elizabeth Weitzman

Young readers discover what they can do to reduce, reuse and recycle.

10 creative “take action” tips are easy for kids to implement
10 sidebars offer supplemental information and scientific data related to each tip

It doesn’t take a lot to reduce the amount of trash we create. Taking action can be as simple as recycling bottles and cans or bringing reusable bags to the grocery store. Kids learn this and more about what they can do to help.

Author’s website:

Suggested Activities:
1. recycling ideas from Project Learning Tree

General ideas for a peaceful classroom

1. https://www.peacefirst.org/peace-first-digital-activity-center