Illustrated by Sonia Lynn Sadler 3 stars A beautiful picture book detailing the life and activism of Wangari Maathai. Stunning artwork. Beautiful use of color. The natural aesthetic perfectly matches the themes of the text. Nicely written. It is quite a long picture book with some wordy pages, but it includes a great amount of…
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3 stars An odd little story with nice age-appropriate messaging about ethical fishing practices. The story follows Shark Girl who, after witnessing human irresponsibility and greedy fishing practices, decides to take revenge by starting a mutiny. A nice blend of humor and an examination of human nature. Showcases both the good and the bad of…
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Illustrated by Sonia Lynn Sadler 3 stars I checked this out from the library because I love reading about Maathai’s work and activism. This book is an expansion of Sadler and Johnson’s picture book, Seeds of Change: Wangari’s Gift to the World. This is the first of Lee & Low’s The Story Of series that I’ve…
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Illustrated by Devin Elle Kurtz 3 stars A beautiful example of the power of representation and the joy of doing what you love. This book is an interesting mashup of a semi-autobiographical story mixed with magic and time travel. Meli loves exploring the waters of la Playita del Condado, especially the tidal pools. When she…
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3 stars Set five years after a devastating hurricane, this novel-in-verse finds the community of Holgate, New Jersey still picking up the pieces. Follow Eliza as she deals with anxiety after facing the hurricane’s destruction firsthand, simultaneously fights for the preservation of the marshlands, and develops feelings for a wealthy new arrival to her island…
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5 stars A wonderful picture book that tells the story of a big idea and a community coming together to make it happen. Amara loves bats. But when she moves to a new town, there are none in sight. With the help of the park ranger along with her new friends and neighbors, Amara helps…
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Illustrated by Charles Santoso 5 stars A new favorite from Katherine Applegate! I loved this story. A beautiful representation of how plants and animals coexist and form mutually beneficial relationships. It show demonstrates human intervention can unintendedly alter that balance with unintended consequences. A blend of eco-mystery and coming of age with a touch of…
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The Fearless Science of Jane Goodall, Dian Fossey, and Biruté Galdikas by Jim Ottaviani, Illustrated by Maris Wicks 2 stars I really wanted to love this book. The illustrations are great, often working in details that aren’t touched on in the text. I love the focus on women in science and their extraordinary passion. However,…
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4 stars A nice graphic novel adaptation of I Survived the Attack of the Grizzlies, 1967. This story has been one of my favorites so far in the series (You can read my review here ). Nice balance of showing the dangers of grizzly bears, but also what humans can do to avoid dangerous interactions. There is a…
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3 stars Another good nonfiction read in the I Survived series. This one follows different animals in their quest for survival and the humans who helped them along the way. Great for those interested in learning about animals. It should be read with the knowledge that not all the stories are entirely happy. They each…
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