45M whales’ worth of plastic, and other tales
The natural world is a source of comfort, fascination, and fun — and this month’s Earth Day (April 22) is a perfect time to enjoy an inspiring book, preferably while using a tree trunk as a backrest. Whether your interest is environmental preservation, exotic animals or the overlooked wonders right outside your back door, there’s a book for you.
“Treemendous: Diary of a Not Yet Mighty Oak” by Bridget Heos, illustrated by Mike Ciccotello. (Ages 3 to 7. Crown Books for Young Readers. $17.99.) A grinning acorn begins its long journey high in a tree, surrounded by its siblings — but before long, the little seed is on its own. After all, “each of us must find our own place in the sun.” Packed with scientific details as well as cheerful illustrations, Bridget Heos’s book turns the many-year path from acorn to mighty oak into a heart-warming ode to the power of trees. “I feel like I’m part of something big now,” the once-tiny acorn exults, and “Treemendous” shows just how that happens.
“The Outdoor Scientist:
The Wonder of Observing the Natural World” by Temple Grandin. (Ages 8 to 12. Philomel. $18.99.) As a child, Temple Grandin writes, she divided the world in two: inside and outside. Her guide — packed with projects, historical notes and personal anecdotes — is a 177-page love note to children like her, who find anything and everything about the outdoors fascinating. Projects include fake fossils, wind chimes, bird feeders and an egg carton glider. Grandin’s tales of examining a foul-smelling nest, perfecting the art of a dribble sand castle, and finding “gifts” from the sea add notes of joy to the guide and encourage other nature lovers to embrace their wild sides.
“Kids vs. Plastic” by Julie Beer. (Ages 8 to 12. National Geographic Kids. $14.99.) Budding waste warriors will find page after page of inspiration in this colorful, photo-heavy guide to plastic use, pollution and solutions. The scale of the problem is revealed in vivid comparisons: For instance, the amount of plastic produced since 1950 is equal to the weight of 45 million blue whales. Despite the massive size of the problem, the book isn’t gloomy, however — it’s filled with examples of recycling, plastic alternatives, and steps kids can take to make the world a less wasteful place.
“Wild Vet Adventures: Saving Animals Around the World With Dr. Gabby Wild” by Gabby Wild with Jennifer Szymanski. (Ages 8 to 12. National Geographic Kids. $19.99.) Budding veterinarians and zoologists will find the spreads about animals, both wellknown and underappreciated (such as the dung beetle), fascinating. Exotic-animal veterinarian Gabby Wild adds a collection of gulp-inspiring stories, including doing a root canal on a cranky jaguar as the power flickers out. The biggest star, however, may be the luscious photographs, which offer up-close views of irresistible wild faces.