10 Things I Can Do to Help My World

The kids at my preschool loved this book and were eager to put what they learned from it into practice. It is very well written and the art work is just great.

The book gives good ideas to help the planet although not explaining why we should help the planet

Bold, die-cut pages printed on 100% recycled paper demonstrate easy things that youngsters can do to help better the planet. The eye-catching yellow cover is a definite attention grabber, and the die-cut light bulb on the front hints at the creatively arranged pages inside. Laid out in the simplest possible terms, the book gives empowering advice for the very youngest child. On one of my favorite spreads, a blue-lined "page" covered with child's doodlings says, "I use..." and on the reverse: "both sides of the paper." What child wouldn't feel virtuously pleased with themselves at being able to do that? The only tip offered in the book that I had a quibble with was the suggestion to unplug your tv when you're not using it... I know if I did this I'd have to reboot my cable connection and reprogram my VCR, which would be a pretty big hassle. And I can't think of too many parents who'd be comfortable letting their young ones plug and unplug major appliances on a consistent basis (but maybe that's the point? People should be watching less tv anyway.) Some of my other favorite tips included "plant seeds and help them grow" and "sort the recycling." The final page features a night sky with a lift-the-flap revealing a colorful planet Earth with adorably blobby continents, "All because... I love my world." The bright colors and shapes made me think of those other greats of die-cut and moveable books, Ed Emberley and Louis Ehlert. Perfect for Earth Day or for any budding environmentalists out there.

I teach pre-k and am always looking for books that teach young children an awareness about the world around them. This book nails it! The author keeps the text at one simply stated sentence per page with an option to read the smaller text if your child/children are ready for a more complex explanation. The pages/illustrations are very unique and fun for a child to explore. I can't recommend this book enough, it belongs in every classroom!