Monday, July 16, 2007

The Lorax Came Out in 1971?

I knew The Lorax by Dr. Suess was a classic, but I didn't realize that it came out in 1971. Where are all the other books teaching kids to be environmentally friendly? There are the obvious ones like 342 Ways to Save the Earth/Planet/Dolphins/Rainforest! and Why Should I Recycle/Save Energy/Use Less Water. But I think books where the message is a little less in-your-face are nicer, or at least books where it is not in the title. With help from a friend and friendly librarian, I recommend these two:

For ages 4 to 9, try The Wartville Wizard by Don Madden. A funny story of a man who gets help from Mother Nature to reduce the trash piling up around town in a very clever way.

For kids aged 6 & up, check out Wind the World Over by Irene Boland and Vanessa Kellogg. Two friends travel the around the world in different times (medieval Europe, Imperial China...) to learn ways humans have harvested energy from wind and water over time.

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