School Library Journal

Gr 1-2-A series that introduces readers to helping people and the environment. Beginning with a table of contents, each section is only two pages long and vocabulary words are underlined. Full-page color photos are simply captioned with a text box that has two to three sentences each. Each topic is broken down in ascending order, first grounding readers by introducing the idea of Earth and then narrowing the focus from there. Oriented this way, the books move to the main topic; why the topic is important; what species lives there, if applicable; what are the challenges; who are the activists; what readers can do to help; and then, finally, a corresponding activity. Although that may seem like a lot, it is simply put for elementary-aged readers. For example, when describing what people can do to lower greenhouse gasses when looking for produce, Helping the People suggests: "Growing your own food or buying from nearby farms helps the environment." The final page of each title includes a glossary and index. Overall, the books show a wide range of people and places on Earth. VERDICT A solid introductory series for beginning readers learning about the environment.-Hilary Tufo