OPL BOOK SUMMARY:  Backyard Birding for Kids is a terrific guide book with activities to get children excited about birds.  Fran Lee invites children to create backyard habitats, which help attract birds to their bird feeders.  The book also includes easy birdfeeder recipes, and how to even create a birdbath for drinking and bathing.  Backyard Birding for Kids includes several charts to make identifying birds easy for the beginning birdwatcher.  There’s also a tutorial for how to structure a journal to document different bird species sightings.  A wonderful way to introduce your children to the bird world!

Available used at BetterWorldBooks.

OPL BOOK SUMMARY:  We Are Water Protectors is written by Carole Lindstrom and beautifully illustrated by Michaela Goade.  This New York Times bestseller and Caldecott Medal winning picture book reminds us of the importance of protecting our water. It is inspired by Indigenous-led movements to protect our natural global resources.  Powerfully written, We Are Water Protectors is an urgent rallying cry to young audiences to protect Earth’s water from harm and corruption.  We promise your young readers will enjoy it!

Available at Amazon.com.

Soak up this beautiful and powerful story with a special read aloud.  Joanna Henry lends her voice to make We Are Water Protectors come alive.

 OPL BOOK SUMMARY:  Fashionopolis: Young Readers Edition expertly takes young readers on a journey to understand the history, human price, and the dirty environmental truth of fast fashion.  Thomas asks readers to consider and learn about the toll their wardrobes have exacted on the environment.

Also woven throughout the book are inspiring stories of hope.  Eco-conscious fashion designers are bringing back locally produced organic cotton clothing and utilizing natural indigo instead of synthetic indigo in their dyeing processes.  Stella McCartney’s company implemented an Environmental Profit and Loss report (EP&L) in 2013 to understand and lessen her company’s environmental impacts. These innovators are part of a growing group of businesses that focus on slow fashion.  They are successfully profitable and sensible on a small-to-medium scale.

Dana also explains how future robotic innovations are moving to the forefront of the clothing industry.  These innovations will bring a significant shift to the way our textiles are produced. SoftWear Automation in Atlanta, GA, began using robots that Georgia Tech scientists invented.  Known as Sewbots, these robots were optimized for the textile industry and are now make bath mats and towels.

Dana also empowers readers to make a difference by being informed consumers and shopping for sustainable clothing. If your budget doesn’t allow this, she suggests buying sustainable clothes on sale or second-hand. There are many ways to curate a sustainable wardrobe on any budget!

Available used at BetterWorldBooks.

OPL BOOK SUMMARY: Climate change action is needed on all levels, from the government to big companies, all the way down to our own actions every day. Sometimes it seems like we are too small to make a difference, especially when you’re a child. This updated, revised version of the classic 50 Simple Things book is geared towards helping children protect the environment.

Using the same format as the original, the kids’ version serves as an introduction to basic environmental conservation principles.  Kids are empowered to recycle, drink tap water instead of bottled water, and more.  Each action is a fun challenge that they will look forward to completing. This book makes saving the planet easy and attainable for kids.  Children and adults alike can use this book to start paying attention to how their choices affect what is going on around them.

Available used at BetterWorldBooks.

OPL BOOK SUMMARY:  Koli’s Friendship Adventure is a delightful children’s book from the talented scientists at Ocearch. The team at Ocearch loves to study sharks and other marine life and share information so humanity can do a better job of protecting marine life.  This book expands upon the themes presented in Koli’s Birthday Adventure.  

In Koli’s Friendship Adventure, readers can swim with Koli the great white shark and learn about friendship, the ecosystem, and how sharks live.  Young readers can also explore facts about great white sharks.  After reading the book, we encourage readers to follow a shark on the Ocearch Shark Tracker!

Available at Amazon.com.  A portion of all sales benefits Ocearch’s research and STEM programs.

Want something fun and educational to do with kids? Enjoy listening to our reading of Koli’s Friendship Adventure.  What a delightful book. Enjoy!

OPL BOOK SUMMARY:  The Lorax is a whimsical but powerful environmental tale of how we need to listen and change our behavior before it is too late.

“I am the Lorax. I speak for the trees. I speak for the trees, for the trees have no tongues. And I’m asking you, sir, at the top of my lungs…”

The Lorax wants to stop the Once-ler from cutting down trees senselessly. But though the Lorax shouts, the Once-ler continues cutting trees to fund his burgeoning business and grow wealthy.  As the book unfolds, the Lorax returns multiple times, pleading on behalf of the fish and animals who have lost their food sources and homes to the Once-ler’s industry.  The Once-ler turns a deaf ear to the Lorax’s pleas until both the environment and the Once-ler’s business cease to be.

Dr. Suess published this captivating book in 1971.  Today it resonates even more than when it was written. This book is a whimsical but powerful environmental tale of how we need to listen and change before it is too late.

Gather the whole family around to listen to the tale, and make positive changes to care for our beautiful world.  

Available used at BetterWorldBooks.

Listen to our reading of this wonderful book. Enjoy!

OPL BOOK SUMMARY:  Meet Rachel Carson as a little girl who loves the woods.  Her mom also had a deep love of nature that she shared with Rachel as they watched the night sky and listened to the melody of nature.  The book takes you on Rachel’s journey from early writing to a career in biology, to searching and finally securing a job. Her keen observation, knowledge, and determination led to her a pivotal moment when she knew she needed to write Silent Spring.

At the time, DDT was sprayed on farms, parks, and even in neighborhoods without considering the health impacts on humans, animals, birds, and other life. She was able to explain how the  DDT spray used to get rid of insects was actually harming birds and other life. The chemical companies that created DDT viciously fought her book and tried to discredit Rachel. Happily, it became a global bestseller and created many positive environmental changes. This is a wonderful telling of how a thoughtful, determined person can make a difference. 

Available used at BetterWorldBooks.

OPL BOOK SUMMARY: The Rabbit Listened by Cory Doerrfeld is a tender and gentle story of grief and empathy when something goes wrong.  It is heartwarming and perfect for children and adults to read in stressful times.  The lovely prose and illustrations are guides for helping someone in a difficult time. Cuddle up with a hot chocolate and this book for a moment of reflection. Then, listen to someone who needs your help.

Available from Better World Books.

We invite you to view and listen as we read aloud The Rabbit Listened. Peace be with you.

OPL BOOK SUMMARY:  Join in this whimsical trip on the White Feather Flier in Julian Lennon’s Heal the Earth. In this book, children have the opportunity to interactively explore the planet, meet new people and help the world. They help with reforestation by planting new trees. Dive down deep to heal bleached coral reefs. Heal the Earth by cultivating green spaces, restoring rainforests, and more!  We promise your children will be delighted by the beautiful illustrations that bring faraway places closer to young readers.

Heal the Earth is an adventure to heal this beautiful planet and its people.  This book is part of a series which also includes the titles Touch the Earth and Love the Earth.

Available at Amazon.com.

Follow along as Joanna Henry reads Heal the Earth aloud.  What a wonderful story!

OPL BOOK SUMMARY:  Imagine you could hold the world in your hand, see all the people, and learn about them.  With over 7.6 billion people with different customs, languages, and circumstances, it seems impossible.  How can we wrap our heads around it?  In this clever, best-selling book, If the World Were a Village, it miraculously comes into focus. The key is the author distills the world into an approachable village of 100 people.

Our 100-person village is diverse and includes 59 people from Asia, 16 people from Africa, 10 people from Europe, 9 people from South America, Central America, and the Caribbean, 5 people from Canada and the United States, and 1 person from Oceania. The village has many farm animals, with the chicken being the most predominant.  There are a whopping 2100 chickens (21 times the number of people).  Sadly 44 of the people do not have food security.  Delve into more village information on air, water, education, work, energy health, and how the village is changing.  While this is a children’s book, it has sold over 400,000 copies to the joy of children and adults alike. It’s an essential and easy read for everyone who strives to be a global citizen.

Available used at BetterWorldBooks.