Loony Little: The Ice Cap Is Melting

by Dianna Hutts Aston, Kelly Murphy (Illustrator)

Overview

Celebrate the 50th anniversary of Earth Day with this clever, climate-focused twist on the classic "Chicken Little" story.

Loony Little and her friends set off to tell the Polar Bear Queen that the polar ice cap is melting. Sly Foxy Loxy attempts to lead the animals to his lair to eat them, but Loony Little saves the day, tricking the fox into being devoured by the Polar Bear Queen. Includes information about climate change and the animal species in the book.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781623541170
Publisher:	Charlesbridge
Publication date:	01/14/2020
Pages:	32
Sales rank:	1,071,344
Product dimensions:	10.70(w) x 9.50(h) x 1.50(d)
Lexile:	AD510L (what's this?)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Dianna Hutts Aston is the author of many books for children, including An Egg Is Quiet, which received several starred reviews, and the other books in the Nature Books series, such as A Beetle Is Shy and A Seed Is Sleepy. She is the founder of the Oz Project, a nonprofit foundation for disadvantaged children.

Kelly Murphy is the award-winning, New York Times-bestselling illustrator of Masterpiece, by Elise Broach, which earned her an E.B. White Read Aloud Award. She studied illustration at Rhode Island School of Design. She has taught at Montserrat College of Art, Massachusetts College of Art and Design, and Rhode Island School of Design. www.kelmurphy.com

Read an Excerpt

On a cold summer night, when the Arctic sun was shining brightly, a drop of water fell—plop!—on Loony Little's head. 
"Great top of the world!" she wailed. "The polar ice cap is melting! I must go tell the Polar Bear Queen!"

Editorial Reviews

2019-10-23
"Chicken Little" for the environmentally aware.

When Loony Little feels a drop of water hit the top of her head, she wails, "The polar ice cap is melting! I must go tell the Polar Bear Queen!" She meets a dovekie, a puffin, and an arctic hare along the way, several commenting about the effect: "the sea will rise, and my den might flood!" But when the group meets Sealy Sally, they rethink meeting the Polar Bear Queen, who recently ate Sealy Sally's cousin. Foxy Loxy offers to safely escort them, but Loony Little puts paid to his nefarious plan when she stumbles across the sign pointing to his den. A well-aimed piece of ice convinces Foxy Loxy the group is right, and he takes the news to the Polar Bear Queen…who promptly solves a more immediately pressing need than a melting ice cap. The four friends head off across the ice dolefully wondering what they can do. "It's up to us to find out," says Loony Little. "All of us." Backmatter explains climate change and the greenhouse effect, gives some ideas for ways kids can help—though many are either educational/research-based or work-intensive (grow a garden, plant trees)—and provides additional info about each of the animals. The textured paintings don't always match this information, often showing the loon on solid surfaces standing upright as a goose would, which is physically impossible.

Not the most satisfying, accurate, or entertaining entrée to climate change. (resources) (Picture book. 5-9)

Kirkus Reviews