On Our Nature Walk: Our First Talk About Our Impact on the Environment

by Jillian Roberts, Jane Heinrichs (Illustrator), Bob McDonald (Foreword by)

Overview

A gentle introduction to the important topic of the environment.

Crafted around a conversation between a grade-school-aged child and an adult, this inquiry-focused book using age-appropriate language and tone will help children shape their understanding of the natural world and how they participate in protecting it. Dr. Roberts starts the discussion with the types of pollution and trash that children might notice on a nature walk or a trip to the beach, how they are caused and how to work to improve things in their own lives and communities.

The World Around Us series introduces children to complex cultural, social and environmental issues they may encounter outside their homes, in an accessible way. Sidebars offer further reading for older children or care providers who have bigger questions. For younger children just starting to make these observations, the simple question-and-answer format of the main text will provide a foundation of knowledge on the subject matter.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781459821002
Publisher:	Orca Book Publishers
Publication date:	03/03/2020
Series:	The World Around Us , #6
Pages:	32
Sales rank:	1,075,922
Product dimensions:	10.00(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.38(d)
Lexile:	AD970L (what's this?)
Age Range:	6 - 8 Years

About the Author

Dr. Jillian Roberts is a child psychologist, author, professor at the University of Victoria and mother of three children. Considered a go-to child psychology expert for journalists, Dr. Roberts is a regular contributor to HuffPost, Global News and CBC. She is the author of two bestselling and award-winning series of children’s books: the Just Enough series explains topics like birth and diversity to children ages 3–6, while the World Around Us series introduces kids ages 5–8 to issues like poverty and online safety. She lives in Victoria, British Columbia.

Jane Heinrichs is a children's book writer and illustrator. She is the author/illustrator of the hybrid graphic novel Every Home Needs An Elephant. Jane starts her day at a clear desk with her huge sketchbook (for books) and her tiny sketchbook (for daily drawings) but usually ends up sitting on the floor, surrounded by a collection of paints, pencils and papers. She lives in the UK with her family.

Bob McDonald has been communicating science internationally through television, radio, print and live presentations for more than 40 years. He is the host of CBC Radio's Quirks & Quarks, the award-winning science program with a national audience of nearly 500,000 people. He is also a regular reporter for CBC Television's The National as well as Gemini-winning host and writer of the children's series Heads Up!.

Editorial Reviews

To young people who are trying to help the world, she covers a lot of ground and does it well.

Kiss the Book blog

The text is informative and manages to treat weighty issues seriously without being too scary.

Booklist

A useful resource to spark conversations...Encourages collaboration and innovation. Highly Recommended.

CM: Canadian Review of Materials

The text is informative and manages to treat weighty issues seriously without being too scary.

Booklist

Provides readers with a broad perspective of our natural world and how we relate to it daily…Added illustrations are drawn in a realistic style that engages the reader.

School Library Connection

04/01/2020

Gr 1–3—The title of this book is a bit of a misnomer, as the text explores the environment far beyond the activity of a stroll through the forest. A broad array of subjects is covered, meant to enlist children in an all-important struggle to save our planet from irreparable harm. Information is clearly conveyed. Most sections are introduced with a single question on one side of a spread, and a simple answer on an accompanying page contains an additional text box. The author explains interconnectedness, provides a breakdown of the various kinds of pollution, defines sustainability, and differentiates types of natural resources. Real kids who have distinguished themselves as climate control activists, inventors, and environmental entrepreneurs are spotlighted. Children representing different communities are portrayed in an appealing combination of photography and cartoon illustrations. VERDICT Accessible and inspiring, this is a worthwhile introduction to an essential topic.—Gloria Koster, formerly at West School, New Canaan, CT

School Library Journal

2019-11-05
This installment in the World Around Us series addresses how humans can affect the environment in good and bad ways.

The most memorable part of this book is the foreword, which describes how the Earth is the only habitable planet we know of, setting the tone for why we humans must take care of it. The text then uses a Q-and-A format, with questions in large, colored display type on the verso and answers (about a half-page paragraph in large type) on the recto. A sidebar on the far right introduces more details about a topic on each spread (for example, the Great Pacific Garbage Patch). Large photographs are set on a lightly patterned pastel background, with drawings of children in various poses filling space around the text and photographs. The text begins with a nature walk during which a child notices litter in the forest, progresses through questions about pollution and what people can do about it, and ends with an emphasis on the sort of innovation and problem-solving that will be needed to save our planet. Unfortunately, the straightforward text does not sustain the level of interest promised by the dramatic foreword; the Q-and-A format works to bring in different topics, but it leaves openings for readers' minds to wander. While the photographs are well chosen and child-friendly, the drawings distract from rather than add to the presentation.

Accessible and informative—but look elsewhere to get kids excited about the topic. (note, resources) (Informational picture book. 6-10)

Kirkus Reviews

Clearly written text, photographs, drawings, and fact boxes all provide information for young readers… questions posed in the text not only provide discussion points but also suggest possibilities for activities and projects.”

Canadian Teacher Magazine