Ours to Share: Coexisting in a Crowded World

by Kari Jones

Overview

There are almost eight billion people alive today.

Having that many people in the world puts pressure on both social and natural resources, and we have to ask ourselves difficult questions like, What is our fair share? And how do we share more equitably? Ours to Share starts by giving an overview of human population growth, from the time when there were only a few hundred thousand people until now. The book goes on to examine some of the inequities that happen between people when natural and social resources are stressed and provides examples of people who have found innovative ways to share more equitably with their neighbors. The book also examines the impact our expanding population has had on other species. Finally, the book offers suggestions for actions kids can take to better the world from their own home, school and community.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781459816367
Publisher:	Orca Book Publishers
Publication date:	10/08/2019
Series:	Orca Footprints Series , #16
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	48
Lexile:	1110L (what's this?)
File size:	19 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	9 - 12 Years

About the Author

Kari Jones is the author of several well-received books for kids and teens, including A Fair Deal, in the Orca Footprints series. She lives in Victoria, British Columbia, where she teaches English and creative writing at Camosun College.

Table of Contents

Introduction

Chapter One: Shaping the World

• From an Alien’s Eyes
• Mapping the World
• Moving In
• Gathering Together
• Humans Everywhere!
• Growing Pains
• Changing the World
• Ripple Effect
• The Shape of the World Today

Chapter Two: Sharing the World

• It’s Our Right
• Go Sweden
• Running Dry
• That’s Not Fair
• Keep Your Hands Off!
• Game On
• A Better Life
• “Warrior Up”
• Libraries to the Rescue

Chapter Three: Whose World is This?

• No Vacancy
• Move Over
• Camping with Sea Wolves
• A Howl of a Time
• Fences Make Good Neighbors
• Highways and Byways

Chapter Four: Sharing Our Lives

• Sharing at Home
• Sharing in the Community
• Sharing at School
• Sharing with Friends and the World
• Be Inspired!

Acknowledgments
Resources
Glossary
Index

Editorial Reviews

The informative text is very readable and, with many color photos and other design elements, the book looks inviting. A forward-looking guide to sharing the planet.

Booklist

Well-organized…Photographs are powerful, the interest level is high and the author’s ability to whittle a huge topic into manageable chunks for young readers is noteworthy.

Must Read Lit: K thru YA

Topics are well-explained and clearly tied to the central topic of overpopulation, making for a fascinating and educational read...While this book is aimed at middle-grade readers, it would make a great introduction to the topic of overpopulation for readers of all ages even adults. Ours to Share is a well-written and timely book, making it an excellent addition to the Orca Footprints Series.

Resource Links

Continues the mission to enhance awareness of global issues that youngsters can embrace at the local level, helping to make a difference for their futures. Highly Recommended.

CM: Canadian Review of Materials

The informative text is very readable and, with many color photos and other design elements, the book looks inviting. A forward-looking guide to sharing the planet.

Booklist

2019-06-25
How are 8 billion people going to share the world?

This latest title in the Orca Footprints series takes on the challenge of overpopulation. Jones (A Fair Deal, 2017) looks back at prehistory to demonstrate how the human population has grown; describes current efforts to share resources effectively; discusses the effect of the spread of human population on the natural world, including animal extinctions; and suggests actions young people can take. Her exposition is full of anecdotes from her personal life as well as recent news events. The lively design includes plentiful photographs (whose captions include their sources) and "Density Facts" in the sidebars. In her opening chapter, "Shaping the World," she compares the numbers of humans to single drops of water, a simile that may help young readers fathom the astonishing growth in population, and shows how humans have related to animals from the beginning. "Sharing the World" talks about fair sharing among humans: clean water, acceptance of refugees, treatment of Indigenous peoples, and the importance of libraries and education. "Whose World Is This?" focuses on animal relationships, including campers who share with wolves on a Canadian island and a Maasai teen's invention that allows his cattle-farming family to coexist with lions. "Sharing our Lives" concludes with many specific examples of young people taking action around the world.

A strongly felt and convincingly argued case for more attention to fairness in the allocation of resources. (acknowledgments, resources, glossary, index). (Nonfiction. 9-12)

Kirkus Reviews