The Wild World Handbook: Habitats

by Andrea Debbink, Asia Orlando (Illustrator)

Overview

Packed with real-life tales of adventure, breathtaking illustrations, and hands-on STEAM activities, this handbook is an inspiring guide for the next generation of climate activists, conservationists, and nature lovers.

The wonder of the natural world surrounds us—from the Amazon rainforest to the snowy peaks of Mount Everest to the green spaces in big cities. And as the threat of climate change grows, it’s more important than ever to show appreciation for our planet by taking action.

The first book in a middle grade series for young environmental activists and nature lovers, The Wild World Handbook: Habitats offers a roadmap for change and an invitation to explore the outdoors, alongside surprising facts and hands-on STEAM activities. Featuring nine habitats from around the globe, each section includes diverse biographies of outdoor adventurers, scientists, and artists who used their passion and skills to become bold allies for Earth’s natural diversity and resiliency.

Inside you will find:

   • Nine Amazing Habitats
   • Eighteen Inspiring Biographies
   • Nine  Kid-Friendly DIY Activities
   • Nine Fun Field Trips
   • And much more!

It’s up to us to protect this beautiful, awe-inspiring planet we call home! Perfect for fans of Explorer Academy, Planet Earth, and National Geographic Kids.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781683692461
Publisher:	Quirk Publishing
Publication date:	05/25/2021
Series:	The Wild World Handbook , #1
Pages:	232
Sales rank:	1,043,131
Product dimensions:	6.90(w) x 8.40(h) x 0.90(d)
Lexile:	1030L (what's this?)
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Andrea Debbink is the author of several books for kids and a former editor at American Girl magazine. Her favorite way to explore our wild world is hiking a trail or kayaking a river. She lives and writes in Madison, Wisconsin, and you can learn more about her at AndreaDebbink.com.

Asia Orlando is an illustrator and digital artist based in Amsterdam. She is the founder of #OurPlanetWeek, an illustration movement aimed at promoting environmental awareness.

Read an Excerpt

Introduction: The World Outside

What comes to mind when you think about nature? The sky-scraping mountains of the Alps, the canyon-carving Colorado River, a field of wildflowers, a thunderstorm? Maybe you picture something smaller and closer to home: dandelions that grow in sidewalk cracks or the honeybees that buzz outside your window. This book is a guide to all the extraordinary and ordinary things in nature, wherever you find them.
     In The Wild World Handbook, you’ll learn about nine amazing habitats—from polar lands where the sun sometimes shines all day, and sometimes not at all, to mysterious rainforests that are still full of secrets. You’ll read stories about natural wonders like the tallest tree in the world and deserts that bloom so bright you can see them from space.
     You’ll also read stories about people, because people have the power to hurt nature or to help it—and you do, too. The people in this book had incredible experiences in nature and then they did something about it. They’re scientists and activists, but they’re also photographers, writers, athletes, and explorers. Each of them started out just like you—an ordinary kid—but their actions changed the natural world for the better and helped us understand our place in it.
     You probably know this by now: humans have done a lot to hurt nature and the habitats that make up our beautiful, wild world. And we still do. We cut down forests in unsustainable ways, pour pollution into waterways, and take more than we need from the earth. Today we’re facing a lot of big environmental challenges as a result of people’s actions, such as plant and animal extinction, plastic pollution, and melting glaciers. And all these problems are made worse by climate change and its effects. It can be sad, and scary, to think about all this destruction.
     That’s why it’s helpful—and hopeful—to think about these things, too: There are birds that fly in our skies today because someone a hundred years ago cared enough to protect them. There are forests growing tall because someone planted seedlings. There are rivers with cleaner water and healthy fish because someone cleaned them up. History is full of people who destroyed nature and history is full of people who protected and cared for it. Each generation had a choice and we do too: Will we destroy nature and use it up until it’s gone? Or will we take care of our world’s incredible habitats and help them thrive?
     You don’t have to be a scientist or a park ranger or a politician or an adult to explore nature or to protect it. You don’t have to live in the woods or even like to camp. You don’t have to own hiking boots or look a certain way or be from a certain place. There are many ways to explore nature and there are many ways to take care of it. This book will show you how.

Table of Contents

Introduction: The World Outside 8

Chapter 1 Mountains 10

Biography: The Brave Mountaineer: Junko Tabei 14

Natural Wonder: The Himalayas 19

Field Trip: Plan an Expedition 22

Environmental Success: Mystery in the Mountains 24

Diy: Make a Hiking Stick 26

Biography: The Nature Advocate: Bob Coomber 28

Stewardship: You: Be an Eco-Friendly Hiker Local: Pick Up After Pets Global: Leave No Trace 32

Chapter 2 Forests 34

Biography: Mother of Trees: Wangari Maathai 38

Natural Wonder: The Boreal Forest 43

Field Trip: Meet the Trees 46

Environmental Success: India's Molai Forest 48

Diy: Leaf Art 50

Biography: The Forest Philosopher: Aldo Leopold 52

Stewardship: You: Plant a Tree Local: Organize a Tree-Planting Event Global: Prevent Deforestation 56

Chapter 3 Deserts 58

Biography: Defender of Deserts: Minerva Hamilton Hoyt 62

Natural Wonder: Deserts in Bloom 67

Field Trip: See Stars 68

Environmental Success: A Desert Comes to Life 70

Diy: Make a Desert Biome 72

Biography: The Creative Conservationist: Ansel Adams 74

Stewardship: You: Conserve Water Local: Protect Public Lands Global: Reduce Your Carbon Footprint 78

Chapter 4 Polar Lands 80

Biography: The Arctic Survivor: Ada Blackjack 84

Natural Wonder: The Arctic Ocean & Antarctic Volcanoes 89

Field Trip: Map Your World 92

Environmental Success: The Incredible Shrinking Ozone Hole 94

Diy: Frozen Time Capsules 96

Biography: The Wilderness Protector: Margaret Murie 98

Stewardship: You: Spread the Word Local: Write to Your Local Government Global: Use Your Voice 102

Chapter 5 Ocean 104

Biography: The Scientific Storyteller: Gules Verne 108

Natural Wonder: Resilient Coral Reefs 113

Field Trip: Know Your Ocean 116

Environmental Success: The Ocean Cleanup 118

Diy: The Art of the Ocean 120

Biography: The Adventurous Photographer: Cristina Mittermeier 122

Stewardship: You: Watch Your Plate Local: Plan a Waterways Cleanup Global: Reduce Single-Use Plastics 126

Chapter 6 Freshwater 128

Biography: The Environmental Journalist: Marjory Stoneman Douglas 132

Natural Wonder: The Great Lakes 137

Field Trip: Find Freshwater 139

Environmental Success: The Comeback of the Cuyahoga River 142

Diy: Design a Rain Garden 144

Biography: The Outdoor Leader: Rue Mapp 146

Stewardship: You: Plant a Rain Garden Local: Share What You Learn Global: Drinking Water for All 150

Chapter 7 Cities 152

Biography: The Park Architect: Frederick Law Olmsted 156

Natural Wonder: Cities Go Green 161

Field Trip: Make an Urban Nature Documentary 164

Environmental Success: Unearthing Seoul's Hidden Stream 166

Diy: Make a Bird Feeder 168

Biography: The Renegade Gardener: Ron Finley 170

Stewardship: You: Grow Native Plants Local: Join a Community Garden Global: Support Wildlife Crossings 174

Chapter 8 Rainforests 176

Biography: The Rainforest Visionary: Almir Narayamoga Surui 180

Natural Wonder: The World's Oldest Rainforest 185

Field Trip: Be a Field Biologist 188

Environmental Success: Peru's Lost World 190

Diy: Make a Rainforest Biome 192

Biography: The Intrepid Artist: Margaret Mee 194

Stewardship: You: Pay Attention to Palm Oil Local: Support Rainforest Conservation Global: Start the Conversation 198

Chapter 9 Grasslands 200

Biography: The Poetic Scientist: Robin Wall Kimmerer 204

Natural Wonder: The Serengeti 209

Field Trip: Finding Flowers 212

Environmental Success: The American Prairie Reserve 214

Diy: Botantical Art 216

Biography: The Innovative Botanist: George Washington Carver 218

Stewardship: You: Grow a Pocket Prairie Local and Global: Food for Thought 222

Conclusion: Into the Wild World 224

Bibliography 226

Index 228

Editorial Reviews

PureWow Happy Kid Award Winner for Best 8+ Book
A Dogwood 2022-2023 MASL Readers Award Final Nominee
Named a Blueberry Award Changemaker

“This gorgeous book features beautifully detailed illustrations, facts, stories and tips on making your own biome and helping to protect the environment.... A practical guide for young climate activists and junior conservationists.”—CNN Underscored

“Beautifully illustrated….An entertaining and educational book for environmentally conscious nature lovers that will inspire action.”—Booklist

“Well-designed and smartly organized...providing inspiration that proves that all types of people can enjoy and protect nature.”—Kirkus Reviews

“This accessible guide offers a good balance of detailed information with engaging activities and calls to action....A strong choice to inspire young changemakers for our planet.”—School Library Journal

“Hopeful, even as it leaves no stone unturned on the path to mitigating grave ecological issues like climate change, deforestation and overfishing...The result leaves readers — whether middle grade or middle-aged — informed, inspired and, most importantly, empowered.”—Madison Magazine

“For the quieter kid, or perhaps for an Earth-minded child who may need to stay indoors for part of the summer...With more facts, less adventure, this book offers ecology-based biographies, activities to do indoors, fun facts, places to visit, and information about our world.”—Terri Schlichenmeyer

From the Publisher

07/01/2021

Gr 3 Up—Young people interested in conservation and climate activism or merely getting closer to nature will find much to expand their knowledge here. The book describes nine habitats such as forests, mountains, deserts, cities, and freshwater. Each chapter is patterned the same way with an introduction, fast facts, two biographies, a natural wonder, a field trip, an environmental success story, a DIY project, and stewardship suggestions. The chapters can be read independently and out of order. The biographies are a strong part of each chapter. The women, men, and children profiled are an international group who have positively impacted the environment. Many were first in their field, such as Junko Tabei, the first woman to summit Mount Everest, while others are responsible for national and international legislation and protections, such as Minerva Hamilton Hoyt, who advocated for the creation of California's Joshua Tree National Monument. All invite further investigation. The DIY projects have clear instructions and can be completed at different levels. The environmental success stories offer some optimism with victories for the natural world (mountain gorilla protections; Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve). Orlando's full-color drawings beautifully capture all the important aspects of each chapter. Back matter includes websites, a bibliography, and index. VERDICT This accessible guide offers a good balance of detailed information with engaging activities and calls to action. It could be used successfully in STEAM, outdoor classroom, or environmental science units. A strong choice to inspire young changemakers for our planet.—Elisabeth LeBris, Kenilworth SD 38, Winnetka, IL

School Library Journal

2021-02-26
A hands-on handbook that traverses nine habitats around the globe, sharing stories of nature protectors and encouraging new ones.

Well-designed and smartly organized, this handsome title demonstrates the wide range of ways the environment can be protected. Each chapter focuses on one habitat: mountains, forests, deserts, polar lands, ocean, freshwater, cities, rainforests, and grasslands. The structure of each chapter is simple to follow and is repeated consistently, including profiles of two individuals, a description of a natural wonder, creative ways to experience the habitat close to home, an environmental success story, a DIY project, and concrete steps readers can take to protect this habitat. With every turn of the page, stimulating stories, compelling facts, colorful pictures, and action items provide ideas for readers. The biographies and success stories are entertaining human-interest tales that read like short stories. The habitat protectors vary in age, gender, ability, nationality, and race—some, like Kenyan Nobel Peace Prize winner Wangari Maathai, are modern while others, such as Central Park designer Frederick Law Olmsted, are historical. The suggested activities are interdisciplinary, providing inspiration that proves that all types of people can enjoy and protect nature. Orlando’s truly beautiful art, with its soft edges and natural tones, contributes to the inviting, welcoming reading experience.

A strong choice for any young reader interested in the natural world. (bibliography, index) (Nonfiction. 8-12)

Kirkus Reviews