Raise 'Em Up Loving (and Protecting) Their Planet: Nat Geo, GROW, and BLUE FLOATS AWAY

 Here are three quick takes at today's world as we approach EARTH DAY, 2021. The theme for this year is RESTORE OUR EARTH.  That important theme and the actions it should inspire rely on the promise of our own efforts, and that of coming generations.

Generations of picture book readers.

Take ONE, from a National Geographic UPDATE:

THE LAST GLIMPSE

PHOTOGRAPH BY BRENT STIRTON Reinforcements: Six months ago, nearly 600 savanna elephants crossed from Uganda to the grassland of the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s once-troubled Virunga National Park, stunning park staff. Six months later, they’re still here, suggesting they feel secure in their new home. Park director Emmanuel de Merode tells Nat Geo he’s never seen anything like this in his three decades of service. “There has been no greater expression of Virunga coming back to life,” he says. Note: the extraordinary image of the elephants at Virunga—I count at least 70 of them in this frame—was taken by photographer and Nat Geo Explorer Brent Stirton. Credit to National Geographic for above excerpt. MARCH OF THE ELEPHANTS Boyds Mills and Kane, 2021 Damages done to our planet and the lives who rely on it have not happened overnight, nor will it be improved in a single generation. Even so, or especially so, let's make sure that the upcoming generation is steeped in the deepest appreciations and connections with nature and our planet. Here are two suggestions. Take TWO: GROW, written by JoAnn Early Macken and illustrated by Stephanie Fizer Coleman is a new picture book that firmly anchors readers into their place as wonders of nature.  Lively, lyrical, and lovely, this seemingly simple series of "What if..." questions provides rich responses for diverse  children and their adults. The science is solid, incorporating accurate terminology within poems presented in prose layout. The promos suggest this as perfect for babies and very young, but it also provides poetic figurative language for use as mentor text in writing activities. It concludes with a call to the analogy and challenge that growth continues, that individuals are distinct and valuable, and that life should be embraced and celebrated- making it an ideal graduation-life-change moment gift as well. Take THREE: Abrams Books for Young Readers March, 2021 BLUE FLOATS AWAY is written by Travis Jonker and illustrated by Grant Snider. When a small portion of a glacier "family" calves and floats away, "Blue" leaves home behind and begins a journey through the ocean, at first confident, then cautious, then curious, ultimately concerned.. With minimal text, the journey explores changes of climate and location, meets other residents of the seas, until Blue loses his physical form in the warming oceans. The series of new beginnings, explorations, and discoveries, and transformations resumes with evaporation, condensation, wind currents, and the circles and cycles continue.  Simple back matter includes a few technical words not included in the main text, allowing it to be accessible from the earliest ages, but making it useful for school age kids.  Environmental awareness of our warming planet and the impact on its seas and skies make this an ideal book related to water cycle and more. Here's my genuine hope that you'll share this good news from current events with young people, reassuring them that humans can make CONSTRUCTIVE changes in the ecology of Planet Earth through local activism. Then share these and other books with kids you care about, connecting and engaging them with the miracle that is our planet.