Walking the Walk, Playing the Long Game

The past two weeks of COP sessions (and arguments and protests) have dominated the news regarding the current state of our planet and its looming future, for better or for worse. If each of the words exchanged had been a tree planted, or had been a dollar donated to a flooding island, or otherwise had any real action attached to it, we'd already be ahead in the battle to save Earth as a habitable planet. 

This post features two biography/profiles of individuals who moved beyond words to actions, who recognized serious problems early, then engaged with powerful political, social, and governmental forces for decades to make changes that saved countless lives and the environment.

One of these remarkable people had a relatively unknown name outside of Florida until there was a mass shooting at a school that was named to honor her lifetime environmental work in Florida, Marjory Stoneman Douglas. MARJORY SAVES THE EVERGLADES: The Story of Marjory Stoneman Douglas is written by Sandra Neil Wallace and illustrated by Rebecca Gibbon. 

This picture book is a testament to the power of a single individual dedicated to the study, support, and protection of nature and a world larger than themselves. The many ways in which Marjory Stoneman Douglas defied conventions, expectations, assumptions, and powerful forces set a template for young readers to look around, recognize a need for change, and "walk the walk" on behalf of important causes and issues.

Back matter is superb, and the occasional quotations by Marjory are all documented in sources, as well as making connections to present day environmental and other activists. Her rescue of the Everglades is jaw-dropping, but the truth that even her heroic efforts only managed to preserve/restore half of the original expanses is heartbreaking. Art enriches and expands the information and tone of a very powerful biography.

On an entirely different continent and dealing with quite a different issue, Joseph Bazalgette's commitment to improving the quality of life and prevention of disease in Old London is equally impressive. THE GREAT STINK: How Joseph Bazalgette Solved London's Poop Pollution Problem is written by Colleen Paeff and illustrated  by Nancy Carpenter. 

There is plenty to love about this book, despite it being about the disgusting and deadly deposits in the River Thames during the mid-1800s. Joseph Bazelgette brought phenomenal insight, engineering, and persistence to his understanding of and commitment to correcting the situation. The countless hurdles he overcame and the result of his efforts on a massive (and ever-growing) London population are inspiring. What might sound like a gross and uninteresting story are instead elevated in this biographic account to heroic status. The intricate and well-researched illustrations combine with dramatic and comedic elements in this topic to make it appeal across a wide audience of ages and interests. The patterns and voice within the narrative are appealing as well as supportive of language and vocabulary development, while the remarkable back matter answers questions and invites further investigation.

These are two nonfiction picture books that will leave adult readers impressed and informed while entertaining and inspiring young audiences. It is true that our feverish planet needs an all hands on deck approach to recover and survive, but it is equally true that one committed individual can rally support and make changes that others thought to be impossible.

A Pair of Powerful Picture Books by Kurt Cyrus

 With only a few comments here, I confidently recommend that you read and share these companion counting picture books, both written and illustrated by Kurt Cyrus.

A Christy Ottaviano Book: 2016

The first of this pair, released "all the way back in 2016" is BILLIONS OF BOOKS: A Counting Book About Bricks.

Both books are oversized, with expansive, colorful illustrations that impress with their sweeping scenes and intriguing specificity and detail. Both incorporate lighthearted and lively rhymed text, patterns of progression, topic-related terminology, and splashes of humor and wry twists.

Here are a few excerpts from Indiebound.org:

A Kirkus Best Picture Book of the Year
A JLG Selection
An Oregon Spirit Award Honor Book

"An amazing feat of architecture and artistry that kids will pore over long after the last brick has been laid."--Kirkus Reviews, starred review

"Rollicking rhymes and elegant artwork should delight playroom block stackers and someday builders and architects alike."-Publishers Weekly, starred review.

A Christy Ottaviano Book: 2016

Now, in 2021, Cyrus is back with TRILLIONS OF TREES: A Counting and Planting Book. This time around the story involves a slip of the tongue, in which an order for trillium is misinterpreted to be "trillions of trees". The outrageous story unfolds with Cyrus's lively text, cleverly incorporated science information, and spreads that impress with relative scale, character inclusion, and concept development.

A leafy surprise awaits on the final turn, as various facts are shared by characters who peek out from among one of those trillion trees.

Again, this satisfying effort paid off with well-deserved praise:

Praise For Trillions Of Trees: A Counting And Planting Book…

A Junior Library Guild Selection

"This rhyming story playfully melds an often ignored counting concept—a trillion—with the importance of tree planting and preservation, while also introducing a great number of tree species to a young audience. Like Billions of Bricks, the story’s catchy, upbeat vibe reflects hard but necessary work, while the quick pace and energetic rhyme scheme both fascinates and instructs its young listeners about caring for trees. Illustrated with vibrant natural vistas to amplify quick, upbeat rhymes, Cyrus beckons early elementary readers to a newfound sense of the immensity and importance of trees in the world." —School Library Journal, Starred Review

For building-block fans, tree-lovers, or anyone who appreciates the fun of a book that captivates while layering in learning, this is the pair for you.  

Emily, 10 Year Old Champion: Nonfiction Series

Author/photographer Cathleen Burnham is back with Book Four in the WAKA series of nonfiction picture books featuring young environmental activists. EMILY, 10 Year Old Champion of Rainforest Animals in Need is another story of young people making a difference.

Crickhollow Books, 2018

There is no doubt that young readers (or readers of any age) will be drawn to the cover image. Sloths are currently the IT animals of social media, and this baby sloth, hugging a stuffed animal and nestled in the arms of a young girl, is downright irresistible.

This is the fourth book in the WAKA series (World Association of Kids and Animals). All are authored by and feature photographs by Cathleen Burnham. Emily, a ten year old girl living in Costa Rica, volunteers for a local agency, Kids Saving the Rainforest. In this case Emily has written and presented a play for the public and joined a group saving titi monkeys (squirrel monkeys) by building overhead rope routes for the troops of monkeys who travel freely throughout the village and the surrounding forest. Without those passages and adaptations, the monkeys would be killed crossing streets with heavy auto traffic or crossing on electric wiring overhead. 
Photos of Emily include the cover above, collecting suitable leaves for animals in the sanctuary, and taking an abandoned baby sloth for a "walk" through the forest to sample edible leaves and develop survival skills for later release. 
The author and publisher (Crickhollow Books) have developed a format and narrative non-fiction style that is informative and inspiring, inviting readers to return again and again. The narrative and back page make it clear, by example and without preaching, that kids have the capacity to positively impact their environments and improve the lives of animals who share those spaces with humans. The photo captions, sidebars, specific events, and irresistible animals make the books prime examples of nonfiction content, offering ideal material for framing questions, summarizing, doing further research, and exploring local possibilities for kid-activist engagement.

You can read about the story-behind-the-story of how these books came about from the documentary photographer/author HERE.

I've shared my thoughts about the previous titles in prior posts.
Book One- DOYLI to the RESCUE (Here), 
Book Two- TORTUGA SQUAD (HERE), and 
Book Three- TONY and His ELEPHANTS (HERE)

This is a series that merits everyone's attention and should be on library and classroom shelves. Each title, including this latest, offers entertainment and information across many ages and will quickly become reader-favorites. 

Check out the books and related projects at WAKABooks.org. 
You can also explore the Costa Rican nonprofit organization that helps Emily and other kids become empowered to help the environment and animals: Kids Saving the Rainforest.  

I reviewed a publisher's copy and would like to share it. You can enter a giveaway by adding a comment about this or earlier WAKA/Burnham books in the series. Also,  in a separate comment, share some ways you might use this book with kids.  Each person commenting (from USA or Canada) will be entered in a random giveaway of a copy of the latest book, EMILY. Deadline for comments is Friday, October 5 at midnight, CDT. If your name is chose I'll contact you via email, and the winner's name will be  added to this post after the drawing. 

And the winner of the giveaway is ANNETTE! Thanks for reading and sharing the news about this great new book for kid-activists!

More Compare and Contrast: Finding THE PERFECT TREE

Note: This title was sent to me by the publisher in exchange for a free and fair review. 

Here's another 2016 release from Running Press Kids. It's a terrific choice on its own, and also offers opportunities to compare and contrast. (Check an earlier post with more COMPARE and CONTRAST suggestions HERE.)

THE PERFECT TREE, written and illustrated by Chloe Bonfield, is a luminous creation. Using a combination of two- and three-dimensional papercut images, collage, silhouettes, and drawn figures on layered, glowing backdrops, the double-page spreads  reveal themselves like scenes in a multi-act drama. Aptly named young lumberjack Jack launches the story with a search for the perfect tree, but not one to draw or climb or hug. 

The ironic use of paper cuts, newsprint collages, and other wood-by-products in the visual story opens a world of potential discussion to the question, "Why would he cut it down?" 

A progression of animals, including birds, squirrels, and a spider, combine with ethereal effects to generate a dream-like quality to the story. As if waking from a dream, Jack's encounters open his eyes to more nature-driven values and he does, in fact, begin to recognize the forest AND the trees for purposes other than his original plans.

Harcourt Brace, 1990

The publisher invites readers to compare this to THE GIVING TREE and THE LORAX, but other titles came to mind when I read this. I was instantly reminded of  the talented author/illustrator/environmentalist Lynne Cherry's THE GREAT KAPOK TREE: A TALE OF THE AMAZON RAIN FOREST, originally published in 1990. When a woodcutter is assigned to chop down the giant kapok tree tree he is visited during a siesta by the creatures who make the tree their home. Speaking persuasively and entertainingly in voices that echo their rainforest sounds, they, too, persuade the tree-harvester to see greater benefits in letting the tree live on. In both books the creatures "reveal" their connectedness to the trees rather than emphasizing debate or argument. Their simple truths, once exposed, are convincing enough on their merits. 

Tuttle Publishing, 2015

A more recent picture book that also came to mind is one narrated by the tree itself. Author Sandra Moore and illustrator Kazumi Wilds share the story of THE PEACE TREE from HIROSHIMA: The Little Bonsai with a BIG Story. Inspired by fifty bonsai trees that were presented to the United States by Japan in recognition of our bicentennial in 1976, the author imagined one tree sharing its life story. It's a story  stretching back to its earliest life in a Japanese mountain forest at the time when the Pilgrims were colonizing Plymouth. 

The life  of a bonsai begins with someone's search for a perfect little seedling, one that reveals the potential  strength, shape, and promise of centuries of survival in dwarf form.

In its miniaturized life each bonsai tree loses its function as a habitat but gains a family spanning generations, each in turn devoted to making the tree as perfect and healthy as possible.

In these three titles the art is produced through different media, in very different styles, and for intentionally different effects to suit  the stories being told. In all three books the voices are equally distinct but powerful, channeling the life-forces of nature and bridging the gap between modern demands and planet-old truths.

One thought that stayed with me through all three books relates less to searching for perfection and more to opening our minds  and hearts to HEAR other voices, to SEE other interests and needs. Tuttle Publishing has a stated mission to bridge gaps between Eastern and Western cultures, to change minds one page at a time. Our sharing of books like these is an essential step in that process.

Take part by adding other related title suggestions in the comments, or any other comments about these titles.