Conservation Counts

Last year, the crew from MommyBlogsToronto decided to choose a cause for BlogHersAct Canada. We asked you what you thought, and overwhelmingly, the response said, "We care about the environment." A year of articles and challenges followed, and this month, launching in our new home here at Playdate and in celebration of Earth Day, we think it's important to share your concern with your children, and teach them how to tread lightly on the earth. After all, their footprints can be pretty small - just look in the sandbox. 

The BlogHersAct Canada page has lots of great tips and challenges this month, but of course, sometimes illustrating these things with a little storytime example goes a long way. One thing that most kids care about is animals, and animals are strongly affected by what goes on in the environment. It's a good way to make the concern more concrete and explain why it's so important to take care of the earth - not just for us, not just for our kids, but also for the other inhabitants who we can help protect.

Here are a handful of good titles to help explain about endangered animals, shrinking habitats, and why it is our job to do better:

The Great Kapok Tree, by Lynne Cherry

In this rainforest tale, a man is directed to cut down a great kapok tree in the Amazon rainforest. After a few swings, the heat and humidity overcome him, and he decides to rest. As he naps, he is visited by a host of creatures and even one young native boy, who tell him of the great importance of this threatened habitat. Upon waking, he chooses to leave the forest intact. It is rare that I introduce a book that even borders on preachy as this one does, but it is a classic in this topic, and filled with gorgeous illustrations of the Amazon and its inhabitants.

The Water Hole, by Graeme Base

This gorgeous book is many things - a counting book, an I Spy, a book about animals, and a sad look at the perils of drought. In it, animals gather at a shrinking water hole to slake their thirst, but as each appears, the faces of many other endangered species appear as ghostly shadows among the shrinking trees and grasses. Subtle backdrops show different areas of the world, too, as this is not a problem limited to one region. Die-cuts add extra interest and emphasize the shrinking pool until it is, finally, gone, replaced by cracked earth and withered trees. This is not nearly as dire as it sounds, for at the end, rain comes back, as do the animals, sending a further message about natural cycles. Just lovely, and wonderful to share on many levels.

Panda Bear, Panda Bear, What Do You See?, by Bill Martin Jr., ill. Eric Carle

This latest addition to the familiar Brown Bear family focuses on endangered animals. As in the other volumes, Carle's trademark bold illustrations make this a winner with even the very young, who can easily join in the repetitive text. Each animal featured is a threatened species, though, and may prompt a child to want to know more about them. At the end, the animals see a dreaming child, who in turn dreams of them living "wild and free." A short note at the front tells us that over 5,000 animal species are endangered or threatened, and that we can help by spreading the word about conservation. Indeed.

The Sea, The Storm, and the Mangrove Tangle, by Lynne Cherry

This lovely book describes how a mangrove tree takes root, and over years, becomes the home to legions of different animals who start a tiny ecosystem in its shelter. From time to time, a seed would fall from the tree and either add new trees to the tangled mass, or drift off, starting a new grove somewhere else to shelter other animals. After a hundred years, they survived even one fisherman's short-sighted idea of cutting them down, when others told him that they supported the fish that in turn supported the fishermen themselves. Finally, a great hurricane came up. The mangroves sheltered animals in their strong roots and branches, though they sustained heavy damage. Still, some ten years later, the trees are alive and coming back, while the seeds shaken loose in the storm have grown, and started their own islands. (Can I get a chorus of Circle of Life, anyone?) It's a beautiful book, and illustrates how animals rely on their habitats for food and shelter.   

The Birds of Killingsworth, by Robert D. Dan Souci, ill. Kimberly Bulcken Root

This lovely book is based on a poem by Longfellow about a farmer who organizes a hunt to kill all the adult birds who were eating of the local crops and thus stealing pennies from his pockets. His daughter and a local teacher are the only ones who oppose him, and secretly rescue and raise the babies that had been left for dead. When the balance of nature is upset and the crops devastated by insects not eaten by the absent birds, the farmer learns a lesson, and the day is fortunately saved by the rescued baby birds, now grown and once again set free. A lesson in ecosystems nicely told as a tale, and illustrated to good effect as set in Colonial Connecticut.

And one to get you started on one thing you can do together to make a difference:

Recycle Every Day!, by Mary Elizabeth Wallace

Wallace uses her trademark bunnies and simple collage style to illustrate many different ways in which we can make recycling part of our daily routine. Instead of preaching and dully setting it out, though, she has a young bunny work on a recycling poster contest. Minna is looking for ideas, and notices that her family recycles different things every day, in one way or another. Makes for a great introduction to the concept, even for a younger child.

Find these and plenty of non-fiction books on the topic at your local public library!

Comments

[motherbumper]

Panda Bear, Panda Bear what do you see is tattooed on my brain - that's how many times we have read that one (she loves screaming MACARONI PENGUIN!). I really want to check out that Recycle Every Day! one - sounds like an good way to get the wee ones started (and yes, they do leave small footprints in the box - and the living room - and the tub - and the kitchen).