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E IS FOR ENVIRONMENT

Name: E IS FOR ENVIRONMENT
Author: Lucy Curran
ISBN: 978-0-7624-7170-6

THE ABCS OF CONSERVATION

by Lucy Curran ; illustrated by Francesca Rosa ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 1, 2022

N is for…NOT RECOMMENDED.

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Environmental concepts are introduced in an alphabetic format.

“A is for ATMOSPHERE”; “B is for BIODIVERSITY”; “C is for CONSERVATION”; and so on. Each single-page spread covers one letter of the alphabet and provides a one-sentence definition of the spotlighted, all-caps word. Unfortunately, the definitions themselves sometimes use words that children will need adults to define for them; for example, “QUARTZ” is “a mineral found in Earth’s crust,” but mineral and crust are never defined. Some of the artwork uses a double-page-spread composition to connect the ideas on the verso and recto pages. For example, a herd of zebra on one verso make their way (“M is for…MIGRATION”) to a wildlife refuge (“N is for…NATURE RESERVE”) on the recto directly opposite. Although this attempt to connect often quite unrelated concepts on facing pages is clever, the result is sometimes a stretch or cheesy, such as when “QUARTZ” crystals morph into paper trash for “RECYCLING.” The humans depicted in Rosa’s often panoramic digital illustrations are racially diverse with various skin tones and hair textures. One illustration shows a woman wearing a shalwar kameez. It is hard not to presume that some words were selected simply because they fit the alphabetical structure. The inclusion of the racial slur kaffir (“K is for…KAFFIR LILY”) is particularly unfortunate, especially since the accompanying illustration shows a dark-skinned Black child.

N is for…NOT RECOMMENDED. (Informational picture book. 5-8)

Pub Date: March 1, 2022

ISBN: 978-0-7624-7170-6

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Running Press Kids

Review Posted Online: Dec. 26, 2021

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2022

Categories:

CHILDREN'S CONCEPTS | CHILDREN'S SOCIAL SCIENCES

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CELEBRATE KWANZAA

WITH CANDLES, COMMUNITY, AND THE FRUITS OF THE HARVEST

From the Holidays Around the World series

by Carolyn B. Otto ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 5, 2017

A good-enough introduction to a contested festivity but one that’s not in step with the community it’s for.

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An overview of the modern African-American holiday.

This book arrives at a time when black people in the United States have had intraracial—some serious, some snarky—conversations about Kwanzaa’s relevance nowadays, from its patchwork inspiration that flattens the cultural diversity of the African continent to a single festive story to, relatedly, the earnest blacker-than-thou pretentiousness surrounding it. Both the author and consultant Keith A. Mayes take great pains—and in painfully simplistic language—to provide a context that attempts to refute the internal arguments as much as it informs its intended audience. In fact, Mayes says in the endnotes that young people are Kwanzaa’s “largest audience and most important constituents” and further extends an invitation to all races and ages to join the winter celebration. However, his “young people represent the future” counterpoint—and the book itself—really responds to an echo of an argument, as black communities have moved the conversation out to listen to African communities who critique the holiday’s loose “African-ness” and deep American-ness and moved on to commemorate holidays that have a more historical base in black people’s experiences in the United States, such as Juneteenth. In this context, the explications of Kwanzaa’s principles and symbols and the smattering of accompanying activities feel out of touch.

A good-enough introduction to a contested festivity but one that’s not in step with the community it’s for. (resources, bibliography, glossary, afterword) (Nonfiction. 5-8)

Pub Date: Sept. 5, 2017

ISBN: 978-1-4263-2849-7

Page Count: 40

Publisher: National Geographic Kids

Review Posted Online: Oct. 27, 2017

Categories:

CHILDREN'S HOLIDAYS & CELEBRATIONS | CHILDREN'S SOCIAL SCIENCES

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A WORLD TOGETHER

by Sonia Manzano ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 15, 2020

Engaging, well-chosen images and a clear, coherent text illuminate the importance of empathy for the world’s inhabitants.

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Large color photographs (occasionally composed of montages) and accessible, simple text highlight global similarities and differences, always focusing on our universal connections.

While child readers may not recognize Manzano, the Puerto Rican actress who played Maria on Sesame Street, adults will recognize her as a trusted diverse voice. In her endnote, she explains her desire to “encourage lively conversations about shared experiences.” Starting out with the familiar, home and community, the text begins with “How many WONDERFUL PEOPLE do you know?” Then it moves out to the world: “Did you know there are about 8 BILLION PEOPLE on the planet?” The photo essay features the usual concrete similarities and differences found in many books of this type, such as housing (a Mongolian yurt opposite a Hong Kong apartment building overlooking a basketball court), food (dumplings, pizza, cotton candy, a churro, etc.), and school. Manzano also makes sure to point out likenesses in emotions, as shown in a montage of photos from countries including China, Spain, Kashmir (Pakistan/India), and the United States. At the end, a world map and thumbnail images show the locations of all photos, revealing a preponderance of examples from the U.S. and a slight underrepresentation for Africa and South America.

Engaging, well-chosen images and a clear, coherent text illuminate the importance of empathy for the world’s inhabitants. (Informational picture book. 5-8)