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4.5
One of Tyler's chores is taking out the trash. Of course he's building up a set of big muscles, but he's working on something much more important. He's working on taking good care of the Earth. Tyler sees that there are many things going out in the trash that could be reused and his mother agrees. They are planning to use things again because "The more we reuse, the less trash we make." At the dump there is so much trash being buried by a bulldozer that in time "we will run out of places to bury trash." Naturally we want to keep our Earth clean and need to learn how to take care of it.Tyler and his mother decided to sort out his school supplies to see which ones can be reused. Next they pack up his old clothes to give to his cousin. Did you know that there are some really neat things in thrift stores? Tyler was thinking to himself that because the jeans were inexpensive, "Maybe Mom will let me get this baseball bat too!" He was learning that things like his bicycle could be fixed and there was a way to make reusable napkins and making good use of reusable water bottles would save energy. Trading toys, going to the library, making homemade gifts, and going to garage sales can help save the environment. Can you think of a way that you can help save the Earth too?This is an excellent book that children can use to learn how to become "planet protectors." This seemingly simple book packs a punch in the green department. The artwork is simple, but the message is loud and clear. As we follow Tyler through this book we learn many ways that we too can help reduce waste, recycle, and reuse many of the products that we already have. Throughout the book there are many sidebars in the form of circles with suggestions for children to implement. For example, one states: "Fixing things is a good way to reuse. The factories where new things are made use lots of power. Using power makes the air dirtier. So remember: new isn't always better!" This is a beginning chapter book that the young student can tackle with a minimum of assistance. In the back of the book is an index, a glossary (which includes the term "thrift store"), an activity for making reusable napkins from T-shirts or sheets, and additional recommended book and website resources to explore.This book courtesy of the publisher.
