Award Winning and Notable Children's Books PreK - 8

This picture book biography tells the story of Meg Lowman, a groundbreaking female scientist called a "real life Lorax" by National Geographic, who was determined to investigate the marvelous, undiscovered world of the rainforest treetops.

Butterflies Belong Here is a powerful story of everyday activism and hope. In this moving story of community conservation, a girl finds a home in a new place and a way to help other small travelers. This book is about the real change children can make in conservation and advocacy--in this case, focusing on beautiful monarch butterflies. * From Deborah Hopkinson and Meilo So, the acclaimed team behindFollow the Moon Home * An empowering, classroom-ready read * The protagonist is a girl whose family has recently immigrated to the United States. I know what to look for: large black-and-orange wings with a border of small white specks, flitting from flower to flower, sipping nectar. But though I looked hard, I couldn't find even one. I wondered if monarch butterflies belonged here. I wondered if I did, too.

The true story of how a scientist saved the planet from environmental disaster. Mexican American Mario Molina is a modern-day hero who helped solve the ozone crisis of the 1980s. Growing up in Mexico City, Mario was a curious boy who studied hidden worlds through a microscope. As a young man in California, he discovered that CFCs, used in millions of refrigerators and spray cans, were tearing a hole in the earth's protective ozone layer. Mario knew the world had to be warned--and quickly. Today Mario is a Nobel laureate and a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom. His inspiring story gives hope in the fight against global warming.

Begin with a Bee and its story of the life of one queen bee, a rusty-patched bumblebee, teaches us not only about bees but also about our own responsibilities in the natural world. By looking closely at the life cycle of one bee, Begin with a Bee helps readers of all ages understand and appreciate the contributions and significance of all bees.

Plucky science-lover Rocket returns in another inspiring picture book about getting a community to notice the world around them, and, in this book, to CLEAN UP! their shoreline. Rocket, is off to the islands to visit her grandparents. Her family loves nothing better than to beach comb and surf together...but the beach is clogged with trash! When she finds a turtle tangled in a net, Rocket decides that something must be done! Like a mini Greta Thunberg, our young activist's enthusiasm brings everyone together...to clean up the beach and prevent plastics from spoiling nature.

From a tall tree growing in the forest--to the checkout counter at the grocery store--one little bag finds its way into the hands of a young boy on the eve of his first day of school. And so begins an incredible journey of one little bag that is used and reused and reused again. In a three-generation family, the bag is transporter of objects and keeper of memories. And when Grandfather comes to the end of his life, the family finds a meaningful new way for the battered, but much-loved little bag to continue its journey in the circle of life.

In a bustling, urban neighorhood, count the ways one little lot becomes a beautiful community vegetable garden. Count all the ways (one to ten) an urban community unites to clean up an abandoned lot. From building planter boxes to pulling weeds to planting seeds, everyone works together to transform the lot into a bountiful vegetable garden. As the garden grows, strangers become friends, eventually sharing in a special feast with the harvest they grew.

Pairing aspects of eco-friendly living with each letter of the alphabet, ABC Earth-Friendly Me features 26 things a kid can do to help care for the earth.

As a boy, Jadav Payeng was distressed by the destruction deforestation and erosion was causing on his island home in India's Brahmaputra River. So he began planting trees. What began as a small thicket of bamboo, grew over the years into 1,300 acre forest filled with native plants and animals. The Boy Who Grew a Forest tells the inspiring true story of Payeng--and reminds us all of the difference a single person with a big idea can make.

The environmental activism of Hoot meets the summer friendship of Lemons in this heartfelt story about community, conservation, and standing up for the things you love. Annalise Oliver's family has owned and run lakeside cabins in Renn Lake, Wisconsin, for generations. This summer, she gets to help out while her younger sister focuses on being an actress and her best friend is babysitting rambunctious twin boys. It's the perfect opportunity for Annalise to work and spend more time by her beloved lake. When she was three years old, Annalise discovered that she could sense what Renn Lake was thinking and feeling. Now, at twelve, she still turns to Renn for comfort. But when a small patch of algae quickly becomes a harmful bloom, Annalise can no longer hear Renn, and the lake is closed. She and her friends must find a way to save the lake.

Normally, Olivia spends all year looking forward to her family's summer vacation in Florida. But not this year. Not when her parents have recently separated, and her father has to stay behind in Colorado. Olivia doesn't know what she'll do all summer without him. They've always been a pair, and she's never felt the same bond with her mother or younger sister. So Olivia plans to spend the summer laying low, and trying to ignore the hurt gnawing at her heart. But when she learns that the local sea turtle population is in serious risk of dying off because of her neighbor's poorly designed house, she knows she has to do something.

Shipped halfway around the world to spend the summer with her mom's eccentric Australian relatives, middle schooler and passionate violinist Louisa is prepared to be resentful. But life at the family's remote camp in the Tasmanian rainforest is intriguing, to say the least. There are pig-footed bandicoots, scary spiders, weird noises and odors in the night, and a quirky boy named Colin who cooks the most amazing meals. Not the least strange is her Uncle Ruff, with his unusual pet and veiled hints about something named Convict Rock. Finally, Louisa learns the truth: Convict Rock is a sanctuary established by her great-grandmother Eleanor--a sanctuary for Tasmanian tigers, Australia's huge marsupials that were famously hunted into extinction almost a hundred years ago. Or so the world believes. Hidden in the rainforest at Convict Rock, one tiger remains. But now the sanctuary is threatened by a mining operation, and the last Tasmanian tiger must be lured deeper into the forest. The problem is, not since her great-grandmother has a member of the family been able to earn the shy tigers' trust. As the summer progresses, Louisa forges unexpected connections with Colin, with the forest, and--through Eleanor's journal--with her great-grandmother. She begins to suspect the key to saving the tiger is her very own music. But will her plan work? Or will the enigmatic Tasmanian tiger disappear once again, this time forever?

Meg has always found comfort in her best friend Beatrix's shadow. Self-assured Beatrix is the one who makes decisions, and the girls have been a pair since kindergarten. But middle school has brought some changes in Beatrix, especially when Meg tries to step outside her role as sidekick. A special science elective is Meg's first step away, but when she's paired with quirky new girl Hazel, Beatrix steps in to stake her claim on Meg. Meg is taken aback at how mean Beatrix can be--and how difficult it is to stand up to her friend. But as Meg gets to know Hazel while working on their backyard beehive project, she starts to wonder: Is being Beatrix's friend worth turning down the possibility of finding her own voice?

When Ebony and Jay, the famous Eco Rangers, rescue a frightened-looking pelican covered in fuel, they know something terrible has happened. Why is the sea full of oil? And where does it come from? As the Eco Rangers start investigating, they end up getting into big trouble. Join them on their mystery-solving adventures! Eco Rangers to the rescue!

Thirteen-year-old Nandu lives in the newly established Royal Elephant Breeding Center on the edge of the jungle. Here, the King's elephants are to be raised under the protective watch of the stable. Nandu-along with his adoptive father Subba-sahib, his mentors, friends, and the rest of the elephant drivers-is tested by man and nature as earthquakes, drought, wild herds, and rumors of poachers threaten the Center. When Nandu's world is thrown into turmoil, so, too, is the world of Hira Prasad, the Center's powerful bull elephant. An unbreakable bond of brotherhood drives Nandu and Hira Prasad together as they struggle to maintain the delicate natural order of life in the Borderlands.

It's Ramadan, a time to focus on good deeds and to fast, and Badir and his brother, Anis, are out for a walk one evening while they wait for their iftarmeal. In the park Badir sees a rat. A very, very large rat. He soon learns it's actually a beaver, an animal that doesn't live in Tunisia, the country Badir and his family have emigrated from.

Kids around the world are working together to make our planet a better, safer, happier place--and now you can join in with this practical guide! You Can Change the World empowers kids to make changes in their lives and communities with the powerful message that anyone can make a difference in the world. This colorfully illustrated book is packed with information, ideas, and activities for everyday sustainability--like mending clothes, composting, and avoiding single-use plastics. Interspersed throughout are features on children around the globe who are making a difference, such as Greta Thunberg or Solli Raphael, reminding kids that ordinary people can spark extraordinary change.

Quietly, without most people noticing, the population of giraffes in the wild has decreased by nearly 40 percent since 1985. Giraffes have disappeared entirely from seven countries where they used to live. Researchers believe fewer than 98,000 exist in the wild--fewer even than endangered African elephants.

One Earth profiles Black, Indigenous and People of Color who live and work as environmental defenders. Through their individual stories, the book shows that the intersection of environment and ethnicity is an asset to achieving environmental goals.

In April of 1987 the last wild California condor was captured and taken to live in captivity like the other twenty-six remaining birds of its kind. Many thought that the days were over of of this remarkable, distinguished bird that had roamed the skies of North and Central American for thousands of years.

It's in your toothbrush ... your clothes ... your earbuds. Chances are, you're touching it right now. We're talking about plastic! Plastic is absolutely everywhere and in practically everything we touch, from pens to water bottles to sports equipment. And a lot of it is used once and then thrown away. Unfortunately, it takes a REALLY long time for plastic to break down and it can be harmful to our environment, especially wildlife. But why and when did we start using it in so much stuff? And how do we stop?

Orcas are found in every ocean on the planet. But can they survive their relationship with humans? Orcas Everywhere looks at how humans around the world (Indigenous and non-Indigenous alike) related to orcas in the past, how we relate to them now and what we can do to keep cetacean communities alive and thriving.

Picture a busy avenue. Now plant trees along the boulevard, paint a mural by the empty lot, and add a community garden. Set up benches along the sidewalks and make space for kids' chalk drawings, and you've set the scene for a thriving community. Placemaking--personalizing public and semi-private spaces like front yards--is a growing trend in cities and suburbs around the world, drawing people out of their homes and into conversation with one another.

Once upon a time a creek burbled up and tumbled across a prairie valley. It was filled with insects and brook trout that ate them, frogs that chirruped and birds watching for bugs and fish. This is a true story about a man named Mike who went looking for that creek long after it was buried under fields of corn.

Acclaimed activist Philippe Cousteau and renowned author Deborah Hopkinson team up to offer a story of the powerful difference young people can make in the world. Meet Viv, who has a new home and a new school by the sea, and follow her as she finds her way in a new place and helps bring together a whole community to save the sea turtles of the South Carolina coast.

Tender and heartrending, Jane Yolen's clear-eyed tale of a child's effort to rescue a beached whale evokes a fierce love of wildlife and a universal sense of loss. Sally and her brothers are walking home from school along the dunes in their Maine town when they come upon an enormous whale. He's stranded on the beach. Her brother runs for help, and many people rally to respond, but the tide is going out quickly and the whale is just so big. Still, Sally is able to sit near the whale's massive eye and tell him he's beautiful and strong, and that she will miss him no matter what happens.

On a mean street in a mean, broken city, a young girl tries to snatch an old woman's bag. But the frail old woman, holding on with the strength of heroes, says the thief can't have it without giving something in return: the promise. It is the beginning of a journey that will change the thieving girl's life -- and a chance to change the world, for good. Here is the story of a magical discovery that will touch the heart and imagination of every reader, young and old.

What followed was a rare and remarkable demonstration of animal behavior. This celebrated story, beautifully depicted in Jennifer O'Connell's mesmerizing paintings, will make you wonder about animal emotions and the unique connections we can have with animals--even whales.

A man in the 1800s comes upon a beautiful forest and decides to build his home there. When he clears the land, he leaves one special tree to grace his front yard. Over the years, several generations of his family enjoy this tree, but it is endangered by a plan to build a highway. A young boy and his host of animal friends get together to make a stand, and give back to the tree which has given them so much.

Arthur comes home from school and begins sneaking around the house, taking notes and talking about a Big Green Machine. D.W. is suspicious of her brother's weird behavior, but when Arthur shows up late for dinner with green hands, she really gets the creeps! But it turns out Arthur is making a poster listing all the ways to save energy at home--and go green!

"I take care of the earth because I know I can do little things every day to make a BIG difference..." With his signature blend of playfulness and sensitivity, Todd Parr explores the important, timely subject of environmental protection and conservation in this eco-friendly picture book. Featuring a circular die-cut Earth on the cover, and printed entirely with recycled materials and nontoxic soy inks, this book includes lots of easy, smart ideas on how we can all work together to make the Earth feel good - from planting a tree and using both sides of the paper, to saving energy and reusing old things in new ways.

When Miss Fox shows up at school riding her bicycle, Mouse asks, "Do you have a flat tire?" "No," Miss Fox tells her students. "I am going green!" Soon everyone in the class is working to keep the earth healthy. Mouse takes shorter showers (and does her singing after!); Bunny brings a cloth bag to the supermarket; and Possum turns the lights off when he goes out. And Miss Fox's simple act has ripples even beyond her own students...soon the whole school starts riding their bikes--including the principal.

This picture book biography examines the life and career of naturalist and artist Anna Comstock (1854-1930), who defied social conventions and pursued the study of science. From the time she was a young girl, Anna Comstock was fascinated by the natural world. She loved exploring outdoors, examining wildlife and learning nature's secrets. From watching the teamwork of marching ants to following the constellations in the sky, Anna observed it all. And her interest only increased as she grew older and went to college at Cornell University. There she continued her studies, pushing back against those social conventions that implied science was a man's pursuit. Eventually Anna became known as a nature expert, pioneering a movement to encourage schools to conduct science and nature classes for children outdoors, thereby increasing students' interest in nature. In following her passion, this remarkable woman blazed a trail for female scientists today.

In this breathtaking companion to the award-winning Grandfather Gandhi, Arun Gandhi, with Bethany Hegedus, tells a poignant, personal story of the damage of wastefulness, gorgeuously illustrated by Evan Turk. At Grandfather Gandhi's service village, each day is filled, from sunrise to sunset, with work that is done for the good of all. The villagers vow to live simply and non-violently. Arun Gandhi tries very hard to follow these vows, but he struggles with one of the most important rules: not to waste. How can throwing away a worn-down pencil hurt anyone? How can wastefulness lead to violence? With the help of his grandfather, Arun learns how every wasteful act, no matter how small, affects others. And in time he comes to understand the truth of his grandfather's words: "Be the change you wish to see in the world."

In 2007, a tornado destroyed Greensburg, Kansas, and the residents were at a loss as to what to do next--they didn't want to rebuild if their small town would just be destroyed in another storm. So they decided they wouldn't just rebuild the same old thing; this time, they would build a town that could not only survive another storm, but one that was built in an environmentally sustainable way.

Every year, Kinga and his classmates wait for the black-necked cranes to return to the kingdom of Bhutan. The birds fly south over the highest mountains in the word to winter in the valley where Kinga lives, deep in the Himalayas. The cranes have been visiting the valley since ancient times, but every year, fewer cranes return. Kinga is concerned. "What can he do?," he wonders. He and his classmates approach the monks for permission to create and perform a dance to honor the cranes and to remind the Bhutanese people of their duty to care for them. The monks caution them to first watch the cranes to see how they move and learn from them. The children watch and practice. And practice some more until the big day when they perform before the king of Bhutan.

How can Adam bring the green warmth of home to his new urban world? An inspiring fable from Michael Foreman about making friendship grow. Adam feels alone in the strange new city. He misses his old friends and the colors of his faraway home. It's fun to build snow animals with children in his new neighborhood, but Adam's concrete surroundings still make him wish for something more. So when a teacher gives him a few seeds, it plants an idea in him--an idea that could transform his gray world forever.

Alan loves animals, but the great cat house at the Bronx Zoo makes him sad. Why are they all alone in empty cages? Are they being punished? More than anything, he wants to be their champion--their voice--but he stutters uncontrollably. Except when he talks to animals...then he is fluent. Follow the life of the man Time Magazine calls, "the Indiana Jones of wildlife conservation" as he searches for his voice and fulfills a promise to speak for animals, and people, who cannot speak for themselves.

Captured as a baby, Ivan was brought to a Tacoma, Washington, mall to attract shoppers. Gradually, public pressure built until a better way of life for Ivan was found at Zoo Atlanta. From the Congo to America, and from a local business attraction to a national symbol of animal welfare, Ivan the Shopping Mall Gorilla traveled an astonishing distance in miles and in impact.

After a huge tree crashes to the ground during a winter storm, ten-year-old Ellie and her new friend, Ricky, explore the forest where Ellie lives. Together, they learn how trees provide habitat for plants and animals high in the forest canopy, down among mossy old logs, and deep in the pools of a stream. The plants, insects, birds, and mammals they discover come to life in colored pen-and-ink drawings.

Above the treetops of Puerto Rico flies a flock of parrots as green as their island home. . . . These are Puerto Rican parrots. They lived on this island for millions of years, and then they nearly vanished from the earth forever. Puerto Rican parrots, once abundant, came perilously close to extinction in the 1960s due to centuries of foreign exploration and occupation, development, and habitat destruction. In this compelling book, Roth and Trumbore recount the efforts of the scientists of the Puerto Rican Parrot Recovery Program to save the parrots and ensure their future. Woven into the parrots' story is a brief history of Puerto Rico itself, from before the first human settlers to the present day.

In celebration of the fiftieth anniversary of the publication of Silent Spring, here is a biography of the pioneering environmentalist. "Once you are aware of the wonder and beauty of earth, you will want to learn about it," wrote Rachel Carson, the pioneering environmentalist. She wrote Silent Spring, the book that woke people up to the harmful impact humans were having on our planet.

At the back of the book is a list of the animals that appear in the story and an invitation to find them all. This lively story about non-point source pollution is filled with both information and action. Realistic, lush illustrations by Olga Pastuchiv illuminate the children's passion for their river and the ecosystem it supports.

Bold illustrations, big flaps, and an ingenious die-cut design invite young readers to peek at the lives of endangered animals -- and learn how to help. (Ages 4-7) Did you know that a giant panda likes to do somersaults? That a black rhinoceros can run faster than an Olympic sprinter? That a monarch butterfly flies up to eighty miles a day? All of these animals -- and many more, from tigers to elephants to polar bears, orangutans to dolphins, penguins to sea turtles -- are disappearing, threatened by deforestation, poaching, fishing nets, global warming, and more.

This New York Times bestselling modern classic explores the perennial topic of environmentalism in an urban world. One boy's quest for a greener world... one garden at a time. While out exploring one day, a little boy named Liam discovers a struggling garden and decides to take care of it. As time passes, the garden spreads throughout the dark, gray city, transforming it into a lush, green world.

Edver isn't happy about being shipped off to Cuba to visit the father he barely knows. The island is a place that no one in Miami ever mentions without a sigh, but travel laws have suddenly changed, and now it's a lot easier for divided families to be reunited. Technology in Cuba hasn't caught up with the times, though, and Edver is expecting a long, boring summer.

Curly Hines must decide whether to fight to save the mountain he calls home. Having lost most of his family to coal mining accidents as a little boy, Curley Hines lives with his grandfather in the Appalachian Mountains of Wonder Gap, Kentucky. Ever since Curley can remember, Papaw has been giving him a word each week to learn and live. Papaw says words are Curley's way out of the holler, even though Curley has no intention of ever leaving. When a new coal boss takes over the local mining company, life as Curley knows it is turned upside down.

After her best friend dies in a drowning accident, Suzy is convinced that the true cause of the tragedy must have been a rare jellyfish sting--things don't just happen for no reason. Retreating into a silent world of imagination, she crafts a plan to prove her theory--even if it means traveling the globe, alone. Suzy's achingly heartfelt journey explores life, death, the astonishing wonder of the universe...and the potential for love and hope right next door.

When Serafina, a mermaid of the Mediterranean Sea, awakens on the morning of her betrothal, her biggest worry should be winning the love of handsome Prince Mahdi. And yet Sera finds herself haunted by strange dreams that foretell the return of an ancient evil. Her dark premonitions are confirmed when an assassin's arrow poisons Sera's mother. Now, Serafina must embark on a quest to find the assassin's master and prevent a war between the Mer nations.

Raccoon brothers Bingo and J'miah are the newest recruits of the Official Sugar Man Swamp Scouts. The opportunity to serve the Sugar Man--the massive creature who delights in delicious sugar cane and magnanimously rules over the swamp--is an honor, and also a big responsibility, since the rest of the swamp critters rely heavily on the intel of these hardworking Scouts.

Kara is not sorry she punched Jake in the nose--she simply couldn't stand to hear him say one more nasty thing about her missing mother, or her out-of-work father...or her. But it's more than a broken nose to Jake's family: It's fuel for the fire.

When Callum spots crazy Iona McNair on his family's sprawling property, she's catching a fish with her bare hands. She won't share the fish, but does share something else: a secret. She's discovered a rare endangered bird, an Osprey, and it's clear to both her and Callum that if anyone finds out about the bird, it, and its species, is likely doomed.

Mallory McDonald is going green! As an official member of the Fern Falls Elementary Environmental Committee, Mallory is super excited to make her school and home more environmentally friendly. She's even selected to be class representative for the all-school Green Fair. But the minute Mallory goes green, everything goes wrong. No one wants her "expert" opinion on how to help the environment. Her classmates don't want to participate in the Green Fair project she's created. And worst of all, by the time the fair rolls around, many of them aren't even speaking to Mallory. Can Mallory find a way to save the planet and her friendships?

Clandestine e-mail exchanges, secret trips, fake press releases, and a tree-house standoff are among the clever stunts and pranks the kid heroes pull in this exciting ecological adventure. "Sibley Carter is a moron and a world-class jerk," reads Julian Carter-Li in an angry e-mail message meant for his greedy, high-powered uncle. The fateful message sets him on the course to stop an environmental crime! His uncle's company plans to cut down some of the oldest California redwood trees, and it's up to Julian and a ragtag group of friends to figure out a way to stop them.

Eleven-year-old Kiri has a secret: wild things call to her. More than anyone else, she's always had a special connection to animals. But when Kiri has an encounter with the last known Florida panther, her life is quickly turned on end. Caught between her conservationist father, who wants to send the panther to a zoo, and the village poachers, who want to sell it to feed their families, Kiri must embark on a journey that will take her deep into the wilderness. There has to be some way to save the panther, and for her dad and the villagers to understand each other. If Kiri can't figure out what it is, she'll lose far more than the panthers--she'll lose the only home she's ever known, and the only family she has left.

Found as a baby, on a bed of moss under an old growth tree, Cedar's beginning was a mystery. As she began her sixth grade year, Cedar resembled her namesake with her wild mane of brown hair, her sinewy body, and deer-like eyes. She makes her first true friend, a new student, Phillip, with whom she shares her special woodland spot along with the gifts it brings. When Cedar falls suddenly ill, Phillip discovers that her health is connected to the fate of the forest where she was found. Their special woods are threatened by an impending development, so they create a plan to save it which includes a hospital, a getaway car, and a protest.

Once Sydney learns how garbage can get into the ocean and harm sea life, she won't rest until she and her twin brother, Simon, reduce waste at home and at school. Together the creative duo gets friends and family recycling, reusing, and even singing and playing instruments made from repurposed trash.

A Bird on Water Streetis a coming of age story about Jack, the son of a miner growing up in a small town that has been environmentally devastated by a century of copper-mining. When the miners strike, Jack is thrilled that green and growing things at last have a chance to return to the red hills. But when that same strike threatens to close the mine and force people to leave Coppertown for new homes and jobs, Jack finds himself struggling to hold on to everything he loves most.

Nine year old Josie Garcia is a feisty and optimistic girl from Brooklyn who becomes a crusader for preventing disastrous climate change and other environmental threats. In each book, Josie takes simple, ingenious actions that bring real changes to her neighborhood and the world.

Life is good for the four humans in Cleveland who know that mice have evolved into possibly the smartest species on earth. 11-year-old Megan and her cousin Joey have great summer jobs at the mouse-powered factory that makes Thumbtops - the tiny computers mice use to spread the word about climate change. But suddenly, the Big Cheese, leader of the Mouse Nation, needs their help. Will the humans save the Mouse Nation?

A small toad named Tad is in grave danger. Rumbler, a monstrous earth-eating machine, is poised to destroy his home, Toadville-by-Tumbledown. The green grass, the blue pond--everything Tad knows might disappear. It is foretold that one brave young toad can help--but at a terrible price. Only if a toad kisses a human girl will Toadville be saved. Tad is called to rise to the challenge, disgusting though it seems. In the company of his best friend Buuurk, he sets off into the unknown. Meanwhile, a girl named Taylor is determined to stop her grandmother's pond from being turned into a strip mall. Perhaps, somewhere along the way, she will cross paths with a small, brave toad. Little does she know that his quest is the same as hers.

"Brimir and Hulda are best friends who live on a small island on a beautiful blue planet where there are only children and no adults. Their planet is wild and at times dangerous, but everything is free, everyone is their friend, and each day is more exciting than the last. The next day a rocket ship piloted by a strange-looking adult named Gleesome Goodday crashes on the beach. His business card claims he is a Dream.ComeTrueMaker and joybringer, and he promises to make life a hundred times more fun with sun-activated flying powder and magic-coated skin so that no one ever has to bathe again.

Change is in the air. Power outages are increasing, and gas prices are soaring. At first, 12-year-old Luz balks, hardly thrilled by the prospect of actually having to walk to the mall. But Luz doesn't mope for long. After all, her name -- pronounced "loose" -- means "light." Soon, this intelligent and spirited chica begins to understand that she must change with the times. As food prices rise, Luz decides to help create a more self-sustainable community by transforming a run-down city lot into a garden where she and her neighbours can grow their own fruits and vegetables. But when she solicits help from her friends -- boy-crazy Anika and computer-whiz Robby -- they think she's a little loco. Luz pedals her idea on the street, but the community is equally dismissive. Can Luz pull off her plan and help change her world alone?

Bryn's world is out of kilter. Pollution is causing weird weather and diseases that her mom, a scientist, was working to fix. But Mom disappeared on a research expedition in Alaska, and now Dad has gone off to find her. At least Bryn gets some comfort from kenning with her bird--though that ability makes her weird as well. Things get seismic strange when Bryn discovers a huge egg in a box of her mother's stuff--and it's hatching. What emerges is a big baby lizard, and Bryn can sense its feelings, as she can with birds.

Trust the bestselling science series of all time to get down to the facts on global warming, so kids can understand the crisis - and how they can help solve it. Like it or not, global warming is a hot topic, and it will affect the younger generation the most. So why not turn to the teacher kids like the most, Ms. Frizzle! Only the Friz can boil all the hoopla down to the scientific facts in a fun and informative way.

Jason Chin's Redwoods tells the story of a boy who discovers a book about redwoods and finds himself in their midst as he turns the pages. An ordinary train ride becomes and extraordinary trip to the great ancient forests. A subway trip is transformed when a young boy happens upon a book about redwood forests. As he reads the information unfolds, and with each new bit of knowledge, he travels--all the way to California to climb into the Redwood canopy.

This up-close look at a fascinating scientific discovery highlights the critical role predators such as sea otters play in keeping ecosystems healthy. In Elkhorn Slough, an inlet on the California coast, seagrass grows healthy and strong in the shallow water. This healthy seagrass baffled marine biologist Brent Hughes. The scientist expected this estuary to be overrun with algae, causing the seagrass to die. Why was the seagrass thriving? As Brent investigated, signs pointed to an unexpected player helping to keep the seagrass healthy: sea otters! What do these top predators have to do with an aquatic grass at the opposite end of the food chain? Brent's amazing discovery gave scientists insight into the delicate balance of ecosystems.

In Coral Reefs, we learn all about these tiny, adorable sea animals! This absorbing look at ocean science covers the biology of coral reefs as well as their ecological importance. Nonfiction comics genius Maris Wicks brings to bear her signature combination of hardcore cuteness and in-depth science.

Inspiring young animal lovers to get up close to sea turtles and the real-life challenges they face is what Mission: Sea Turtle Rescue is all about. Kids can connect their love of animals with their passion to help save them, discovering amazing true adventure stories, gorgeous photography, hands-on activities, fascinating information, and more. This introduction to sea turtles provides in-depth information about their habitats, challenges, and successes, so that kids can take action to help save these amazing endangered creatures.

Plastic: it's used to make everything from drink bottles and bags to toys and toothbrushes. But what happens when it ends up where it doesn't belong--like in the Pacific Ocean? How does it affect ocean life? Is it dangerous? And exactly how much is out there? A team of researchers went on a scientific expedition to find out. They explored the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, where millions of pieces of plastic have collected. The plastic has drifted there from rivers, beaches, and ocean traffic all over the world. Most of it has broken down into tiny pieces the size of confetti. For nearly three weeks at sea, researchers gathered bits of plastic and ocean organisms. These samples helped them learn more about the effects of plastic in the ocean.

Turtles outlived the dinosaurs, but today they are one of the most threatened species of vertebrae on Earth. How can we help? A teacher and classroom favorite from Melissa Stewart's award-winning A Place for series, which spotlights vanishing species. Ideal for budding scientists, environmentalists, and nature lovers. A perfect resource. National Science Teachers Association In simple yet engaging language, acclaimed science writer Melissa Stewart showcases twelve types of North American turtles, from the familiar box turtle to the majestic loggerhead turtle. Her clear narrative shows the threats these turtles face, and informative sidebars describe a wide variety of efforts to save them.

Anyone can get involved in gathering data for ongoing, actual scientific studies such as the Audubon Bird Count and FrogWatch USA. Just get out into a field, urban park, or your own backyard. You can put your nose to a monarch pupa or listen for raucous frog calls. You can tally woodpeckers or sweep the grass for ladybugs. This book, full of engaging photos and useful tips, will show you how.

For a long time, the people of Hargigo, a village in the tiny African country of Eritrea, were living without enough food for themselves and their animals. Then along came a scientist, Dr Gordon Sato, who helped to change their lives for the better. And it all started by planting some special mangrove trees. This fascinating story of environmental innovation is a celebration of creativity, hard work and the ability of one man to make a positive difference in the lives of many.

We live in a time of heightened environmental awareness, and the stress of this pervasive alarmism is creating a generation of kids with feelings of eco-anxiety -- the world is doomed, isn't it? Maybe not.

Earth in the Hot Seat is a stunning, magazine-like presentation that celebrates the Earth and clearly explains the dangers and challenges of global warning. This beautiful volume is also a showcase for National Geographic Society's environmental mission programs.

In jaw-dropping photos, Doug Wechsler captures the life cycle of the American toad from egg to tadpole to adult. To get these images, Wechsler sat in a pond wearing waders, went out night after night in search of toads, and cut his own glass to make a home aquarium. The resulting photos reveal metamorphosis in extreme close-up as readers have never seen it before. Budding naturalists will be transfixed by this unprecedented peek into the secrets of tadpole transformation. Demystifying

Get up close and personal with a wonderful world of waste. From composting and recycling, to landfills and dumps, to how creative people are finding new ways to reuse rubbish. It's fun to talk trash when it's jam-packed with infographics, thematic spreads, wow-worthy photos, sidebars, serious stats, and fabulous facts. Also included are quizzes and activities to inspire kids to take action, be proactive, and rethink the things we throw away.

Until a few hundred years ago, people were embarrassed to buy bread in a store. Families took pride in making almost everything they owned. These days, many people take pride in buying as much as possible! New clothes, a speedier bicycle, the latest phone. If we've got money, someone can sell us a product that will supposedly make our lives better. But each year, humanity uses resources equivalent to nearly one and a half Earths, and we're still not meeting everyone's needs.

The inspiring true story of how one African woman began a movement to recycle the plastic bags that were polluting her community. Plastic bags are cheap and easy to use. But what happens when a bag breaks or is no longer needed? In Njau, Gambia, people simply dropped the bags and went on their way. One plastic bag became two. Then ten. Then a hundred. The bags accumulated in ugly heaps alongside roads. Water pooled in them, bringing mosquitoes and disease. Some bags were burned, leaving behind a terrible smell. Some were buried, but they strangled gardens. They killed livestock that tried to eat them. Something had to change. Isatou Ceesay was that change. She found a way to recycle the bags and transform her community. This inspirational true story shows how one person's actions really can make a difference in our world.

Jane Goodall, one of the most recognized scientists in the Western world, became internationally famous because of her ability to observe and connect with another species. A girl of humble beginnings and training, she made scientific breakthroughs thought impossible by more experienced field observers when she was only in her twenties. Then these animals shaped Jane's life. She began tirelessly fighting to protect the environment so that chimpanzees and other animals will continue have a place and a future on our planet. Jane Goodall continues to leave the modern world with an extraordinary legacy and has changed the scientific community forever.

Honeybees are a crucial part of our food chain. As they gather nectar from flowers to make sweet honey, these bees also play an important role in pollination, helping some plants produce fruit. But large numbers of honeybees are disappearing every year . . . and no one knows why. Is a fungus killing them? Could a poor diet be the cause? What about changes to bees' natural habitat? In this real-life science mystery, scientists and beekeepers are working to answer these questions . . . and save the world's honeybees before it's too late.

This gorgeously illustrated guide will inspire kids to look closely at the world around them! Created by the experts at the renowned Brooklyn Botanic Garden, it teaches children how to observe environments as a naturalist does and leads them on 24 adventures that reveal the complex ecosystems of plants and animals in the woods, at the beach, and in a city park. Detailed, scientifically based drawings help young scientists identify hundreds of North American plants and animals, while dozens of fun projects include keeping a journal, conducting field experiments, and exploring nature with all five senses.

If you've never seen a lowland tapir, you're not alone. Most of the people who live near tapir habitat in Brazil's vast Pantanal ("the Everglades on steroids") haven't seen the elusive snorkel-snouted mammal, either. In this arresting nonfiction picture book, Sibert winners Sy Montgomery and Nic Bishop join a tapir-finding expedition led by the Brazilian field scientist Pati Medici. Aspiring scientists will love the immediate, often humorous "you are there" descriptions of fieldwork, and gadget lovers will revel in the high-tech science at play, from microchips to the camera traps that capture the "soap opera" of tapir life.

Since the time of the dinosaurs, frogs have added their birrups and bellows to the music of the earth. Frogs are astonishing in their variety and crucial to ecosystems.

Did you know that almost a third of the world?s 1,300 species of bats are in serious trouble? A teacher and classroom favorite from Melissa Stewart's award-winning A Place for? series, which spotlights vanishing species and how we can help. Perfect for budding scientists, environmentalists, and nature lovers.

"Ted and Betsy Lewin's illustrated account of their trip to an island off the coast of Iceland, where they chronicle the annual activities of The Puffling Patrol, local children who rescue and care for lost young puffins and facilitate their first flight out to sea."

What is your human footprint? Well, it's 13,056 pints of milk, 28,433 showers, 12,888 oranges, 14,518 candy bars, and $52,972 worth of clothes, all in one lifetime. Makes you want to step more lightly on the planet! Perfectly timed for Earth Day, this book doesn't preach or judge, but simply shows kids--in an exciting, visual way--how humans interact with the environment and how we can lessen our impact. Astonishing photography captures the full picture of consumption, documenting all the diapers you wore as a baby, the bread you'll eat in a lifetime, and the cans you'll recycle, based on national averages. Tying in with a National Geographic Channel production, Human Footprint is colorful and fun--yet also manages to be a powerful tool for kids to visualize the dimensions of consumption.

This book gives 101 things you can do to make the world a better, brighter place.

The population of frogs in the United States has been declining for the past fifty years, even in our protected national parks. What dangers do frogs face? How can we help?

What is that garbage doing next to the garden? It's not garbage. It's compost! In this book, you can watch as one family makes compost for their garden and also learn how to start your very own compost bin!

Why are birds in danger, and how can we help? A perfect nonfiction book for budding birders and nature lovers from the award-winning A Place for? series by celebrated science writer Melissa Stewart. A teacher and classroom favorite!

A how-to companion packed with simple things kids can do to have an impact. From simple measures like turning off the water while you brush your teeth, to bigger challenges like MAKING SOME NOISE in the larger community, this simple guide helps lay a conceptual foundation for kids to become responsible energy consumers in the years to come.

With essays from renowned children's book authors such as Ann Brashares, Jeanne DuPrau, Caroline B. Cooney, Laurie Halse Anderson, Bruce Coville, Gennifer Choldenko, and over 100 others, each piece is an informative and inspiring call to kids of all ages to understand what's happening to the environment, and to take action in saving our world. Helpful tips and facts are interspersed throughout. This book will be a great classroom tool to teach young readers how they can help to make the Earth a greener place.

A captivating and beautifully photographed Scientists in the Field title about a man trying to discover the effects pesticides have on frogs and, in turn, on us. When Tyrone Hayes was growing up in South Carolina, he didn't worry about pesticides. .He just liked to collect frogs. Tyrone's interest in science led him to Harvard University, and though he struggled at first, he found his calling in the research lab of an amphibian scientist. Meanwhile, scientists discovered that all around the globe, frogs were dying. The decline has many causes, including habitat loss and disease. Tyrone discovered that the most commonly used pesticide in the United States, atrazine, may also play a role. Tyrone tested atrazine on frogs in his lab at Berkeley. He found that the chemical caused some of the male frogs to develop into bizarre half-male, half-female frogs. What was going on? That's what Tyrone wants to find out.

Churchill, Manitoba is the polar bear capitol of the world. Every winter, tourists flock to the tiny town to watch the bears hunt and frolic on the frozen waters of the Hudson Bay. This year, though, the tourists are in for a big surprise, Winston! A smart, fierce, brave bear, Winston of Churchill has noticed that their icy home is slowly melting away. He explains to the other bears why the ice is melting then, using the stirring words of his famous namesake, rallies the bears to convince humans to save their Arctic home. However, on the way to the protest march, Winston learns an unexpected lesson and realizes that he, too, must change his ways.

Uno builds a home and garden in the magnificent forest among the playful puddlebuts and feathered frinklepods, but as the place becomes more and more popular, it is overtaken by tourists and buildings until the forest and animals seem to disappear altogether.

In Near One Cattail: Turtles, Logs and Leaping Frogs, vibrant illustrations and rhyming text offer readers a chance to learn about the wetlands and many of the creatures that make their habitat there. Children will gain an appreciation for the world around us through this fun and interesting topic. Anthony Frdericks visits the wetlands inhabited by leaping frogs and zip-zipping dragonflies. Teachers will appreciate the accurate science and great illustrations. Kids will appreciate the humor and cadence of the text, while learning how the wetland creatures interact in their "community."

A look into a unique ecosystem, one that is endangered in many places A seed is jostled from a branch of a mangrove tree and floats to a lagoon in the Caribbean Sea. It takes root, sprouts leaves, and slowly begins to grow. Over many years, the mangrove will provide a home and nourishment for numerous creatures of land and sea. Among its roots come to live fiddler crabs and shrimp; in its branches dwell lizards and hummingbirds. Soon the tree is dropping seeds of its own, and other mangroves are growing, creating a tangle whose benefits extend even to large mammals like dolphins and manatees.

The perfect book for everyone who loves nature! On Meadowview Street celebrates the environment, ecosystems--and individual empowerment. Caroline moves to a new suburban house. The yard, like all the surrounding yards, is plain, boring grass. But then she discovers a wildflower. Soon she's got her own little wildflower preserve, carefully protected from Dad's lawn mower. She adds a tree . . . a pond . . . birdhouses . . .she's brought a meadow to Meadowview Street! Time brings more little meadows, as the neighbors see how beautiful and alive a yard can be. An ideal choice for classroom reading and sharing and for inspiring the creation of green corridors--safe havens for migrating birds and butterflies--at home.

Riley and family fly north to Churchill, Canada, to watch polar bears hunt seals from the ice of the Hudson Bay. There's just one problem: no ice! For polar bears, no ice means no seals, and without food, the bears can quickly become hungry, weak, and dangerous! It's a race against time as everyone searches for clues to this puzzling climate mystery.

An uplifting story about two best friends, Isaac and James, and their discovery of the cause and effect relationship between our cities' storm drains and the world's oceans, lakes and rivers. It is sure to inspire both young and adult readers alike and teach a timeless life lesson--If we all do our part, a cleaner, safer environment is indeed within our reach.

One-half of Hollywood's famously funny Farrelly Brothers (Dumb and Dumber) offers a timely, kid-friendly ecological message in this underwater adventure where Abigale and her friends try to clean the pollution in the ocean where they live. Full color.

Everyone brought a gift for baby Lucfa. Facile sat high up in his mango tree and watched. It was the only tree on the whole dusty mountaintop. Papa had planted it for him when he was born. "A strong tree protects its timoun," Papa said. Young Facile wants to plant a tree in honor of his new baby sister, but he faces many obstacles. The first seed he plants is eaten by a goat, the second seed is washed away in a storm, and another seed is burnt by a scrub fire. Will Facile ever be able to plant a tree that will grow strong for baby Lucía?

Lyrical text and striking illustrations weave together the air, rain forest, mangrove, beach, tide pool, reef, atoll, and ocean to show how these habitats are all interconnected. An in-depth look at these environments and the animals that live in them is offered along with notes about dangers that threaten their survival.

If every known species on Earth were a leaf on a tree, that tree would have 1,750,000 leaves. Since humans count for just one leaf on the tree, we have a lot to learn about the millions of other forms of life with which we share the world. A dazzlingly illustrated and child-friendly introduction to biodiversity, Tree of Life shows how living things are classified into five kingdoms --- and how each has much to tell us about all aspects of life on our planet.

Far to the north along the Pacific coast of Canada lies an area where abundant rainfall nourishes everything from bright green grasses and colorful wildflowers to ancient, towering cedar, spruce, and sitka trees. This rainforest is the perfect habitat for salmon and a wide variety of birds, insects, and animals, most notably a unique type of black bear called the spirit bear, which is sometimes clothed in creamy white fur and has become legendary among the First Nation people who live in the region. Noted naturalist Dorothy Hinshaw Patent describes the elusive spirit bear and its home, which is in danger of being destroyed by loggers and settlers as they clear-cut the ancient forests for lumber.

The Down-to-Earth Guide to Global Warming is a comprehensive resource filled with facts about global warming and its disastrous consequences, and loads of photos and illustrations, as well as suggestions for how kids can help combat global warming in their homes, schools, and communities. Engagingly designed, irreverant and entertaining, The Down-to-Earth Guide to Global Warming will educate and empower, leaving readers with the knowledge they need to understand this problem and a sense of hope to inspire them to action.

Butterfly lovers, unite! Butterfly species are disappearing in the U.S., and award-winning nonfiction science writer Melissa Stewart shares why and how we can help. A teacher and classroom favorite from the celebrated A Place for... series! Once abundant monarch butterflies are disappearing in the U.S....but that's only part of the story. Many other butterfly species are also in trouble, and human action is often the cause of their plight. What can we do to help protect this important insect? In clear and compelling language, Melissa Stewart showcases twelve North American butterflies--from the familiar eastern tiger swallowtail to the rare Palos Verdes blue butterfly--and the ecosystems that support their survival. The simple narrative states the dangers that each of these butterfly populations face, and informative sidebars describe the efforts of people to save them.

Journey to frog heaven. If you're walking in the woods, you can tell that winter is changing into spring by the riot of sound that fills the air. The quacking, piping, and creaking that you hear are the sounds of frogs singing their love songs. Follow those sounds and they may lead you to a vernal pool. A vernal pool is a special pond that's just right for frogs, salamanders, and other animals. The ecology of the pool is special, too. That's what makes it frog heaven. With fascinating facts and stunning photographs, Doug Wechsler takes young readers to a vernal pool in a forest to show how wood frogs, tree frogs, salamanders, and other creatures survive and thrive in this Society of School Librarians International Honor Book.

It looks like a bear, but isn't one. It climbs trees as easily as a monkey-- but isn't a monkey, either. It has a belly pocket like a kangaroo, but what's a kangaroo doing up a tree? Meet the amazing Matschie's tree kangaroo, who makes its home in the ancient trees of Papua New Guinea's cloud forest. And meet the amazing scientists who track these elusive animals.