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Earth Hour

2020

by Nanette Heffernan and Bao Luu

"Click flashlights, light lanterns, and get ready to turn electric lights out to celebrate Earth Hour! Wherever you come from, you can help our planet. Kids around the world use electric energy to do all kinds of things—adults do, too! From cleaning the clothes we play in, to lighting up our dinner tables, to keeping us warm and toasty when the weather is cold, electricity is a huge part of our lives. Unfortunately, it can also have a big impact on our planet. Earth Hour—a worldwide movement in support of energy conservation and sustainability—takes place each March and is sponsored by the World Wildlife Fund for Nature (WWF). During Earth Hour, individuals, communities, and businesses in more than 7,000 cities turn off nonessential electric lights for one hour. Across each continent—from the Eiffel Tower to the Great Wall of China to the Statue of Liberty—one small act reminds all of us of our enormous impact on planet Earth." -- publisher

Incidental

It’s Just a Plant

2020

by Ricardo Cortés

"It's Just a Plant is a children's book that follows the journey of a young girl as she learns about the marijuana plant from a cast of characters including her parents, a local farmer, a doctor, and a police officer. Marijuana can be hard to talk about. Many parents have tried it, millions use it, and most feel awkward about disclosing such histories (often ducking the question), for fear that telling kids the truth might encourage them to experiment too. Meanwhile, the "drug facts" children learn in school can be more frightening than educational, blaming pot for everything from teenage pregnancy to terrorism. A child's first awareness of drugs should come from a better source. It's Just a Plant is a story for parents who want to discuss the complexities of pot with their kids in a thoughtful, fact-oriented manner. The book also features an afterword by Marsha Rosenbaum, PhD, founder of the Safety First Project for drug education and director emerita of the San Francisco office of the Drug Policy Alliance, the nation's leading organization working to end the war on drugs." -- publisher

Cross Group Informational

Nova the Star Eater

2019

by Lindsay Leslie and John Taesoo Kim

"A stellar tale of explosive proportions with sun-filled facts and giggle-inducing fun Nova has a big appetite for stars, so when she decides to gobble up Earth’s Sun, panic erupts around the globe. Earth needs its Sun to survive! How will it get it back from Nova? One bright little girl just might have a solution. Sparkling with humor and interstellar adventure, this story showcases creative problem-solving and a subtle reminder to not eat someone else’s food—or stars—without asking first. Expressive illustrations add excitement and silliness to Earth’s predicament, while a mix of the fantastical and factual provides a fun way to learn just how important our Sun is. A laugh-out-loud space adventure full of gas…and heart." -- publisher

Any Child Informational

The International Day of the Girl

by Rona Ambrose, Jessica Dee Humphreys and Simone Shin

"This introduction to the International Day of the Girl and its worldwide significance encourages children to recognize their own potential to make change, providing both a perfect lesson in social justice and a celebration of girl power. The United Nations designated October 11th as the International Day of the Girl, a day to increase awareness of problems that affect girls --- and only girls --- around the world and to encourage progress toward gender equality. Nine stories inspired by the real-life experiences of girls from all over the globe bring to light the importance of this day. Each story is set in a different country and sensitively describes an inequity faced by a character and how she addressed it. The challenges include gender-based violence, illiteracy, lack of access to technology, sanitation, nutritional disparity and child marriage. Each story features a positive description of the main character --- strong, smart, creative, inventive, brave, talented, caring, funny, ambitious --- and each concludes with a realistic yet hopeful outcome, presenting the girls as more than victims of their circumstances. Their powerful, and empowering, experiences will stir the activist in every child. Jessica Dee Humphreys's well-researched and illuminating stories are both readable and age appropriate. Award-winning Simone Shin's simple, warm illustrations bring the characters and their circumstances to life. Sidebars expand on the issues covered in each story. This book is a perfect choice for social justice discussions, as well as for social studies lessons on global communities, and for character education conversations on citizenship. It includes a foreword by the Honorable Rona Ambrose, who led Canada's call for the day to be formally adopted by the United Nations. Also included are an annotated time line of the day's creation and additional statistical information. A portion of the proceeds will go to Plan International Canada." -- publisher

Informational Oppression & Resilience Race/Culture Concepts

Teatime Around the World

2020

by Denyse Waissbluth and Chelsea O'Byrne

"A celebration of diversity and deliciousness, Teatime Around the World reveals all the wonderful ways we can enjoy a cup of tea––or two! Let’s go on an adventure to discover new cultures and friends through tea! In this fun and lyrical picture book for ages 4-8, kids will learn how tea is enjoyed in Thailand, Japan, Russia, Egypt, Pakistan, Hong Kong, Uruguay, South Sudan, India, and more countries! Did you know that po cha, the traditional tea in Tibet, is thick and salty like soup? Or that in Iran, tea is served with a rock? (A rock candy, that is!) Or that afternoon tea was dreamed up in England by a duchess who complained of being hungry between lunch and dinner? With vivid poetry, vibrant illustrations, and unique facts about different tea cultures, Teatime Around the World tells the delightful story of a beloved beverage." -- publisher

Beautiful Life Informational

Whole World

2012

by Fred Penner and Christopher Corr

"Sing around the world, from mountains to valleys, in towns and cities, with all the fish, birds, trees and flowers of the Earth! Adapted from the popular spirituals song, and with helpful endnotes, this is a wonderfully uplifting and richly informative singalong book. Featured on Oprah Magazine's O List, 2008." -- publisher

Folklore Incidental

The Greatest Explorer in the World

2020

by Jillian Lin and Shi Meng

"DID YOU KNOW that China used to have the biggest fleet of ships in the world? The leader of the fleet was Admiral Zheng He, who undertook seven voyages to more than thirty countries to trade Chinese treasure like teas, silks, and porcelains. He reached as far as the Middle East and Africa, and possibly even farther. In this book, read about Zheng He’s adventurous life, from when he was a little boy dreaming about faraway lands, to the time he sailed across the seas and became ‘The Greatest Explorer In The World’." -- publisher

Biography

This Love

2019

by Isabel Otter and Harriet Lynas

Describes how love is a language that is understood and shared by people all around the world. A series of gentle rhymes sensitively explores what love feels like to children

Incidental

African

2020

by Peter Tosh and Rachel Moss

African is a children's book featuring lyrics by Peter Tosh and illustrations by Jamaican artist Rachel Moss. The song "African" by Peter Tosh was originally released in 1977 on his second solo record, Equal Rights. He wrote the song during a time of civil unrest in Jamaica as a reminder to all black people that they were part of the same community. The album is considered one of the most influential reggae works of all time

Beautiful Life Race/Culture Concepts

Five Little Mermaids

2019

by Sunny Scribens, Barbara Vagnozzi Beer and Barbara Vagnozzi

Five young mermaids start out together on an adventure but, one by one, find a reason to stay in a different sea in this illustrated, rhyming, count-down book. Includes information about mermaids, oceans, and sea creatures

Folklore