From School Library Journal
Kindergarten-Grade 2—Sandy and her dog, Pepper, are having a perfect day at the beach until they stumble upon a pile of garbage on the sand.As the girl and her grandfather clean up the mess together, they spot a "monster of garbage," which turns out to be the Garbage Lady, a woman who walks the beach and picks up trash to recycle. She discusses with Sandy the impact that everyday choices have on our environmental footprint, just like the footprints we leave in the sand at the beach. Back home, the girl talks to her mom about helping the Earth by using "brown bags to wrap things for mailing" and "old egg cartons for storing treasures." Sandy mentions that her family already recycles a lot, but she, her mom, and her grandfather still sit down together to make a list of other "footprint-shrinking ideas." The final page features 12 "Ways to Shrink Our Footprints" with ideas like buying things that are made close to home, taking shorter showers, and writing on both sides of a piece of paper. Fittingly, the illustrations feature art that's made from recycled and natural materials. Though this title makes a strong case for kids as crusaders in caring for the Earth, the plot is tedious and it may lose some readers before the point is made.—
Lindsay Persohn, Crystal Lake Elementary, Lakeland, FL Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Review
"By exploring the impact of a pile of garbage on a pristine seashore, this picture book engages readers in thinking about all the choices they make every day and their impact on the environment...Nature is very much alive in this picture book! The contrasting colours and textures represented in the various collages add dimension and interest as well as visual appeal to the story Highly Recommended." (
CM Magazine 20100226)
"[A] visually striking book...Steele-Card's layered constructions, made from recycled and natural materials, are eye-catching." (
Publishers Weekly 20100228)
"A wonderful eco-book that teaches kids and adults a variety of ways in which we all can shrink our footprint on the earth Brilliantly colorful multimedia (recycled materials) collage illustrations underline the message." (
Midwest Book Review 20100401)
"This title makes a strong case for kids as crusaders in caring for the Earth." (
School Library Journal 20100601)
"This book is simple, clear and not preachy. The illustrations give life to the story, and provide some clues of developing knowledge beyond the literal. For example, the pictures of the earth clearly illustrate what can happen to the earth if we don't take care of it, and what will happen if we do." (
Non-Toxic Kids blog 20100621)
"As charming and well-executed the writing is, the illustrations by Adrianna Steele-Card make the book a joy to read." (
Counterpoise 20100101)
"At the end of the story, there's a list of 12 things children can do. We discussed each one and why doing them would help take better care of our earth. Later in the week, I overheard my son tell his sister not to let the water run while she brushed her teeth...All this to say my children have become more aware of how their actions affect our earth." (
Library of Clean Reads blog 20100708)
"This delightful picture book depicts the exuberance and enthusiasm of a child first realizing her power to help preserve the environment." (
Canadian Children's Book News 20100701)
"A great resource for teachers and parents to introduce tactile ways of implementing environmental responsibility...The illustrations are very original and fitting, made from collages of natural and recycled materials, including birch bark, leaves, and other elements of nature. Bright and full of depth, they are also visually appealing." (
Resource Links 20100401)