Customer Reviews

The New 50 Simple Things Kids Can Do to Save the Earth

5 star:		(36)
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3 star:		(1)
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The EarthWorks Group has been expanding very successfully upon its idea of equipping ordinary folks with ideas to help out our planet. For spring, there's a brand-new edition of "The NEW 50 Simple Things Kinds Can Do to Save the Earth."

I was intrigued by a note from John Javna, founder of the EarthWorks Group, that he involved his daughter Sophie in this new edition. Javna points out that Sophie wasn't even born when the first edition of his "Simple Things Kids Can Do" was published.

So, this is a family-written book that's a great resource for real families. For spring and summer, I actually suggest that you think of buying this book along with the new The 10 Best of Everything Families: An Ultimate Guide for Travelers (National Geographic the Ten Best of Everything) that includes a lot of nature-friendly travel ideas. The travel guide will lure you out on the road at some point this year. The EarthWorks book is all about projects you can tackle together around your home and neighborhood.

Both of these books are Web-friendly and the publishers understand that all of us want to "read more online" these days. Hundreds of Web sites are sprinkled through both books. Think of this 208-page "Kids Can Do" book as a guide to re-exploring the natural world starting in your own backyard -- with a little help from your home computer.

I'm eager, once the frost warnings pass in Michigan, to try building a "Toad House" as described in the book -- with more ideas provided from Web sites. I also want to try the cool rubber-band-and-wire "Smog Detector" shown in the book.

The only word of warning I'll offer to parents is this: It's a dangerously cool book! Leave a copy of this book lying around where your kids can find it -- and you're likely to start learning from them in a big hurry. There are lots of places in this book where cool online resources will draw their eyes and ears -- and they'll be urging you to change the way you use batteries, or light your house, or wrap your sandwiches for lunch.

This is one of those books that everyone with children needs - or every teacher needs. The line drawings are great, some of the material is written directly to young people, and some was written by a young person, Sophie Javna (age 15).

The book is broken into units on recycling, water, animals, energy, and personal and social action. Also there are easy and inexpensive experiments in the back of the book as well as quizzes for follow up learning.

Finally, there are multiple references to the Internet for more information, as well as a website connected to the book for further activities and information.

The book itself can be easily read by upper elementary age children and up, and the activities can easily be completed by even younger children with supervision.

This book could provide a great set of summer activities, or for anytime during the year. It can be used by teachers - and not just science teachers - for multiple activities and resources for education about our world.

I highly recommend this book!

This is a fairly decent book, particularly if someone is looking for a way to get their child interested in learning more about ways to be "green". I truly believe, as do the authors, that children can be leaders - especially since this planet will be their responsibility soon.

While some of the book seemed to be more in the vein of common knowledge from an adult perspective, from a children's viewpoint it may not be so. It held my 8-year-old son's interest and had him not only asking "when can we do this" about various topics, but had him looking up more information on his own. Anything to help teach my children about being stewards for our planet can only be to the good.

The items are simple - perfect for the short attention spans of many children (and adults!). It certainly is worth having on your bookshelf, as everyone can learn something!

Our New Secretary of Labor continues her earlier excellent efforts in encouraging Green Jobs.

This great book teaches us how to teach green kids.

How to save the earth.

A lesson we all can use.

Kid-co-authored in this revised edition, it is a must read for kids, who in their candid vulnerability best feel the need to preserve what precious little we have left.

Great for teachers, parents and grandparents as well, for pastors and ministers of every kind.

Fifty concrete things even Kids can do to save the earth.

Where's the downside?

Let us adults get going as well already, after a lifetime of waste and plenty!

Great place to start considering the issues, and to act.

This book is a serious call to action written in a way we can put to work.

Even Kids.

Perhaps the great work by our once President-elect, An Inconvenient Truth: The Planetary Emergency of Global Warming and What We Can Do About It, may remain beyond the smallest kid, but the reality is upon us now.

Begin now.
Save the earth.
Get this book.
Get several copies.
Leave them wherever kids can find them.
Save this Earth.
She is all we have.

See also the Change the World for Ten Bucks: small actions x lots of people = big change series.

Get the children aware of water, energy, trees, earth, animals, etc. The book consists of 50 simple chapters. Each chapter explains an environment issue, the facts, what children can do, what they can get their friends to do, and points you to websites where they can learn more about the issue. My 7 year old daughter was amazed to learn where aluminum comes from, why glass is better than other recyclables. This book is a treasure!

I am one of those people that definitely feel we can help Mother Earth and share with all of creation the wonders of our world, although at times it is difficult to know where to start, or what to do. Inside the pages of this wonderful, people friendly book, you will find exciting and fun projects to do alone, or with others, that will definitely make a difference in our world. It is packed full of information, explanations, and solutions that we all need to know.

The book begins by explaining what is happening to our earth concerning many topics such as: Water Pollution, Air Pollution, Climate Change and Disappearing Animals. This is an eye-opening section. The author talks abut our energy, our resources, our lakes, oceans and streams and how each of us can make wise choices that will make such a difference for us and our earth in preserving and protecting these resources.

I shared this book with my family and my grandchildren and we particularly liked the section: In Your Own Backyard. Here you will discover how to make a habitat for animals or birds that are right in your neighborhood. We are busy now with a project for Humming Birds and Butterflies. We found tons of information inside the book to help us on our way, and websites that we can go on for even more information.

This is definitely an interaction book that will draw the reader and all those they might share it with into the swing of helping our earth. It doesn't just tell us how bad things are but gives page after page of tips on how you and I can make a difference. There are interesting facts, tons of websites to go on and explore some more on the topic of interest to you, and get even more tips on the project you are starting. Included are some experiment to show you about polluting water, or smog, among others. Very good. And even several quizzes that are fun to take and give to others. I have to say I didn't do very well with my answers, but I am now learning.

All in all I cannot recommend this book highly enough for all of us to read, and put into play what we learn from it . As you go from page to page you realize that we all can make a difference and big one in just small ways, if we will just take the time to learn and do some simple adjustments in our lives.

One great book. Very, very highly recommended. A must have for everyone who loves the earth we live on and wants it to be around for generations to come.

Children are already so sensitive to the needs of our planet and willing to be helpful (most kids anyway). They just need a little guidance and a challenge to do so. I like this book because it is full of different things that can add up to a lot of change. It lists items that can be recycled along with the whys and hows that this is possible or not. There are a lot of interesting facts within the pages of this book. I find it to be well written and inspiring without to much hype as I have found in some "save the planet" books. Children over the age of 10 or with advanced reading skills will be able to read the book on their own. Younger children will need a little guidance. I am going to implement some of the ideas into my children's daily and weekly chores and let them be proud of the work that they are doing. We already recycle paper, plastic and aluminum and now we are going to consider product packaging and life cycles as well. We are also going to think twice before grabbing a paper towel and use a kitchen towel more. I have been inspired by the book to work on our backyard landscaping to have a neatly integrated clothes line to dry towels on. There are lots of things that we don't think about in our modern busy lives that have a real impact on the environment and how a little change can make a big difference. I would encourage everyone to read this book.

Such a wonderful book! What I found to be the best quality of this book is how it is laid out. Each chapter starts with a question then lays out the facts and then posits solutions through action. The actions are practical and are backed up by many helpful websites. This book is grounded in the real world that takes into account a child's social, scholastic, and cyber environments. The 50 problem solving chapters are large in breadth of scope and interest. The book follows with "Eco-experiments" and finally with quizzes (answers are included). I'm tempted to heap all sorts of positive verbiage in this review but to do the book justice in the way it is presented all I can say is that it is a whizz-bang book filled with positive energy and encouragement which all kids need.

This is a well organized, interesting, appealing book directed at youngsters from about age 9-15. Parents, grandparents, scout leaders, teachers, and even baby-sitters will also love it. Topics covered include recycling, water and air pollution, wildlife preservation, climate change, keeping the earth green, and energy conservation.

But forget the topics, it's the layout that is so terrific. Each section begins with a quick multiple choice question called "Take a guess" It sets the tone for short presentations on the topic: Did you know? What You Can Do, Amaze Your Friends (what kid can resist that?) and See for Yourself. What You can Do includes projects for both home and school, things to do alone, or with a group. It's full of games, quizzes, experiments, and puzzlers. It is easy to read, doesn't talk down to kids, and interesting enough for all of us grandmas. Also, it as an incredibly well researched list of web pages for more information.

I've looked at a lot of books on green topics as part of my work at the library. I'm impressed with The New 50 Simple Things Kids Can Do to Save the Earth by the EarthWorks Group. The chapters are about background on the topic, recycling, water, protecting animals, protecting nature, saving energy, actions to take, experiments, and quizzes. The book is loaded with web resources. The URL may not stay current, but there is also a website for the book. The writing and black and white illustrations are clear. It makes ample use of bullet points and short paragraphs. The title of the book really says it all; there is a lot of practical advice for all ages.