How We Know What We Know About Our Changing Climate: Scientists and Kids Explore Global Warming (About Our Changing Climate) (Hardcover)

by Lynne Cherry (Author), Gary Braasch (Author)
Key Phrases: climate footprint, Arctic Ocean, Journey North, North America (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal
Starred Review. Grade 4–8—Cherry and Braasch introduce readers to scientists around the world whose research contributes to an understanding of the causes and consequences of global warming. They also describe the work of citizen scientists, including children, whose observations contribute to knowledge about important changes that are occurring. Studies range from documenting bloom dates of trees and flowers to extracting mud cores from the ocean floor. Small color photographs show the fieldwork and experiments of scientists and students. Even though many findings indicate a grim outlook for plant and animal life, including humans, if the current trends continue, the authors consistently note ways in which students can have a positive impact by making personal choices and influencing public policy. A concluding spread identifies the more than 40 scientists mentioned in the text. The book's wide-ranging exploration of scientific studies and the encouragement to people of every age to become citizen scientists and active participants for change make this a valuable purchase.—Kathy Piehl, Minnesota State University, Mankato
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist
Veteran science writer Cherry and award-winning photographer Braasch team up to make climate change less frightening by showing children how to empower themselves as “citizen scientists.” Cherry begins with a no-nonsense chapter about hypotheses and theories, facts versus belief. She goes on to explain how observation can help bring about climate-change strategies; the information about children involved with Project Budburst is particulary interesting. Along the way, there are examples of how nature is changing—from migrations to melting icecaps to rising coastlines—and how these changes have been observed. The second section, “Fitting the Clues Together,” considers what scientists do with their information and notes successes that have been achieved (for example, species saved and reduction of carbon footprints) and ways kids can help reduce energy. The can-do emphasis helps to make the topic less depressing, and the intriguing color photographs are thoughtful and upbeat. Many scientists were called upon during the writing of this book, and it shows. Grades 4-7. --Ilene Cooper

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9-12
  
• Hardcover: 66 pages
• Publisher: Dawn Pubns; Library Binding edition (March 3, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1584691034
• ISBN-13: 978-1584691037
• Product Dimensions: 11.2 x 9.2 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #42,140 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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  #4 in	Books > Children's Books > Science, Nature & How It Works > Nature > Environment > Nonfiction
  #6 in	Books > Teens > Science & Technology > Ecology

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Kids can make a difference, May 1, 2008

By	Reader Views "www.readerviews.com" (Austin, Texas) - See all my reviews

Reviewed by Maya Landers (age 10) for Reader Views (4/08)

"How We Know What We Know About Our Changing Climate," by Lynne Cherry and Gary Braasch, was both interesting and informative. I didn't know anything about Global Warming, or how scientists know about it, but this book explained it to me. It also told me ways that I could participate in helping scientists get more data, which I thought was fascinating. I didn't know that there was anything that I could do to help. One of the ways that the book said that children could help was to record and chart when the first birds began to appear and when the first buds began to blossom.

The pictures were clear and sharp, and they featured extraordinary and beautiful views, as well of pictures of the some children who helped the scientists to collect their data. The type was large and easy-to-read. The book laid its facts out in a simple, easy-to-understand way that young children could understand, and there were definitions for most of the words, making everything even clearer still. While it could be for any age group, I thought that it was best suited for six-to-twelve-year-olds, although children and adults of any age would be able to understand and enjoy it.

The combination of pictures and information helped balance the book so that it was not too much like a textbook. Throughout the book, the authors show pictures and write articles about children who helped scientists collect data. In addition, readers learned facts about Global Warming and how scientists know about it. I thought that this was a very good balance between scientists and non-scientists, something that I do not find in many science books.

There are also photographs in the book that compare "now and then" -- for instance, what the Athabasca Glacier looked like in 1917 compared to what it looked like in 2005. The difference was astounding! I wasn't aware of the changes that Global Warming has provoked, and this book explained it to me. However, it wasn't a discouraging book. It told the facts, and then told you what you could do to help, not dwelling unnecessarily on gloomy or dispiriting things.

I would recommend "How We Know What We Know About Our Changing Climate" to my friends because I thought that it did a good job separating fact from fiction, and also because it showed real-life situations where children were able to help scientists.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Resource for Children and Teachers, March 21, 2008

By	Patricia Muller - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

In a unique partnership, photojournalist Gary Braasch, and children's author Lynne Cherry have teamed up to fill a gap in the myriad of books coming out about global warming. This book focuses on students as a vital part of the research teams assisting scientists in documenting the changes in our environment. The book is a pleasure to read with all its beautiful pictures and clearly explained concepts.
The first section of the book is about where clues about climate change are found. Students are featured gathering data about migrating birds and butterflies, the changing of the seasons, water quality and flow, tree growth, plant diversity and range, and frog populations. Clues are explained such as tree rings, levels of carbon dioxide, changes in penguin and polar bear habitats, melting glaciers, rising ocean levels, and information gathered from mud and ice samples.
In the second section, the focus is on the interconnectivity of all life. Hypotheses are presented with graphs and other visuals to explain some of the effects we are already seeing and those thought to be on the way. Throughout the book, kids are introduced to the scientists doing the research.
The third section is about what kids and scientists can do together to both gather data and mitigate the effects of global warming. Projects are featured along with their teachers and students. Concrete suggestions are presented on how to reduce your carbon "footprint" or impact on the environment. The power of one voice is shown with political action and environmental advocacy. The book is one of hope about such a serious topic.
The resource section contains internet sites and books for further reading for the topics presented. A teacher's guide is available for order.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Lavishly illustrated with full-color photographs throughout, April 4, 2008

By	Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

How We Know What We Know About Our Changing Climate: Scientists and Kids Explore Global Warming is a nonfiction science book for young people about a hot-button modern issue. Written with the assistance of top scientists in the field, How We Know What We Know About Our Changing Climate goes into depth on climate science. Though How We Know What We Know About Our Changing Climate is lavishly illustrated with full-color photographs throughout, its meticulous attention to detail and mere quantity of text is well beyond that of an ordinary picturebook, making it best suited for young adults teenagers, and even curious adults. "Ornithologists were finding that birds were arriving earlier and changing their range - the places animals or plants can be found year after year... But why, they wondered, were these changes happening?" Of particular interest is the final "What You - and a Million Kids - Can Do" section, which lists positive ways kids can help the environment and reduce their carbon footprint, such as recycling, using compact fluorescents instead of light bulbs, minimizing use of appliances and unplugging those not needed, eating less meat, buying less, and getting involved in the community. Highly recommended especially for public and school library collections.