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BOOKLISTS

What Planet are You from Clarice Bean?
Lauren Child

Orchard Books

ISBN 1841211044

This book is highly entertaining and there is far more in it than environmental issues but it deals with these well giving a strong message to children about the importance both of knowledge and understanding about the planet and the implications for the environment about the choices we make in our everyday lives. Clarice proves that everyone can stand up for what they believe in and that everyone can make a difference to the world, starting in their own local environment.

What Planet are You from Clarice Bean?
Whadayamean
John Burningham

Red Fox

ISBN 0099266687

This John Burningham story makes a strong and explicit plea for the environment and gives this an overtly religious message. The god in this story is god the creator, and leaders of all religions are pictured. No one religion claims the moral high ground, rather the religious aspect represents a respect for the wonders of creation and our world. There are harsh messages within the book about the spoiling of the seas, air, forests and ice-caps and the destruction of other creatures’ environments. The responsibility is clearly placed with humans – the cleverest of the creatures and the guardians of the world. Although the adults are rude to the children at first, it is because it is the wish of god that they change their ways. The world becomes a wonderful almost heavenly place but the final page roots it back into reality as the mother reminds them of their duty to school. This book introduces children to big ideas of responsibility and the importance of their own responses and would be a stimulating starting point for discussion.

Whadayamean
Belonging
Jeannie Baker

Walker Books Ltd

ISBN 0744592275

In Jeannie Baker’s picturebook the medium is part of the message. Detailed double spread collages made from natural materials depict an urban neighbourhood that is gradually turned into a green paradise by the inhabitants. Starting from the action of one person this book celebrates the message that individuals can make a difference. Children might make their own environmentally friendly collages conveying green messages or, more radically, might consider what they can do to improve their own environment. It is recommended that this book be used in conjunction with Window.

Belonging
Dinosaurs and All That Rubbish
Michael Foreman

Puffin Books

ISBN 014055260X

This book cleverly uses the tension between what the reader knows and what the main character knows to reinforce its environmental message. In this way, children reading it will realise the significance of the story for themselves and may take ownership of it. This books challenges human certainty in our superiority to other animals. The dinosaurs, creatures way down the evolutionary scale, exhibit all the intelligence and also engage children with important ideas and questions. The story starts with a man’s desire for something other than what he has. Children can consider the effects of ‘progress’ on the planet and weigh up the importance of what we really need against the damage it causes the environment.

Dinosaurs and All That Rubbish
One World
Michael Foreman

Andersen Press Ltd

ISBN 184270334X

The prologue and epilogue to the main story provide a global perspective on the familiar happenings of the main part of the story. This story is about the impact humans have on the environment: the small blob of oil and rusty tin can which pollute the pool are representative of the rubbish and pollution which spoils the world. The children in this story solve the problem because they recognise both the beauty of the rock pool world and the fragility of its environment. They see it as a part of the whole world. This book would be a useful starting point both for children to consider the ways in which their small actions affect the environment and are mirrored by adults on a grander scale.

One World
This is the Tree: A Story of the Baobab
Miriam Moss

Frances Lincoln Publishers Ltd

ISBN 0711214913

This book is useful for children’s understanding of the dependence of life forms on each other and the importance of the balance of the environment. Children are often unaware of the importance of a tree and the life it supports. As well as introducing this idea, it may encourage children to begin to investigate the importance of trees within their own environment, to the world as whole, and other symbiotic relationships within nature.

This is the Tree: A Story of the Baobab
Peter's Place
Sally Grindley

Andersen Press Ltd

ISBN 1842700375

This thoughtful and gentle story introduces the children to the ecological disaster caused by an oil slick. The beautiful illustrations by Michael Foreman of the wild and unspoilt coastline will help children to appreciate the value of this environment as will their empathy with the boy’s relationship with the wildlife. It carries a clear message that it is not enough for the boy to be sad about what has happened, he has to take part in the clear up and restore the environmental balance for the creatures that depend on it.

Peter's Place
Bringing the Rain to Kapiti Plain
Verna Aardema

Macmillan Children's Books

ISBN 0333351649

This rhythmic poem which lends itself to performance also encourages children to think about the effect of water on the environment. While in Britain we are complaining about the effect of water restrictions on our gardens, it is good for children to consider the far more significant effects of water shortages in other parts of the world. This is an important issue for children to grapple with and while this traditional tale offers no realistic solution, it may prompt children to consider their own responses to the global issue.

Bringing the Rain to Kapiti Plain
Sally and the Limpet
Simon James

Walker Books Ltd

ISBN 0744582881

This is a delightful book in which humour is used to give small children the important environmental message about not removing creatures and plants from their natural habitat. The humour is present in both the text and the pictures and tension between the familiarity of the setting and the bizarre and comic nature of Sally’s problem helps children to understand the message.

Sally and the Limpet

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