Make a Splash!: A Kid's Guide to Protecting Our Oceans, Lakes, Rivers, & Wetlands
Similar to Kaye and Cousteau’s Going Blue (2010) in its approach, this large-format paperback targets a younger audience. Clearly reproduced on glossy pages, eye-catching colorful photos and digital drawings illustrate many aspects of water on Earth, while the text provides information and tells stories of children in elementary schools around the world who have translated their own environmental concerns into action. The presentation jumps from topic to topic, and potentially unfamiliar terms such as estuary are discussed but not always fully explained, although an appended glossary will help. However, while more traditionally informative books often end with tepid lists of tips on water conservation, this one infuses every chapter with inspiration and gives dozens of examples in which kids are agents of change in their communities. Creating an energizing, upbeat tone, the writers don’t plead for help; they ask, “Which kind of action will you choose?” Grades 4-6, --Carolyn Phelan