Earth Day (Robin Hill School)
As Earth Day approaches, the first-graders in Mrs. Connor’s class think up big ideas for solving Earth’s enormous environmental problems. Emma feels overwhelmed until her father reassures her that it’s fine to start small. All week they help the planet in practical ways, such as buying food at the farmer’s market, sorting cans and bottles for recycling, and brushing teeth without leaving the water running. From the Robin Hill School Ready-to-Read series, the book has no more than one sentence on each page, making it very accessible to preschoolers as well as beginning readers. Washed with colors, the scruffy, cartoon-style ink drawings are appealing, though the father’s skin tone shifts from pink on the cover to cocoa-brown on the interior pages. The idea of starting small and acting locally makes an excellent theme for young children discouraged by the scope of global challenges. A useful addition to Earth Day units. Preschool-Grade 1. --Carolyn Phelan