Gr 5–8—Framing much of her narrative through leading or open-ended questions, Chambers surveys ways in which human industry, agriculture, and technology are changing the composition of our planet's atmosphere, strewing land and sea with waste products and, at least potentially, upsetting natural balances. Each volume breaks down the topic into separately considered parts, followed by a summary chapter and, along with standard back matter, a pleasantly challenging quiz. Frequent sidebars throughout offering closer examinations of particular issues, eyewitness or expert commentary, profiles of scientists, and "Hero or Villain?" counterpoints join well-chosen photos and other illustrations.
VERDICT Readers studying climate change, pollution, natural catastrophes and related subjects will find these studies low on definitive answers, but rich in points to ponder.
The debates in these titles center on the benefits and/or problems
associated with attempts to circumvent or remedy environmental
depredation. The slim volumes don't get deeply detailed; Chambers's
dispassionate, generally even-handed approach is realistic about
the lack of clear answers to these dilemmas. Relevant photos,
graphs, sidebars, and "eyewitness" accounts supplement the
narratives. Each book includes a quiz. Reading list, websites.
Glos., ind. Review covers these Earth Debates titles: Are Humans
Damaging the Atmosphere? and How Effective is
Recycling?.
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