Your Planet Needs You

Gr 2-4–The call to “reduce, reuse and recycle” is presented with humor and imaginative comparisons to drive home the impact of waste on our planet. Written in accessible language, complex concepts are explained through examples young children can connect to their world. From production to consumption, readers get a full explanation of the life cycle of household items and their effects on the climate once discarded. Paper-cut illustrations of diverse children, with nearly identical faces, anthropomorphic animals, and inanimate objects reinforce Bunting’s message of interconnectedness with one another and the Earth. Time lines, flow charts, and maps, which present (among other things) the amount of time it takes the Earth to decompose commonly used items, aid in conveying a sense of urgency that will motivate young readers to do their part to protect the planet.