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Books/DVDs/Videos, Continued

Age Level

Title

Author

Book Summary

Copyright/
Publisher/ISBN

Format

Youth--Ages
4 and up

Home

Baker, Jeannie

This wordless book begins with a mother and father holding their newborn in an urban environment with only a trace of the natural world. As the baby grows, so too does the greening of the neighborhood, turning a drab city street into a living, thriving home.

2004:Greenwillow Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers
0-06-623935-4

Illustrated picture book

Youth--Ages
4 and up

Window

Baker, Jeannie

This wordless book begins with a mother holding her newborn son as she looks out the window at a pond and lush vegetation. The following illustrations show the changes in the landscape during the next 20 years.

1991:Greenwillow Books, a division of William Morrow & Co., NY, NY
0-688-08917-8

Illustrated
picture book

Ages
6-12

Tree of Life

Bash, Barbara

This book describes the lifecycle of one of Africa's trees--the baobab, which has branches that look like gnarled roots. These trees, often measuring 60 feet tall and 40 feet across, have a lifespan of over 1000 years. In the book, the baobab tree dies--but one of its seeds sprouts, so life continues. One of nature's great lessons is recreated in this wonderfully illustrated book.

2002: Sierra Club Books, San Francisco, CA
1-578-05086-3

Illustrated
picture book

Youth--Ages 4 and up

The Quiltmaker's Journey

Brumbeau, Jeff and Gail Marcken

This is a story about the value of generosity. A young girls leaves her home and village, and finds many less-fortunate people in the world. The young girl discovers a gift she can share with these people, which enriches their lives and her own.

2004: Scholastic Inc.
NY, NY 0-439-51219-0

Illustrated picture book

Youth--Ages 4-8
Butterfly House
Bunting, Eve
After saving a caterpillar, a young girl and her grandfather build a butterfly house. The child decides to bring outdoor beauty into the box by painting a colorful “garden” on the insides of the box, and a blue sky on the inner lid. The caterpillar undergoes the metamorphosis and is set free by the tearful girl. In her older years, the “girl” (who narrates the story) enjoys the many butterflies in her own garden. A touching story.
1999: Scholastic Press
0-59084-884-4
Illustrated picture book
Youth--Ages 4-8
Secret Place
Bunting, Eve
The young narrator discovers wildness among a city's concrete. He shares his find with a few grateful adults and, at the same time, introduces readers to wildlife he's discovered. As his enthusiasm for wildness grows, he wants to tell others but is cautioned to “be careful,” as some may want to take it and change it.
1996: Clarion Books
0-39564-367-8
40 pgs., Illustrated picture book

Youth--Ages 4-8

Hey, Get Off Our Train

Burningham, John

This is a story about the perils facing animals around the world...from pollution to habitat destruction.

1994: Dragonfly Books
NY, NY 0-517-88204-3

Illustrated picture book

Adult

Sharing Nature's Interest: Ecological Footprints as an Indicator of Sustainability

Chambers, Nicky and Craig Simmons and Mathis Wackernagel

This book communicates ways to calculate the impact individuals have on the earth. It identifies areas to focus on and ways to work toward sustainable development.

2000: Earthscan Publications Ltd., Sterling, VA
1-85383-739-3

185 pgs., Nonfiction

Ages
4-8

The Great Kapok Tree

Cherry, Lynne

This wonderfully illustrated and highly recommended book depicts the lushness of the Amazon rainforest, and why it needs to be protected.

1990: Gulliver Green

Illustrated
picture book

Ages 4-8

Miss Rumphius

Cooney, Barbara

As a child Great-aunt Alice Rumphius resolved that when she grew up she would go to faraway places, live by the sea in her old age, and do something to make the world more beautiful--and she does all those things, the last being the most difficult of all.

1982: Viking
0-670-47958-6

Illustrated picture book

Youth--Ages 5-9
Wake Up, World!
Hollyer, Beatrice
This book provides information about the day in the live of children around the world.
1993: Puffin 0-8050-6293-9
Illustrated picture book
Adult
Living Green: A Practical Guide to Simple Sustainability
Horn, Greg
Former CEO of General Nutrition Centers (GNC), Horn explains effects on the environment from food, products, energy choices and other issues. In each chapter, he provides recommendations on living healthier.
2006: Freedom Press
1-89391-047-4
171 pgs.
Nonfiction

Ages 12-18, adult

Natural Connections

Howard, Sharon and Michael Rosen

Articulate scientists and beautiful photography underscore this video that addresses the importance of biodiversity. Though focused on issues in the NW United States, the video is excellent and includes clips about advertising and consumption.Click here for a video summary.

2000: Howard Rosen Productions
1-56029-840-5

46 min., Video

Adult
The Better World Handbook
Jones, Ellis; Ross Haenfler; Brett Johnson; Brian Klocke
The book begins with a summary of problems and foundations necessary for building a better world. The authors (four university professors) then address topics such as food, money, transportation, work, and media, focusing on activities that support a better world.
2001: New Society Publishers
0-86571-442-8
300 pgs., Nonfiction
Adult
The Better World Shopping Guide: Every Dollar Makes a Difference
Jones, Ellis
This social and environmental focused pocket-sized guide ranks products from A to F-turning your grocery list into a most powerful tool to change the world. Jones currently teaches sociology at UC-Davis.
2006: New Society Publishers
0-86571-576-9
200 pgs., Nonfiction
Adult
The Better World Handbook: Small Changes that Make a Big Difference
Jones, Ellis
Designed to reach people who normally would not consider themselves activists, this book is intended to help citizens create a more just, sustainable, and socially responsible world. (See above.)
2007: New Society Publishers
0-86571-575-0
301 pgs., Nonfiction
Youth--Ages 8-12
Children Just Like Me
Kindersley, Barnabas and Anabel
The book describes the lives of children around the world, and includes photos of their families, their homes and schools, foods they eat, and other aspects of their lifestyles.
1995: Dorling Kindersley Publishing 0-7894-0201-7
Illustrated picture book
Adult
Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder
Louv, Richard
Louv says today's kids are increasingly disconnected from the natural world, even though research shows that exposure of youngsters to nature can be an effective therapy for attention-deficit disorder and other problems. Book is highly rated by environmental educators; good review from Scientific American as well.

2005: Algonquin Books
1-56512-391-3

336 pgs., Nonfiction

All ages

Hungry Planet
What the World Eats

Menzel, Peter and Faith D'Aluisio

This book, featuring 30 families from 24 countries around the world, presents a photographic study of the foods they eat in one week.

2005: Material World Books and Ten Speed Press

288 pgs., Nonfiction

Ages 10 and up

Touching Spirit Bear

Mikaelsen, Ben

A cruel delinquent faces the challenges of living on a remote Alaskan island, a Native American option to jail. The boy, Cole, learns a lot during his efforts to survive…and the story should hold a 7 th grade boy's interest, as it's a bit gory.

2001: HarperTrophy, a division of HarperCollins , NY , NY
0-380-80560-X

240 pgs.
Fiction

Ages
5-10

Taking Care of Our Earth

100% Educational Videos

Students learn about taking care of the environment through animated characters, including an aluminum can that was thrown in the garbage instead of recycled. The video also explains natural resources.

1999: 100% Educational Videos
1-58541-083-7

17 min., Video/DVD

Ages 9
and up

 

One Good Apple

Paladino, Catherine

This book makes a case for sustainable agriculture. It describes dangers of using pesticides and fertilizers on foods and on all living things, and alternatives.

1999: Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston
0-395-85009-6

48 pgs.,
Nonfiction

Youth--Ages 4-8
Earthways: Simple Environmental Activities for Young Children
Petrash, Carol
Earthways contains developmentally-appropriate, imaginative activities in science, nature and art. The activities are designed to empower young children to feel a joyous kinship with nature.
1992: Gryphon House
087659156X
206 pgs., Nonfiction

Ages 12 and up

World Population
Population Connection
This video/DVD provides a dramatic look at the history of population growth across the globe.
2000: Population Connection
7 min., Video/DVD

Adult

Branded: The Buying and Selling of Teenagers

Quart, Alissa

The author gives examples of ways that branding of products occurs, and provides information about marketing to younger audiences.

2003: Perseus Publishing

256 pgs.
Nonfiction

Youth--Ages 4-8
The Lorax
Seuss, Dr.
The Lorax shares a powerful message about the environment in this classic. Brilliant and whimsical rhymes and delightful creatures tell the story that " UNLESS someone like you...cares a whole awful lot...nothing is going to get better...It's not. "
1971: Random House Books for Young Readers
0-39482-337-0
72 pgs., Illustrated picture book
Youth--Ages 5-12
Song of the Water Boatman and other Pond Poems
Sidman, Joyce
Sidman shares 11 poems about pond life and its diversity. Each poem is accompanied by a paragraph that provides information about a part of pond life, A combination of poetry and science.
2005: Houghton Mifflin Co.
0-618-13547-2
Illustrated picture book
Youth--Ages 8-12
If the World Were a Village
Smith, David
If 6 billion people on the planet were a village of 100, what would it look like? The book explains whom lives in the village, where they live, how fast the village is rowing, what languages are spoken, what religions are practiced and more.
2002: Kids Can Press, Tonawanda , NY
1-55074-779-7
Illustrated Picture Book
Youth--Ages 4-12
A Life Like Mine
UNICEF
This book beautifully profiles 18 children from around the world and addresses survival, development, protection and participation.
2005: DK Children
0-75661-803-7
128 pgs.
Nonfiction

High school, adult

One Good Road Is Enough
Waller, Robert James
Essays on a variety of topics, including environmental concerns, harried lifestyles, and ethics.
1990: Iowa State University Press
0-81381-880-X
210 pgs., Nonfiction

 
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Thanks to the Iowa Waste Reduction Center at the University of Northern Iowa and especially to their director, John Konefes, and to their webmaster, Jason Ebensberger, for assistance with this website. This website was prepared with the support of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources Contract Number 04-G550-24. However, any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of IDNR. Funding support was also provided by the Resource Enhancement and Protection Conservation Education Program (REAP CEP): Invest in Iowa , our outdoors, our heritage, our people.  REAP is supported by the state of Iowa, providing funding to public and private partners for natural and cultural resource projects, including water quality, wildlife habitat, soil conservation, parks, trails, historic preservation and more.