Opening with the famous 1972 "blue marble" photograph of the earth and a rather persuasive quote reminding readers that earth is the only home we have, this title focuses on the effects of climate change and the government initiatives in place to protect our planet. The meat of the book, covered in five chapters, discusses concerns of the air, water, soil, forests, and the world's animal population. Dell includes the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, and Endangered Species Act as well as examples of individuals who've taken up the cause and made a difference. This will spur on young activists and give other youths a few tools to effect change without major disruptions to their daily routine. Dell suggests things most kids have heard already (Take shorter showers! Recycle that water bottle! Buy organic fruits and veggies!); however, she succeeds in explaining why it's important to do these things, painting the otherwise not-so-bright future of our planet with Al Gore approved brushstrokes.

This series presents lively, current introductions to environmental topics, while taking an unabashedly pro-green stance and stating environmental problems as the responsibility of each person to help solve. Each title uses a conversational style to convey information to students alongside photographs, charts, and sidebars for further information. The titles include further reading and suggested Web sites at http://www.facthound.com. The informational text is enlivened by stories and quotations. Alternative Energy introduces five forms of non-fossil-fuel energy, presenting the scientific concepts at work as well as the pros and cons of each type of energy in a clear, repetitive format. The book concludes with ways students can save energy as another ôalternative energyö source. Describing each concept as it is presented, this series entry makes a good introductory resource to the topic. Protecting the Planet is subtitled ôEnvironmental Activism,ö but it functions as a status update to the quality of the worldÆs air, water, soil, forests, and animals. Once it outlines the problems facing each of these environmental areas, the book discusses ways students can make positive improvements. As with Alternative Energy, this book works better as an introduction than as a comprehensive resource; however, it directly addresses readers and will draw them into the concepts so that they will wish to seek out further resources for reports and papers. For institutions wishing to bolster their environmental sections, this series will provoke discussion and a solid foundation for research.ùCaitlin Augusta.