It is no surprise that children want to protect the world that surrounds them, and these concerns extend to ecology. Although many inconvenient truths are necessarily complex, author Walsh offers up 10 easy "eco-tips" that are likely to inspire excitement, investigation, and self-esteem in young listeners and readers. Simple declarative sentences such as "I try to turn off the tap when I brush my teeth" are footnoted with explanations like "Every time you do this, you save eighteen glasses of water." These suggestions adroitly hit kids where they live home, school, and in the playground d are the kinds of behaviors that they can easily bug their parents to adopt. The colorful cut-and-paste illustrations are at their best when promoting creativity, as with the patchwork cardboard robot accompanying the suggestion for "making toys from things around the house." The book uses distinct die-cut pages to make each turn of the page the revelation of a small surprise. And (of course) it's constructed from 100 percent recycled material.

This go-green manual gets kids in the spirit with a hands-on approach. They lift half-page flaps while being reminded to turn off the tap, feed the birds, use both sides of the paper, etc., each action nontaxing yet salutary, engaging kids rather than lecturing to them. The cheering tone is echoed in the simple and well-focused pictures and the in-on-the-story design.

PreS-Gr 1 A thoroughly successful presentation on how even small changes in lifestyle can make a big difference. On each spread, a large and colorful acrylic painting is accompanied by a sturdy die-cut flap and eco-friendly tips. Each suggestion opens with "I," followed by a verb, such as "remember," "try," and "always." The sentence is completed under the flap, along with a reason why the tip is conservation friendly. The recommendations are those that children can easily relate to, such as turning off the water while brushing your teeth (which can save 18 glasses of water), using both sides of the paper, recycling, etc. Visually appealing and effective in its presentation, this title will serve as an introduction to environmental studies. Its appealing visuals and large size make it perfect for group sharing. Slightly older students or report writers might find Gail Gibbons's Recycle! A Handbook for Kids (Little, Brown, 1992) or Paul Showers's Where Does the Garbage Go? (HarperTrophy, 1994) useful. Michele Shaw, Quail Run Elementary School, San Ramon, CA