Kirkus Reviews

Working on a school project his teacher calls "the Big Green Machine," Arthur finds many ways to save energy at home but frightens his little sister D.W., who thinks he and their father and Arthur's friend Buster might really be turning green. In a welcome new Arthur adventure (according to his publisher, the first in nearly 10 years), friends and family join Brown's beloved aardvark in becoming environmentally conscious. They are looking for "ways to make our planet a better place to live." Preschooler D.W.'s misunderstanding will amuse young readers who know better. Her nightmare of the Big Green Machine monster is pleasantly scary, and Arthur's green hands contribute to the joke. Arthur's friends discuss reselling old clothes, recycling soda cans and not wasting their food. Arthur himself finds appliances to unplug, lamp bulbs to change, lights to turn off and ways to save water. He sets the table with cloth napkins. His project poster includes 10 useful, unsurprising suggestions. The message is clear but not overwhelming in this gently humorous story. Brown's familiar, brightly colored cartoon illustrations (printed in soy inks on recycled paper) feature schoolmates and family members sufficiently well identified that a new generation of Arthur readers could start with this timely title. (Picture book. 4-8)

Horn Book

D.W., misunderstanding Arthur's involvement with his class's conservation project, thinks a "Big Green Machine" is turning her brother the color green. She's nervous about school family night, but when all is revealed, D.W. gets the environmentalist bug. A few oft-suggested conservation tips are peppered throughout the bland story.

School Library Journal

K-Gr 2 Arthur the aardvark likes being green, and he's excited to show his family how they can follow suit. But when the day comes to reveal the Big Green Machine project he's been working on at school, his younger sister D.W. refuses to go near it. She has seen how it turned Arthur's and her dad's hands green, and she doesn't want to be next. This addition to the Arthur canon gives children plenty of options for making the planet a better place to live. His friend Buster's garbage-reduction solution is meant to be humorous, but the examples given for recycling and conserving energy are all activities children can carry out daily. Simple phrases ("he took the shortest shower ever") ensure that the tips will be remembered, and when illustrated, become tangible concepts. This is an issue-oriented story, but the pace is relaxed and thoughtful. Arthur leads by example and shows how making green choices can be uncomplicated, rewarding, and fun. Tanya Boudreau, Cold Lake Public Library, AB, Canada

Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

When his class embarks on a "Big Green Machine" project "to find ways to make our planet a better place to live," Arthur focuses on turning his household green by recycling, unplugging his mom's cellphone charger, and replacing conventional light bulbs with energy-saving bulbs. His younger sister, D.W., however, is worried about the "big machine," especially when Arthur comes home with green hands (from making a poster), and she dreams about a monster turning everyone green. Her misunderstanding (which is righted in the end) adds a welcome dollop of humor to the story as perennially favorite characters bring home the message about conservation. Ages 3-6. (Apr.)

ALA Booklist

In Brown's first Arthur picture book in nearly a decade, children's perennial favorite aardvark in glasses is back. "Why are you acting weirder than usual?" asks little sister D.W. as Arthur unplugs his mom's unused cell-phone charger and turns off unneeded lights for his class project on improving the environment. When he tells her that it's The Big Green Machine, she doesn't think anything of his cryptic response, until he comes home one day with green hands. When their dad and Arthur's friend Buster both sport green hands after helping paint the class projects, D.W. worries that she'll turn green, too, at the school family night. To her relief, she discovers Arthur's "Turn Your House Green" poster, with 10 easy and practical tips for using less energy and water. D.W.'s final trick on her older brother proves that Arthur hasn't lost his wit or his charm in this story accompanied by Brown's brightly colored double-page illustrations. Enduring fans won't be disappointed.