One Earth by
★ "The activists' stories are extraordinary...It's a powerful answer to Rao's framing questions: 'Who is an environmental defender? What does she or he look like? Maybe like you. Maybe like me.'"--Publishers Weekly, starred review ★ "Thought-provoking reading for young people figuring out their own contributions. This valuable compilation shows that Earth's salvation lies in the diversity of its people."--Kirkus Reviews, starred review One Earthprofiles Black, Indigenous and People of Color who live and work as environmental defenders. Through their individual stories, the book shows that the intersection of environment and ethnicity is an asset to achieving environmental goals. The twenty short biographies introduce readers to diverse activists from all around the world, who are of many ages and ethnicities. From saving ancient trees on the West Coast of Canada, to protecting the Irrawaddy dolphins of India, to uncovering racial inequalities in the food system in the United States, these environmental heroes are celebrated by author and biologist Anuradha Rao, who outlines how they went from being kids who cared about the environment to community leaders in their field. One Earthis full of environmental role models waiting to be found.
Every Day Is Malala Day by
This is a letter of sisterhood to Malala Yousafzai, written from the perspective of girls around the world who share her belief that every girl has the right to go to school, and who represent the many barriers a girl can face when trying to get an education. After being shot by the Taliban for the simple act of going to school in her native Pakistan, Malala has become an international girls' rights crusader and the youngest person ever to win the Nobel Peace Prize. Girls the world over recognize her as a leader, a champion, and a friend. Illustrated with beautiful photographs from non-profit Plan International.
Every Human Has Rights by
The 30 rights set down in 1948 by the United Nations are incredibly powerful. According to the U.N., every human–just by virtue of being human–is entitled to freedom, a fair government, a decent standard of living, work, play, and education, freedom to come and go as we please and to associate with anyone we please, and the right to express ourselves freely. Every Human Has Rights offers kids an accessibly written list of these rights, commentary–much of it deeply emotional–by other kids, and richly evocative photography illustrating each right. At the end of this deceptively simple book, kids will know–and feel–that regardless of individual differences and circumstances, each person is valuable and worthy of respect.
Every Last Drop by
In the developed world, if you want a drink of water you just turn on a tap or open a bottle. But for millions of families worldwide, finding clean water is a daily challenge, and kids are often the ones responsible for carrying water to their homes. Every Last Droplooks at why the world's water resources are at risk and how communities around the world are finding innovative ways to quench their thirst and water their crops. Maybe you're not ready to drink fog, as they do in Chile, or use water made from treated sewage, but you can get a low-flush toilet, plant a tree, protect a wetland or just take shorter showers. Every last drop counts!
A Fair Deal by
Fair trade is not about spending more money or buying more stuff. It's about helping producers in developing countries get a fair price for their goods. In A Fair Deal: Shopping for Social Justice, Kari Jones provides a history of trade, explaining what makes trade systems unfair and what we can do about it. By examining ways in which our global trade systems value some people over others, the book illustrates areas in which fair trade practices can help families all around the world and suggests ways to get involved in making the world a more equitable place.
Fair Trade and How It Works by
Fair trade ensures that farmers and workers in the developing world get a fair price for their labor and products. It also promotes environmental sustainability, creates long-term trade relationships, and offers workers safe working conditions and opportunities for advancement. Readers will learn about the principles that guide fair trade, its concrete effects, and examples of fair trade practices and results drawn from real life. The future of fair trade is explored as well. Readers will learn about social responsibility, the global economy works, and the wide-ranging impact of international trade relationships.
For Every Child by
In 1989 the United Nations formally adopted fifty-four principles that make up the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. For this breathtaking picture book the fourteen declarations that are most relevant to children's everyday lives have been retold by Caroline Castle in a simple, evocative text, each one interpreted in a stunning double-page illustration by a different artist from around the world. These well-known contributors include two Americans, both major award-winners: Jerry Pinkney and Rachel Isadora.UNICEF has declared that the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child stands alone as the single most comprehensive instrument of human rights law. However, not nearly enough people know of this important document's existence, and the new Millennium has presented the opportunity to draw attention to these rights.
Healing Our World by
When children are caught in civil wars, when earthquakes destroy homes and villages, when AIDS and other diseases shatter families and communities - the volunteers of Doctors Without Borders are there. Their mission is simple - to bring life-saving care to the world's neediest people and to speak out when the rights of the people in their care are abused or violated. Médecins Sans Frontières, known in English as Doctors Without Borders and by its volunteers as MSF, is the world's largest independent medical humanitarian relief organization. Every year, more than 3,000 MSF volunteers and 12,000 local men and women bring medical aid to people in more than 70 countries. In Healing Our World, David Morley presents his own story and the stories of other MSFers who have volunteered in some of the most dangerous and forgotten corners of the world - the Congo, El Salvador, Chechnya, Bangladesh, Mozambique, Afghanistan, southern Africa. These are stories about healing and helping people, about making the world a better place - stories filled with sorrow and hope, anger and idealism, determination and passion. Healing Our World includes information about MSF's history, how it selects its volunteers and decides where to send them. Includes photographs from the field.
I Have the Right to Be a Child by
Selected for the IRA Notable Books for a Global Society List, selected for the Children's Literary Assembly 2013 Notable Children's Books and the USBBY Outstanding International Book List With a very simple text accompanied by rich, vibrant illustrations a young narrator describes what it means to be a child with rights -- from the right to food, water and shelter, to the right to go to school, to be free from violence, to breathe clean air, and more. The book emphasizes that these rights belong to every child on the planet, whether they are "black or white, small or big, rich or poor, born here or somewhere else." It also makes evident that knowing and talking about these rights are the first steps toward making sure that they are respected. A brief afterword explains that the rights outlined in the book come from the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which was adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1989. The treaty sets out the basic human rights that belong to children all over the world, recognizing that children need special protection since they are more vulnerable than adults. It has been ratified by 193 states, with the exception of Somalia, the United States and the new country of South Sudan. Once a state has ratified the document, they are legally bound to comply with it and to report on their efforts to do so. As a result, some progress has been made, not only in awareness of children's rights, but also in their implementation. But there are still many countries, wealthy and poor, where children's basic needs are not being met. To read a summary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, go to www.unicef.org/crc/files/Rights_overview.pdf.
The Kids Book of Canadian Immigration by
Canada is a diverse land with a rich immigration history. Our roots begin with the Aboriginal peoples who have lived here since time immemorial and extend to the wide array of newcomers who have arrived over hundreds of years from almost every part of the globe. People from more than 200 cultures now call Canada home -- and each one has a fascinating story to tell. Many of their stories, past and present, and their amazing contributions to this country are told in these pages. Featuring stories of ethnic groups, mini-profiles, maps, archival documents and first-person accounts, this richly illustrated title in the Kids Book of series is a celebration of multicultural Canada and a comprehensive look at our fascinating immigration history.
Off to Class by
When North American kids picture a school, odds are they see rows of desks, stacks of textbooks, and linoleum hallways. They probably don't picture caves, boats, or train platforms -- but there are schools in caves, and on boats and on train platforms. There are green schools, mobile schools, and even treehouse schools. There's a whole world of unusual schools out there! But the most amazing thing about these schools isn't their location or what they look like. It's that they provide a place for students who face some of the toughest environmental and cultural challenges, and live some of the most unique lifestyles, to learn. Education is not readily available for kids everywhere, and many communities are strapped for the resources that would make it easier for kids to go to school. In short, it's not always easy getting kids off to class -- but people around the world are finding creative ways to do it. In Off to Class, readers will travel to India, Burkina Faso, and Brazil; to Russia, China, Uganda, and a dozen other countries, to visit some of these incredible schools, and, through personal interviews conducted by author Susan Hughes, meet the students who attend them too. And their stories aren't just inspiring; they'll also get you to think about school and the world in a whole new way.
The Red Bicycle by
In this unique nonfiction picture book, the main character is a bicycle that starts its life like so many bicycles in North America, being owned and ridden by a young boy. The boy, Leo, treasures his bicycle so much he gives it a name --- Big Red. But eventually Leo outgrows Big Red, and this is where the bicycle's story takes a turn from the everyday, because Leo decides to donate it to an organization that ships bicycles to Africa. Big Red is sent to Burkina Faso, in West Africa, where it finds a home with Alisetta, who uses it to gain quicker access to her family's sorghum field and to the market. Then, over time, it finds its way to a young woman named Haridata, who has a new purpose for the bicycle --- renamed Le Grand Rouge --- delivering medications and bringing sick people to the hospital. This book makes an excellent choice for cultural studies classes; author Jude Isabella has provided several terrific suggestions in the back of the book for projects large and small, while a map shows the distance the bicycle traveled across the Atlantic Ocean. Award-winning illustrator Simone Shin's digitally composed artwork includes evocative depictions of Alisetta's and Haridata's communities in rural Africa, creating vivid comparisons between Leo's life and their lives. Youngsters will learn how different the world is for those who rely on bicycles as a mode of transportation, and how one ordinary bicycle --- and a child's desire to make a difference --- can change lives across the world. This book also offers an excellent opportunity for expanding character education lessons on caring, compassion and empathy to include the wider world.
Severn and the Day She Silenced the World by 
Why We Live Where We Live by
Why do you live where you do? The answer is a lot more complicated than it might seem. Why that house? Why this community? Why do cities sprout where they do? And what makes living there even possible? Geography, topography, climate, landscape, food security, politics, economics, and more all play a role in how we choose the place we call home. This book takes readers on a tour of the various ways humans adapt to our environments -- or change them to suit our needs. It considers the big picture -- we live on Earth because it has a breathable atmosphere -- right down to the little things, like friendly neighbors, that simply make us happy. Why We Live Where We Livelooks back in history at the transition from nomadic hunting to farming and the rise of cities following the Industrial Revolution. It also looks ahead to anticipate future concerns: how will climate change and rising water affect people who live near the ocean? Can humans survive in space? This comprehensive, cross-curricular resource will equip readers with a solid background on human habitation and context about their place on the planet.
Environmentalists from our First Nations by
Like the other books in the First Nations Series for Young Readers, this books offers ten short and engaging biographies of First Nations/Native activists who advocate not only for the environment but for Native rights.
Unikkaatiqatigiit by
Compiled from writing, poetry, and illustrations created by young Nunavummiut, this anthology explores diverse aspects of the theme of weather from Inuit mythology to traditional knowledge, climate change, and daily survival. These creative works, created as part of an Arctic Weather Centre contest in the mid-1990s, are gathered here for the first time, and are accompanied by helpful information about each community represented. Through full-colour illustrations and engaging poetry and stories written both in Inuktitut and English, learn more about the vital force of Arctic weather as seen through the eyes of children.