No World Too Big - Perfect Picture Book Friday #PPBF
First off, the winner of Molly Ruttan's giveaway of Something Wild is:
Hannah LaGrone
Congratulations Hannah!
Now, back to this week's #PPBF choice. This poetry collection is an inspiring and poignant look at young climate change activists around the world.
No World Too Big: Young People Fighting Global Climate Change
Authors: Lindsay H. Metcalf, Jeanette Bradley, and Keila V. Dawson
Illustrator: Jeanette Bradley
Publisher: Charlesbridge (2023)
Ages: 5-9
Nonfiction/Poetry
Themes:
Young activists around the world, climate change, environmentalism, and poetry.
Synopsis:
Fans of No Voice Too Small will be inspired by young climate activists who made an impact around climate change in their communities, countries, and beyond.
Climate change impacts everyone, but the future belongs to young people. No World Too Big celebrates twelve young activists and three activist groups on front lines of the climate crisis who have planted trees in Uganda, protected water in Canada, reduced school-bus climate footprint in Indonesia, invented alternate power sources in Ohio, and more. Fourteen poems by Vanessa Brantley-Newton, David Bowles, Rajani LaRocca, Renée LaTulippe, Heidi E. Y. Stemple, and others honor activists from all over the world and the United States. Additional text goes into detail about each activist's life and how readers can get involved.
Opening Lines:
Young people are
watching, questioning, and demanding that
world leaders keep their promise. Meet a few
young activists who are working to secure the
future of the planet we share.
What I LOVED about this book:
I love how Jeanette Badley created the end papers to highlight both the diversity and world-wide scope of the young activists featured in this book.
Illustration © 2023 Jeanette Bradley.
In addition to writing their own poems, Lindsay H. Metcalf, Jeanette Bradley, and Keila V. Dawson (see these in Monday's interview) collected and compiled a great anthology of poems written by a diverse collection of poets which highlights and honors twelve amazing young activists fighting for the world's survival. Youth who are demanding that we all take notice and demonstrating how we can each act to save the planet, before it is too late.
Each activist is featured within one of twelve different poetry forms - acrostic, dansa, definition poem, Dokugin renga, dramatic monologue, found poem, free verse, golden shovel, Luc bát poem, projective verse, & a sea chanty - all helpfully defined in the back.
Collection © 2023 by Lindsay H. Metcalf, Keila V. Dawson, and Jeanette Bradley
Illustration © 2023 Jeanette Bradley.
I love that there is also a mini biography (since, except for Greta Thunberg, many of the activists are not widely known) which explains the motivation and environmental efforts each individual or group has undertaken. As well as a specific 'call to action' sidebar note related to each endeavor. Jeanette Bradley's soft earth-toned illustrations beautifully tie the activists with their projects and elements of their individual ecosystems.
Collection © 2023 by Lindsay H. Metcalf, Keila V. Dawson, and Jeanette Bradley
Illustration © 2023 Jeanette Bradley.
Back matter includes actions we can undertake individually and collectively and mini biographies of the poets and science consultant. This is a wonderful book for exploring some fun poetry forms. And a fantastic book for highlighting the protesting, acting, planting, and petitioning which these determined, outraged, and inspiring youth around the world are engaged in. Encouraging kids, classes, schools, and communities to join the fight; to hold all leaders and businesses accountable. While we still have a chance to make a difference.
Resources:
- try some climate experiments.
- what can you do at home, at school, or in your community? Try some of the activities in the black banners.
- check out NASA's climate activities and the book's activity kit.
- pair this with The Magic School Bus and the Climate Challenge by Joanna Cole, illustrated by Bruce Degen, Wangari's Trees of Peace: A True Story from Africa by Jeanette Winter, Greta and the Giants: inspired by Greta Thunberg's stand to save the world by Zoë Tucker, illustrated by Zoe Persico.
If you missed the interview with Lindsay H. Metcalf, Keila V. Dawson, and Jeanette Bradley on Monday, find it (here).
This post is part of a series by authors and KidLit bloggers called Perfect Picture Book Fridays. For more picture book suggestions and resources see Susanna Leonard Hill's Perfect Picture Books.
