Book Reviews

Stewardship

by Nadine Meyer, Aquatic Education Specialist

November 2008


A Cool Drink of Water

A Cool Drink of Water, 2006

by Barbara Kerley

National Geographic Children's Books

Grades: PreK-2 ISBN: 0792254899

Gorgeous full-page illustrations and minimal text provide a global perspective on water’s critical role in human life. Photos depict people collecting, transporting, and drinking water, as poetic text reminds readers that “everyone everywhere” enjoys a “nice, cool drink of water.” The book’s type is visually interesting, and a picture index offers thumbnail versions of the illustrations, and captions, as well as a map. This book is also an excellent introduction into service-learning.

Available in hardcover and paperback.


The Case of the Missing Cutthroats

The Case of the Missing Cutthroats, 1999

by Jean Craighead George, Illustrated by Suzanne Duranceau

Published by HarperTrophy

Grades: 3-6 ISBN: 0064406474

After Spinner Shafter catches a cutthroat trout in the Snake River, she and her cousin Alligator search nearby mountains to determine where the endangered fish came from and how it survived.

Available in hardcover and paperback.


The Mississippi River

The Mississippi River, 2000

By Maria Mudd-Ruth

Published by Benchmark Books, NY

Grades: 5-8 ISBN: 0761409343

Flowing from Lake Itasca in northwestern Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico, the Mississippi River traverses approximately 2,350 miles. This majestic river bisects the United States and serves as both an amazing
source of resources and a diverse ecosystem. In this science text, the complex elements of the multiple ecosystems comprising the Mississippi River Way are presented in an understandable and comprehensive manner. The environmental effects of dams, dredging, flood control levees, and pollution are presented in a balanced fashion. Plants and wildlife that use the Mississippi as their homes are described in a way that affords an in-depth glimpse of this wonderfully complicated natural resource.

Available in hardcover.

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