Monday, October 26, 2020

World Without Fish by Mark Kurlansky

 

    A warning to the people of the world, Mark Kurlansky’s World Without Fish is a middle school introduction to what is going on with the fish in the world’s oceans, the history of how it got to this point, and what will happen if we don’t drastically change our ways. This 1160 Lexile book seems perfect in tone and voice for grades 5th through 8th grade.


(Kurlansky, 2011, p. x-xi)


    Kurlansky heavily mentions and quotes Charles Darwin throughout the book, falling back onto many of his thoughts on the Darwinian order of life. He writes that, “all life on earth is interconnected, and altered circumstances will change the order of life at sea, which will also change life on land. And all of this can and will have an enormous impact on our lives,” (Kurlansky, 2011, p. xvii).


(Kurlansky, 2011, p. xx-xxi)


    Throughout the book, the text is interwoven with oversized, emphasized text to draw attention to more important lines. illustrator Frank Stockton’s illustrations and end of chapter comic strips are woven into the book along with the occasional photograph. All of these visual features are enticing and may be a draw for more reluctant, tween readers. 


(Kurlansky, 2011, p. 62)


    Kurlansky’s book mainly emphasizes overfishing. He does a great job explaining the main types of different fish, why/how human fish for them, and how messing with any area on a large scale has an impact on other areas of the ocean. I found myself interested in the science aspects of this book that discussed things such as fish being commercially extinct vs. biologically extinct, misconceptions about fish reproduction in the 1800s have lead to how we fish today, different areas of the ocean’s fish impact the movement of other fish, and that we can’t just stop fishing to solve the overfishing problem.


    The point that Kurlanksy gets at is that fishing needs to be done in a sustainable way. Regulations need to happen. However, Kurlanksy notes that sustainable fishing is not the only issue to solving the problem. “Part of the problem is that we too easily forget that all of human activity, not only fishing, affects marine life. For centuries, pollution--human waste, garbage, the poisonous by-products of industry--were dumped into the sea,” (Kurlanksy, 2011, p. 119). The author discusses the impact on fish with large scale oil spills, plastics, and poisonous metals that have been dumped into the oceans.


(Kurlansky, 2011, p. 132-133)


    Lastly, Kurlansky points out climate change’s impact on the world’s oceans. He discusses how the manmade greenhouse gases since the industrial revolution are warming the planet. The fossil fuels we burn are increasing the temperature of the planet. These temperature changes will cause arctic ice to melt, diluting the salt levels in the oceans that the fish live in. When the temperatures warm, fish will migrate to different areas, some unable to survive the temperature changes. Also, temperature often triggers reproduction in fish so these temperature changes to the oceans would have an impact on fish populations from that point as well. 


    Having middle schoolers read a text like this will help open their eyes to the impact humans have had on our planet. Talking about the problems surrounding overfishing, pollution, and climate change are important conversations to have with youth. In the end pages, Kurlansky offers how young people can help by eating only sustainable fish, joining environmental protection groups, and studying previous activism movements in history.


(Kurlansky, 2011, p. 180-181)


   End pages of the text include information on Environmental groups that work on marine issues, the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch’s National Sustainable Seafood Guide, tips on starting movements, and an extensive index. Unfortunately, no researching citations are included. I would have liked to have seen a bibliography of sources used to write the book by the author, a former commercial fisherman who has won numerous writing awards.


Non-fiction read-alikes about climate change:

  • The Down-to-Earth Guide To Global Warming by Laurie David & Cambria Gordon: Loaded with photographs, statistics, illustrations, and informational graphics, this text shows young tweens and teens the basics of global warming as well as changes they can make at home. (4th - 7th grade)

  • Ice: Chilling Stories From A Disappearing World by Laura Buller: This text highlights the effects that the earth’s arctic poles have on the planet and the species that live here. The history of the earth’s ice is explained up to modern times with how climate change is depleting ice. (5th to 8th grade)

  • How We Know What We Know About Our Changing Climate by Lynne Cherry: A look into how scientists study climate change with the clues they look for described including bird migration patterns, fruit blossoming times, core samples, and more. Also includes ways to mitigate climate change. (5th to 8th grade)

  • Rising Seas: Flooding, Climate Change and Our New World by Keltie Thomas: What would happen if sea levels rise to due ice caps melting? This book picks a few locations in the world to hone and describes the current status of these locations and how they will change if sea levels rise as predicted. (5th to 8th grade)

  • An Inconvenient Truth: The Crisis of Global Warming (YA Adaptation) by Al Gore: The former Vice President’s young adult adaptation of his publication of the same name, this version has large full color photographs, graphs, and simplified wording to explain to the middle school aged what causes global warming. (6th to 9th grade)


Related non-fiction titles:

  • Cast Away: Poems for Our Time by Naomi Shihab Nye: A collection of 80 poems, mostly in free verse, about how we discard our trash. Written by the Poetry Foundation’s current (2019-2021) Young People’s Poet Laureate. (4th to 7th grade)

  • True Green Kids: 100 Things You Can Do to Save the Planet by Kim McCay & Jenny Bonnin: Offers projects that kids can do to help reduce, reuse, and recycle in their lives as well as how to conserve energy, make conscious decisions on things that affect the planet, and how to get others involved. (4th to 6th grade)

  • Heroes of the Environment: True Stories of People Who Are Helping to Protect Our Planet by Harriet Rohmer: Showcasing 12 North American activists, most of these stories are grassroots events, protests, and ideas done or designed by young people to bring awareness to environmental issues. (5th to 7th grade)

  • One Earth: People of Color Protecting Our Planet by Anuradha Rao: Written by a conservation biologist, interviews are shared from people around the world of all backgrounds as they explain the diverse ways they are doing to protect the earth. (7th to 10th grade)


Fiction read-alikes:

  • The Light in the Lake by Sarah R. Baughman: Pollution and conservation are discussed in this early middle grade read, as a young girl struggling with the death of her twin brother investigates the changes she sees in a lake. (4th to 6th grade)

  • Fuzzy Mud by Louis Sachar: As a 5th and 7th grader cut through the woods to avoid a bully, they discover mysterious mud that threatens their town. A bit of environmental sci-fi and the consequences of mutations. (5th to 7th grade)

  • Wildfire by Rodman Philbrick: With short chapters and lots of suspense, two kids from a camp in Maine flee from a devastating wildfire that rapidly spreads behind them. Back matter includes information on wildfires and survival tips. (5th to 8th grade)

  • Flush by Carl Hiaasen: Noah’s dad is thrown in jail trying to sink a boat that is illegally dumping sewage into the water. He takes matters into his own hands to try and stop the casino boat’s pollution. (5th to 8th grade)

  • Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi: Winner of the 2011 Printz Award, this futuristic, dystopian novel depicts global warming getting out of control and the disasters that ensue from hurricanes. Action, packed adventure novel for older tweens and teens. (7th to 10th grade)


Environmentalism Book Lists:


More by Mark Kurlansky:

  • The Cod's Tale by Mark Kurlansky: The history and story behind mankind’s interaction with Atlantic cod told through narrative, paintings, and funny sketches. (4th to 6th grade)

  • The Story of Salt by Mark Kurlansky: A history of salt for young readers that includes information through graphics, maps, diagrams, timelines, and more. (4th to 6th grade)

  • Bugs in Danger: Our Vanishing Bees, Butterflies, and Beetles by Mark Kurlansky: The bug version of World Without Fish, this book discusses the insects at risk of disappearing because of humans for the middle grade audience as well. (5th to 8th grade)

  • Frozen in Time: Clarence Birdseye's Outrageous Idea About Frozen Food by Mark Kurlansky: A biography for middle schoolers of Clarence Birdseye, the inventor of frozen food, this book is adapted from Kurlansky’s adult version, Birdseye: The Adventures of a Curious Man. (5th to 8th grade)


    Teachers and educators may find lesson plans at Kids Read, TedEd, and Sailors of the Sea useful for the classroom on environmental issues related to Kurlansky’s book. PBS Learning Media’s Young Voices for the Planet film series has a great list of videos including young people working to make a change for the planet, and their Charles Darwin page provides a great overview to his studies on species interaction with the planet. Also, the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Student Guide to Global Climate Change is loaded with climate change information. The following videos on YouTube may be of use as well to share with students:


    Ocean conservation and/or sustainable fishing information can be found at Oceana, the Ocean Conservatory’s Action Center, the Nature Conservancy, the Ocean Collective’s Resource Center, Blue Ventures, Cape Cod Commercial Hook Fisherman’s Association, and the Marine Stewardship Council which also labels fish that are caught by sustainable means with their logo. Youth interested in climate activism can visit Young Voices for the Planet or iMatter.

    Professional book reviews for World Without Fish can be found at Science Connected Magazine, Discover Magazine, and Kirkus Reviews. It has also been recommended by The Scientific American and the Beijing Kids Panda Book Awards.


References


Kurlansky, M. (2011). World without fish. Workman Publishing.
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Monday, October 12, 2020

Nine Months: Before a Baby is Born by Miranda Paul

 

Background on me: I’m married and have 3 children ages 9 and under. I’m also pregnant. All of my children are very curious about my pregnancy and the process of growth their new sibling is going through inside my belly. My 5 year old is especially inquisitive. As the weeks progress, she wants to know what does baby looks like? How big is baby? What is going on in there? I set out to find some nonfiction books for her and Miranda Paul’s Nine Months: Before a Baby is Born really was a gem among them. I thought it was perfect for the preschool through 2nd grade age range in tone, though my 3rd and 4th grade children were equally interested in looking at it together for the lifesize images of the developing child month to month.


First off, the illustrations done by Caledcott Honor artist, Jason Chin, are beautifully done realistic paintings showing a young family’s month to month progress as they wait for the developing baby to arrive.


(Paul, 2019, p. 7)


Each page has the month number, what trimester it is, and the weeks of development. Illustrations (mostly life sized) of the developing child are shown on the left sides of the pages, while paintings of the family engaged in various activities are shown on the right. 


(Paul, 2019, p.12-13)


The main text of the book follows a rhyming narrative explaining how the baby is changing and growing, while smaller sized, explanatory text has the week and month numbers.


(Paul, 2019, p. 15)


End notes include more detailed information about fetal development, what babies can do once they are born, how they compare in size to different familiar animals, and a selected bibliography.


(Paul, 2019, p. 26-27)


One of the last pages of informative text in the back includes a “What if…?” section to answer questions that may be appropriate to the pregnancy such as twins, triplets, or premature birth. A delicate question is asked on, “What if...something goes wrong?” as well. Parents can choose to highlight these end pages with their children or not. I personally liked the inclusion of them as they offer realistic, informative but age appropriate explanations.


(Paul, 2019, p. 29)


Overall, my kindergartener really enjoyed the combination of the life sized, realistic paintings of the developing baby month to month with the simple rhyming narrative of what the family is thinking and doing as the baby develops. A great introductory book for inquisitive older siblings as they prepare to meet their new baby sister or brother.


Non-fiction read-alikes and/or pairings: 


  • How Big is Our Baby?: A 9-Month Guide for Soon-to-Be Siblings by Smriti Prasadam-Halls: Told through direct narration as if in conversation with the reader, the author congratulates the reader on a new sibling to come. Common questions and anxieties are addressed as the book dives into month by month illustrations of objects that are the comparative size of the developing baby. Each month offers information about how the baby is changing. The last few pages discuss the baby’s arrival and how the big sibling can help. (K to 2nd grade)

  • What’s Inside Your Tummy, Mommy? by Abby Cocovini: Life-size illustrations on each page show the progress month by month of a baby growing inside a mother’s stomach while showing an illustration as well of a familiar object to compare the size of the growing baby each month. A timeline along the bottom of the pages shows the weeks accompanying each month as well. Each month’s information offers simple information about what is happening to the baby as it develops month to month and what it can now do. (1st to 3rd grade)

  • The Big Day! : A New Baby Arrives by Nicola Barber: Using accompanying photographs, this book shows children going through the preparations to welcome a new baby in the family, meeting a new baby, ways to help with a baby at home, naming a baby, and celebrating their first birthday. Includes an index, glossary, and further information on relative books and websites. (K to 2nd grade)

  • Baby on the Way by William Sears M.D., Martha Sears R.N., and Christie Watts Kelly: This book by renowned pediatrician, Doctor William Sears, talks in narrative form about what will happen with the mother during pregnancy, offers tips/activities on what the sibling can do as the baby grows in the mother’s stomach, and then talks about what happens when baby first arrives. Included is an opening note for parents/caregivers on attachment parenting, an end note with more information for parents on the topic, and then a list of resources including websites, relative organizations, and other books on the topic. (1st to 3rd grade)


Fiction read-alikes:


  • You Were the First by Patricia McLachlan: With every page beginning with “you were the first,” this story of a baby carries the story in a voice that makes the oldest child following along with the story feel they are the center of the story over the new baby. I liked this one for making the older child feel like an important part of the new baby adventure while also pointing out what to expect when a new baby is in the home. Perfect for families expecting a new baby that only have one other child. (Pre-K to 2nd grade)

  • A New Baby is Coming by Emily Menedez-Aponte: The new baby mentioned in this book is to either be one that the mother of the family is going to birth or that the baby one the family is waiting to adopt. Menedez-Aponte focuses on different anxieties children may have in this picture book like changes around the home, new items in the home, mom’s energy levels, time parent’s spend with the baby, mom going to the hospital, etc. (1st to 3rd grade)

  • Little Miss, Big Sis by Amy Krouse Roenthal: Paired with illustrator Peter H. Reynolds, this picture book follows a young girl as she goes from only child to big sister in her family. The story told through very simple text starts with a young girl being told she will be a big sister and then follows through her anticipation, waiting, the birth, and what she experiences over the first year or so with her new baby sibling. (Pre-K to 2nd grade)

  • Mama’s Belly by Kate Hosford: In this book a young girl and her relationship with her mother is explored as she asks questions and wonders about the new baby growing in her mother’s stomach. Questions she has wondering about what the baby will look like and be like are pondered and simple preparations the family does together to prepare for the baby are mentioned. (Pre-K to 1st grade)

  • Where’s the Baby?: A Spotting Book by Britta Teckentrup: Fun look-and-find activity book to follow up with reading about new babies with younger children. Each page has a rhyme about an animal and their baby with the accompanying page showing illustrations of the same animals over and over with a hidden baby in the mix to try to find. (Pre-K to 1st grade)


More by Miranda Paul:


  • Water is Water by Miranda Paul: Follows children as they interact with different forms of water from their sink, to the rain, to snow as the seasons change. (Pre-K to 1st grade)

  • Whose Hands Are These? By Miranda Paul: An informational picture book showing up close illustrations of different professionals using their hands to do their individual tasks. Told in rhyme, the reader tries to guess who these hands belong to before the end of the rhyme reveals the answer. (Pre-K to 1st grade)

  • Little Libraries, Big Heroes by Miranda Paul: The story of Tod Bol’s creation of Little Free Libraries and how he started a grassroots movement that has spread around the world. (1st to 3rd grade)

  • Adventures to School by Miranda Paul: This nonfiction picture book follows 15 children around the world on their journeys to school in the morning. Young readers can see how different or the same their own treks compare. (2nd to 4th grade)


The following resources may be helpful for parents preparing older children for a new baby in the home:



Nine Months: Before a Baby is Born is a 2019 Boston Globe-Horn Books Nonfiction Honor Book, a Kirkus Best Informational Picture Book of 2019, the 2019 CYBIL’s Best Elementary Non-fiction Winner, and a 2020 National Science Teaching Association Outstanding Trade Book for Students. Starred reviews for the book can be found at Kirkus Reviews, Publisher’s Weekly, and The Horn Book.


References


Paul, M. (2019). Nine months: Before a baby is born. Neal Porter/Holiday House.
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