Ecosystems with Rachel Carson (Big Ideas for Little Environmentalists)

This installment of the Big Ideas for Little Environmentalists board book series centers American author, conservationist, and marine biologist Rachel Carson (1907–1964), whose work brought to light pesticides’ detrimental impact on the Earth. “When Rachel noticed that some ecosystems were changing and that animals and plants were getting sick and disappearing, she asked why,” McQuerry explains in clear, straightforward diction, tracing the author’s thoughts on nature from childhood onward, with interspersed questions directing the audience to consider their own paths: “What part of nature do you like to watch and learn about?” In a blocky, round-eyed, thin-limbed style resembling Peppa Pig, Rosenthal offers boldly geometric art, with children of varying abilities and skin tones participating in protesting and trash pickup along the intertidal zone. Plants the seeds of environmentalism for listeners new to the subject. Publishing simultaneously: Conservation with Jane Goodall, Preservation with Aldo Leopold, and Restoration with Wangari Maathai. Ages up to 3. (Mar.)