Let's Save Our Planet: Forests: Uncover the Facts. Be Inspired. Make a Difference

by Jess French, Alexander Mostov (Illustrations)

"What an inspirational book this is, packed with foliage facts and verdant images. There is extensive information on how readers can help save forests now, and in future." -- Marianne Levy, The i Paper

This book is printed on responsibly sourced, 100% recycled FSC paper and using soy inks.

Do you want to make a difference and help change the world? If the answer's yes then this book is for you!

Turn the pages and discover everything you need to know about deforestation and the ways we can tackle it. From scientists and conservationists helping to protect forest creatures, to tech inventions like robot tree-planters, this book helps children aged 8 and up to discover the incredible solutions to deforestation that are being worked on around the world right now.

Readers can begin by exploring different forest types around the world, discovering what makes each of them precious and unique, before taking a look at the causes, effects and solutions to deforestation. The final section explores what readers can do to help. Filled with guides, tips and lessons in how to use your voice and change your habits, these pages help readers learn how they can make a difference.

Engaging text by Dr Jess French, presenter of Minibeast Adventure with Jess on CBeebies, with stunning artwork by Alexander Mostov, illustrator of D-Day: Untold Stories of the Normandy Landings Inspired by 20 Real-Life People.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Animals, Nonfiction

64 pages, ebook

Published October 6, 2020

Reviews

[Reading_ Tamishly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a great picture book!

Reminds me of my childhood, school days filled with geography and fun study times!

More awareness regarding our environment, specially the dying forests.

I love the distinct contents of this book. Divided into 5 chapters with separate subtopics, I can see this book has been planned so well and presented with utmost care and brilliance!

Try knowing the different types of forest distributed around the world. Let's know a bit of their history. Let's become more informed about deforestation and how it affects the lives in general. Let's know more about its causes and effects; how we are endangering other species and what could be the possible solutions; what we can do about it and what have been done already.

Love it!

Thanks publishers and the authors for the copy.

[Natalie all_books_great_and_small · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an advance reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.

Let's save our planet: Forests, is an amazing book for children to learn about what is happening to our world and the forests in it. It is the best children's book I have read so far that teaches them about deforestation and how they can help to protect and save our planet and forests for the future.
This book has a lot of information within in and I would say it is best aimed at children aged 8-14 years.
This book does use some big words bit then does explain them so children understand them and they don't go over their heads.
This book would be a fantastic resource in a school and at home.

[Sophrosyne · Rating 5 out of 5]

We need more such books to educate people about forests and raise awareness about protecting the environment.
Plus we can read the books only for the colour scheme, which was very nice.
(Thanks to Quarto publishing for the e-ARC)

[Jamie Bee · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the Best Books for Kids on Forests and Deforestation

Oh, my gosh, is this a fantastic book for children about the importance of forests and what they can do to help with the problems facing the globe’s forests today. This is an information-heavy picture book that uses big words (but explains them), so it is ideal for children aged from 8 to 13 or so. The book covers the topic very logically, starting with looking at why forests matter and the types of forests (boreal, tropical, and temperate). Then the book looks at deforestation: causes, effects, and solutions. Throughout the book, small callouts give options for what one person, often even a child, can do to help the problems, but there's also a final section that is specifically about what we can do to help on an individual level. So many books like this can be preachy or make a big problem like this one feels impossible to conquer. But this book has neither fault; respect and hope ring from every page. It is not preachy at all; it is strictly informational. The author does try to avoid any sort of shaming of those who cannot do the beneficial things suggested because of economics and local opportunities/options. I think that's so important in a book like this. I wish there had been a section at the end with photographs of actual trees, especially ones North American or European children (the most likely reader of this book) may not commonly see. I thought it was strange, too, that the author only discussed temperate *deciduous* forests, as there are certainly temperate forests that are not; I live near a lot of evergreen forests here in the Pacific Northwest. The world map in the first pages that depicts Earth's forested regions showed my area as having a temperate forest, but then its type was not discussed. But, all in all, I think this is a fantastic and even amazing book to help children appreciate what forests do for us and the current problems with them, all the while empowering children with a lot of options to make a difference. Frankly, this book should be read by adults as well!

I received a free electronic copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher, but that did not affect my review.

My book blog: https://www.readingfanaticreviews.com

[Theediscerning · Rating 4 out of 5]

I guess this is or will be part of a series, but this is my first evidence of it – however on this evidence I can give the whole set a thumbs up. We start with tropical rainforest, before having a double page spread in the Siberian woodland, and temperate forests, and the captions detailing the many animals and flora are second in my mind to the reminder of what we get from each kind of habitat, whether it be cancer medicines, book paper or chestnuts. We then get shown galling details about deforestation – woodland the size of Germany gone in Canada alone, in just twenty years, and the reasons for such tree loss ranging from the sinful (mobile phone components being mined) to the unforgivable (palm oil) (or is it the other way round?). Luckily we're not allowed to feel depressed for long, as we get chapters devoted to a more optimistic outlook, with what scientists, conservators, lawmakers and activists have done, and what the target schoolchild might manage to do, too. A strong four stars then – but hey, consider sticking to the digital edition like me, no?

[Patricia Buzo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really love this book! First of all the beautiful illustrations are all full page spreads filled with colorful depictions of forests and the plants and wildlife that can be found there. The artwork is sure to catch the attention of a young reader.
The writing style is fun and uses lots of descriptive words to enhance the factual statements provided (nothing is more boring to a kid or an adult when the author spews out information and facts in a bland way).
Starting off in chapter one we learn about the 3 different types of forests: tropical rain forest, boreal, and temperate deciduous. With the map of the world provided you can see where to find each type.
Chapter two talks about the problem of deforestation and what are the causes. Then chapter three goes into the sad effects it has on our natural resources as well as the planet as a whole (including it’s inhabitants).
Chapter four shows what solutions we have come up with to combat what’s happening and the last chapter ends on a positive note showing what kids can do to help out.
I especially liked that the author used different professions to inspire the kids. Some are more obvious like a conservationist, but others were ones you may not have thought could contribute yet clearly can like an artist or writer!
I think this book is a must have for school libraries, classrooms, and homeschoolers. But it’s also a great book for parents to teach kids about this important topic!

[joyce w. laudon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This engagingly illustrated title for kids will inspire them to care about the environment. The subject here is deforestation and the importance of our forests. Kids will learn about some of the many ways that forests are critical to the ecosystem; there is everything from their beauty to the role of forests in climate change. Readers will also become knowledgeable about the many types of forests there are including tropical rain forests, boreal forests and temperate deciduous forests.

After reading about the causes of deforestation there is a section on the effects of deforestation followed by some more optimistic chapters. These include solutions and a “what you can do,” thus helping the young to become engaged and to not feel hopeless about their world. This section includes a number of possible career choices related to the environment.

The children of today will inherit the beauty of the natural world and the calls to care for it. This title will help them to understand the stakes but not to panic.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title. All opinions are my own.

[Catherine Craig (Angelic Light) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a really fantastic educational book for children and adults. It is all about forests, animals who live in forests, deforestation and different ways in which we can tackle deforestation, to save the trees and the planet from destruction.

At the beginning of the book we learn about different types of forests around the world and how they affect people, animals and places; this is very interesting. We then learn about the causes, effects and solutions to deforestation and how we, the readers around the world, can help and make a difference in order to help our planet and all who live on it.

I really loved this book and learned a lot from it. It is a book that every person in the world should read! It is amazing and it has really beautiful graphics in it too. It is a book that has a lot of knowledge and information in it, but it is easy to read. I highly recommend this book.

Many thanks to the author, publisher and netgalley for granting me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Michelle Clement · Rating 4 out of 5]

What would happen if there were no trees? This gorgeously illustrated non-fiction book for kids helps visualize the many ways forests matter. In beautifully illustrated detail, it shows us why trees are so important in supporting life on our planet. Page by page, we learn about different types of forests (and the creatures that live in them), man-made and natural disasters that cause them harm, and the important role we play in their health: they are hurting right now, and we see how our unsustainable practices have negatively affected and led to the destruction of these forest homes. But there’s hope! We can take action to help preserve the forests we still have for everyone’s sake. I especially love the playful illustration style, and how the bright colors and diverse characters and critters really make the forests come to life - and how it encourages action to bring about change. This book is a gorgeous, informative, interesting guide to all the tree things: both a love letter and an urgent call to save them!

[Suzanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fantastic book for teaching children about our precious forests and how important they are to our planet. The book introduces us to all of the different forests on the earth and the amazing creatures and plants that live in each one. The format of each page draws the reader in as they explore each short excerpt. The illustrations allow the text to flow and create engagement and curiosity. The complex theme of deforestation is explained in simple terms and the book wraps up with suggestions of ways that we can all help maintain and protect our planet and keep forests alive and growing. This is an excellent informational text to add to a classroom library.

Thank you to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group – Ivy Kids for the ARC copy to read in exchange for my honest review.

[Alyssa Schneider · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book Let's Save Our Planet: Forests by Jess French is a touching and visually stunning book. The graphics make the book enjoyable to view and super easy to follow. The information was presented in a clear and concise that is understandable to young children (I'd say 6+) as well as teenagers and adults. The information presented goes over how things got to the point that they are and how we can help fix it even in very small ways. This is a great book for teachers to keep in their classroom libraries or even just for a family to have on hand and review with children as they grow.

*I received this book as an electronic ARC in exchange for my honest review*

[Jeanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Forest matter is the message for young people and for parents. As the title suggests- the first part is uncovering the facts. The different forests and the problems they face. Each is different. The second is be inspired. Once you know the facts, you can be inspired to make changes that make a difference.

This helpful information and alot of information. Facts that make sense and changes that are doable. We bring ownership to our most natural of resources.

A special thank you to Quarto Publishing and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.

[Jo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Forest. Not the place we would usually choose as a travelling destination or even living inside. We saw forests in books like this, movies, or news. But we don't really know what forest is.

Explained in easy words and so many illustrations, this book taught me so many things about forests. That the forest in my homeland is different from the forest in Alaska, for example. But all forests have the same purpose. And with deforestation, we would someday loose our home. Why? Please read the book!

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let's Save Our Planet: Forests
by Jess French
This was a really cool book. It was thorough and understandable to read with my 9-year-old as we study world geography. The book was well organized and easy to read. There was just enough information to be thorough while also sparking interest to research more if desired. As a homeschooling parent, I give this a thumbs-up as a resource.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review shared here.

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Phenomenal resource for kids and grown-ups alike. What a gift it would be to share this gorgeous book with children, educating them on what’s happening to our planet and exploring ways they can help. Everyone should be aware of these problems, and this beautiful book is the best I’ve seen. This should be in every classroom and in every home in the country.

[B · Rating 4 out of 5]

Colorful and informative with easy to read panels, maps, etc about types of forests, how we use, how important trees are to animals and climate, how people are deforesting at too rapid of a rate and solutions.

I liked that both an okapi and two pangolins made it into the drawings of more well known forest animals.

[Sabine Ibing · Rating 4 out of 5]

«Die beste Zeit, einen Baum zu pflanzen, war vor zwanzig Jahren.
Die zweitbeste Zeit ist jetzt.»

Dieses Bilderbuch vermittelt, weshalb Wälder lebenswichtig für die Menschen sind. Zunächst werden die Klimazonen mit ihren drei Waldarten erklärt: tropische Regenwälder, boreale Nadelwälder und die Wälder der gemäßigten Breiten. Die Wälder auf der Erde schwinden. Derzeit werden auf der ganzen Welt Wälder vernichtet! Welche Ursachen das hat, wird im zweiten Kapitel erklärt. Das Dritte befasst sich mit den Folgen der Entwaldung: Ungleichgewicht Klimawandel, ungesunde Wälder, bedrohte Völker, Tiere und Pflanzen. Ab der Mitte des Kinderbuchs geht es um Lösungsansätze, dem entgegenzuwirken und im letzten Kapitel darum, was jeder Einzelne tun kann, und es werden wichtige Klimaaktivisten vorgestellt.

Weshalb sind Wälder für uns wichtig, lebenswichtig?

Weil sie den Sauerstoff bereitstellen, den wir zum Atmen brauchen.
Weil sie zur Bekämpfung des Klimawandels beitragen.
Weil sie uns Menschen mit Nahrung, Obdach und Medizin versorgen und weil sie die Heimat für sehr viele Tiere und Pflanzen darstellen.

Dies Kindersachbuch beschäftigt sich mit einem wichtigen Thema, das uns alle angeht. Was hängt wie zusammen? Wälder, überhaupt Pflanzen, sind wichtig für alle Lebewesen auf dieser Welt. Ein Buch, das diese Zusammenhänge kindgerecht gut erklärt, und was ebenso wichtig ist: Es bietet Lösungsansätze. Das größte Problem wird dabei sein, den Kindern zu erklären, warum wir von Europa aus schwer etwas gegen die schlimmste Entwaldung der Erde tun können: Die Abholzung der Regenwälder. Keine Palmölprodukte benutzen, kein Fleisch essen, bzw. nur Heimisches; ein kleiner Beitrag. Wobei man nicht unerwähnt lassen sollte, dass der meiste Regenwald derzeit für den Sojaanbau abgebrannt wird!

Die Texte sind gut verständlich, in kleine Vignetten unterteilt oder in sichtbar voneinander getrennten Absätzen mit eigener Überschrift. Denn natürlich ist dies ein Bilderbuch! Alexander Mostov hat im digitalen Stil das alles illustriert. Bild ergänzt den Text: kognitive und visuelle Erfassung als Einheit im Kinderbuch, konstruiert für das Grundschulalter. So machen Sachinformationen Spaß. Der Ars Edition Verlag gibt eine Altersempfehlung ab 9 Jahren. Das passt für mich. Allerdings ist der aktive Aufruf der letzten Seite für mich etwas an der Altersgruppe vorbeigezogen. «Mach dich bemerkbar!», «Misch die Schule auf!», «Schreib Firmen und Konzerne an!» «Schreib Politiker an!» – So die Überschriften zu den Aufforderungen. Für viele dieser Dinge braucht es eine gewisse Reife, um sein begründet Anliegen zu formulieren. Genauso wichtig ist es, die richtigen Personen zu kontaktieren und nicht wahllos irgendeine Firma, einen Politiker anzuschreiben, Forderungen aufzustellen – Mühe für den Papierkorb. Wie geht man mit Frust in diesem Fall um? Nestlé anschreiben als Zehnjähriger: Liebe Firma, ich finde es nicht gut, dass ihr ... Und ich fordere ... Als wenn die sich solche Firmen drum scheren, wann immer Umweltschutzorganisationen und andere organisierte Gruppen das anprangern. Auch diese Wahrheit sollte Kindern erklärt werden. Hier wäre ein Filmchen für einen Post in sozialen Medien wesentlich effektiver, zu erklären, was man herausgefunden hat, dies bloßzustellen, damit der Post weit geteilt wird. Ein modernes Buch, aber die Aktionen mit dem Stift kommen aus dem letzten Jahrhundert. Politiker besucht man, die schreibt man nicht an – auch hier ist ein Filmchen zur Veröffentlichung nachhaltiger. Wo bitte bleibt das: Organisiere dich! Such dir Gleichgesinnte, agiere in Gruppen! «Die Schule aufmischen? Erinnere jeden daran» ... Ja, mach dich zum Nerd, zum Außenseiter, den alle hassen! Ein schlechter Rat. Ein paar gute Aktionen werden angesprochen, Referat usw. Aber auch hier fehlt mir der Teamgeist. Diese Doppelseite hat mich eher aufgeregt, auch wenn ich den Rest von diesem Buch hervorragend finde. Der Originaltitel «Let’s Save Our Planet» passt übrigens wesentlich besser. Das Kindersachbuch eignet sich sehr gut als Unterrichtsmaterial für die Grundschule ev. 5./6. Klasse. Ein Sachbilderbuch für umweltinteressierte Kinder. Empfehlung!

Jess French, aufgewachsen in der Natur und umgeben von einer Vielzahl an merkwürdigen und wunderbaren Tieren, entwickelte Jess schon sehr früh eine große Affinität für ihre Umwelt. Als Kind verbrachte Jess sehr viel Zeit draußen und wühlte sich auf ihrer Suche nach kleinen Insekten durch Schlamm und allerhand Gestein. Jess ist furchtlos und eine wahre Expertin für wirbellose Tiere, Amphibien und Reptilien als deren Ursprung die exotische Insektenzüchtung ihres Vaters gilt. Ihre Liebe für Tiere spiegelt sich auch in ihrer Leidenschaft für den Arten- und Umweltschutz wieder.
Neben ihrer Tätigkeit als Autorin, arbeitet Jess als Tierärztin. Sie ist ebenfalls Moderatorin für den britischen Fernsehsender CBeebies und unterrichtet an Schulen naturbegeisterte Kinder zum Thema Natur und wie man diese am besten schützt. Außerdem liebt Jess Abenteuer, Sport, Reisen und das Erlernen von neuen Sprachen und Musikinstrumenten.

Alexander Mostov lebt in Seattle, USA. Seine Illustrationen wurden bereits von Google, Facebook und dem Columbus Museum of Art ausgestellt.

[Sean Harding · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting, beautifully presented book, giving lots of information and inspiration for us to look after our planet and take care of our forests in particular.
A great little book.

[Fi's Journey · Rating 2 out of 5]

The information in this book was okay. I mean it’s good that people talk about reserving nature and the animals but like my partner said there are other ways of doing it by going straight to the source.
Let’s face it: will we the consumers by not buying plastic and paper and doing all those small bits change anything? Will the oil and paper companies really stop doing their business?? I think it’s an important question.
Shutting down those businesses will probably be the best solution in order to regain balance on Earth again.
I‘m definitely for planting trees and why not cannabis plants? They can be used for many things for example making paper, clothes and medicine. The world doesn’t “need” paper. What we need are better solutions and working together in communities to regain balance and harmony with nature.

Nature is beautiful and plentiful. What the world needs in my opinion is to go back towards nature and find nature within ourselves.

[Joan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an excellent nonfiction series! It is written for kids without talking down to them. It is written in a very positive way, making it clear the readers of this book can become the ones who solve the problems of deforestation. One complaint would be that the author skirted the problem of overpopulation. It didn’t point blank encourage the readers to have fewer children, or none! However, hints were planted! Maybe a few readers will figure it out as they grow. Other than this, I thought the subject was very well covered! There is a fine glossary in the back. While there is no index, there are references on almost every page where to read related information. It almost makes up for no index. I highly recommend this series!

[Drew Austen]

Wow! What a fun fact filled book! The graphic design is perfect, paralleling what an infographic might look like. All of the information is presented exquisitely and clearly. Overall, the book is informative and engaging; moreover, it is an exemplar nonfiction book for all ages. It piques curiosity. The book is also formatted in a way that gives information, states the problem, and provides a solution. I loved how certain pages would reference other areas of the book if someone was interested in one specific issue and solution.

[Viviane Elbee · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is more of a middle grade non fiction book than a picture book, but older kids who love science and nature will likely enjoy learning about all the different kinds of forests on earth, plants and animals that live in the forests, and efforts that are being made to protect the forests from deforestation.

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

"I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."
I wish we had this book when we studied geography. I think my daughter would still like it based on the content. It is primarily about deforestation.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great illustrations! Educational without being overwhelming. Very hopeful inspiring tone.