Heroes of the Environment: True Stories of People Who Help Protect Our Planet

by Harriet Rohmer

This inspiring book presents the true stories of 12 people from across North America who have done great things for the environment. Heroes include a teenage girl who figured out how to remove an industrial pollutant from the Ohio River, a Mexican superstar wrestler who works to protect turtles and whales, and a teenage boy from Rhode Island who helped his community and his state develop effective e-waste recycling programs. Plenty of photographs and illustrations bring each compelling story vividly to life.

Genres: Science, Nonfiction, Biography, Environment, Middle Grade, Childrens, Nature

110 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2009

Reviews

[Bonnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

In honor of upcoming Earth Day, I decided to give this book a try. What I liked was that in 12 short but sweet chapters, people of all ages, races, ethnicities and areas of the USA are represented as doing something positive for the environment. Young and old readers can learn from these stories that anyone can make a difference to make the world a better place. What I didn't care for were how small the photos were and the three colors that were used (blue, black and white...why not GREEN? Hello!?!) Also, the writing looks like it wasn't proofread. The sentence "It's not like the power lines bring" is not grammatically correct and it's unclear if John built the sewage canals in southeast China or if this is an example of what John wants to build or what could be built in the future. The last section "How You Can Get Involved" needs a lot of help. No where does it mention wonderful programs that are already in place (such as Boy/Girl Scouts, Surfrider Foundation, school/church programs, etc) where people can go to get more involved. How about a shout out to new programs in schools (like Environmental Science in high schools) which are teaching public students about recycling, composting, the benefits of being vegetarian, etc. Overall, I give this a 3+ star rating...the book needs a better proofreader who may have caught these errors.

[Molly Cluff (Library!) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bunch of kid-friendly stories about things real people have done for the environment. The stories are definitely simplified for children, but I still found them inspiring, and it was nice that they were each only about five pages. I did really like the illustrations of the people, and the color scheme, but I did wish there were more pictures of each of the real-life people in their element!

[Danielle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read this as part of a fifth-grade curriculum. Simple language and simplified for kids. It does have a good variety of stories, and diverse people are represented. Some stories are from the 70s and 80s, and some are more recent. Since this was published in 2009, you can research the younger activists and see what they're doing now as adults.

My student really liked the one about using nature for a series water cleaning tanks for wastewater.

[Ajodude · Rating 4 out of 5]

It gave me a lot of information about the enviroment. It was pretty well wrote too. I just did not like some of the people in the book did the same thing as others

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read to page 44. Will come back to it next Earth Day.

[Dawn Early · Rating 4 out of 5]

Title: Heroes of the Environment: True Stories of People Who Are Helping to Protect Our Planet by Harriet Rohmer

This text consist of 13 different stories that tell how people saw problems in our environment and they came up with innovative ways to solve those problems.

Focus: Non-Fiction/Informational
1) Problem/Solution: We have a problem of too much trash and waste on our planet. What will we do to help heal our planet?

TEACH: CCSS W.5.2. Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly.

W.5.8. Recall relevant information from experiences or gather relevant information from print and digital sources; summarize or paraphrase information in notes and finished work, and provide a list of sources.

Mini-Lesson:

As a class we will create an anchor chart that explains the structure of problem/solution texts. I will then have an interactive read aloud with my class with one of the stories from our mentor text. We will discuss how this text is an example of problem/solution text structure. We will then discuss the problems that are in the environment: waste, pollution, etc. We will discuss how to collect information from various sources and how to translate it to digital media to relay their message. Students will be taught how to create a source page to go with their piece. I will place 5 categories on the board. The class will be broken up into 5 heterogenic groups. Each group will choose a subject from the board.

Expected Outcome:
The assignment will be to discuss the problem and go out into the school, with digital cameras, to interview teachers, teacher assistants, students, or administrators and take pictures. They will collect information from each person about their thoughts on the particular subject. They will also ask about solutions. Then the students will create a podcast for a public service message about their subject.

Students will learn how to conduct interviews and use digital media to reach an audience. Students will also learn how to compose a problem /solution piece by collecting information from various sources and citing those sources.

[K aren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heroes of the Environment is a book I would give my kids, if I had any. I highly recommend this book to any parents who want to educate their children about the stories of people working in the environmental fields. Heroes of the Environment is a short glimpse into the stories of people who have made changes in tackling some environmental problem in their community. From stories of individuals installing solar panels to finding ways to recycle trash in their neighborhoods to figuring out point pollution sources, this book showcases a wide range of environmental issues and how inspiring leaders have made change.

One of the best aspects of this book is how this book represents so many different people and issues. I was very worried that they would focus on old dead white guys, which let's be honest, is how so many subjects and books are taught to the younger generation. But no, there is so much good representation here of stories from people of color, women, and young adults. This book would be perfect especially for children of color, to see themselves reflected in a nonfiction book. Also, I was so excited that the book touched on a lot of topics like environmental justice and ecosystem services. Oftentimes, I feel that environmental books narrow their focus and start to only talk about environmental issues in the lens of more science focused and traditional endeavors like saving the rainforests or polar ice caps. It's important to tell younger students about these big issues of environmental justice and others.

Like other reviewers however, I would have really liked to see more in the What Can You Do section, the last section of the book. It would have been nice to have a list of organizations or groups to contact or maybe some examples of national initiatives to join. And yet, I felt this book was a good introduction into a lot of environmental issues and inspiring biographies of environmental heroes. Would definitely recommend to anybody - children, adults, anyone.

[Barb · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought the stories that Harriet Rohmer compiled in this book were very inspiring and the message that one person can make a difference comes through loud and clear.

This book would be an excellent resource for teachers or anyone working with young children. Or just for the average person who feels slightly depressed or irritable and cranky from reading about corrupt CEOs and billion dollar bail-outs. This book could help restore your faith in mankind (for a moment or two anyway and then don't watch the nightly news).

Some of the individuals featured in this book had very specific skills that they applied to a problem but most were making a difference just by spreading the word that there was a problem and organizing people to talk about solutions for the problems they identified.

Unfortunately I think that the 'How Can You Get Involved' portion of the book (two pages) was rather disappointing. I would have thought a few more pages could have been devoted to the topic as well as listing some national resources and mentioning how people can make a difference by becoming involved on-line.

I also would have liked to have seen bigger photographs of the environmentalists featured in each chapter. I didn't care for the full page illustrations of each person. The photos of the were rather small, I would have preferred larger photos, but that's just a personal preference.

I really like that a portion of the proceeds from the sales of this book will support the Natural Resources Defense Council. NRDC has an excellent web-site organizing people to make a difference for the environment, you can check it out at www dot nrdc dot org. You can sign up to be what they call a BioGems Defender.

I'd love to see this book turned into a TV show. The message is wonderful and I feel better having read it. Maybe we won't have to move to the moon after all...

[Greg · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Heroes of the Environment" is an aptly named book. Each of its twelve chapters focuses on one person who is truly making a difference in the fight to protect our planet. Their inspiring stories are told with warmth, passion, and a touch of humor, as we learn of their efforts to grow food in the city, purify our waterways, recycle electronics, etc. Each hero is introduced to us by a caricature and a photograph, and their work is illustrated in the same way, by Julie McLaughlin. What I loved most about this book is the fact that author Harriet Rohmer has sought out subjects that truly reflect the multicultural face of America. Her heroes are white, black, Asian, Chicano and Latino, Hopi and Alaskan native. They live in Milwaukee, the South Bronx, Tijuana and the Louisiana wetlands. No child reading this book need feel that people like them can't make a difference. Some of the subjects are still teenagers themselves!
I feel this book needn't be read in one sitting (though it's so interesting, it probably will be). Teachers could focus on one chapter at a time, supplementing the readings with further research on the topic at hand. Best of all, it encourages kids to think of what they can do personally to help protect our planet and become a "Hero of the Environment" too.

[Jennifer Chapman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book focuses on twelve people, of different ages and backgrounds, who are working to save the environment. Each vignette gives some information about the motivation each person had to make a positive change in the environment. Some of the people profiled make simple changes in their own lives that then snowball into big changes in their community. Other people in the book, face bigger challenges but show incredible resourcefulness in their work to solve the environmental problem that faces their community. A great book to show one person can make a positive impact on the environment. I found the stories to be inspiring and motivational. I would recommend this to any budding environmentalist. Science teachers could use this in their class for Earth day activities. This would also go well with Michal Pollan ‘s The Omnivore’s Dilemma for Kids: The Secrets Behind What You Eat or Barbara Kingsolver’s Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: a year of food life.
http://www.jenniferstantonchapman.com...

[Kate Detjen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heroes of the Environment is a books based off of true stories of people who are helping to protect our planet. It looks at 12 different people across the United States who are helping to protect the environment. Some of these heroes include a twelve –year old girl who found a way to get rid of a toxic chemical in the Ohio River, a teenage boy from Rhode Island who came up with e-waste recycling programs. Although all these people have come up with pretty extravagant ideas, this books still proves that if you put your mind to it, you can help save the planets by bringing your small ideas to big leaders around the world. The book ends with tips on how the reader can get involved with environmental efforts!

[Mary Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

interesting book that will appeal to kids - especially empowering them to take action locally that has a big impact. I liked that it was written in short chapters - I think I'd like to put a copy in the science classroom for school-wide DEAR time.

My one problem is that the writing didn't seem to carry me through - didn't make me want to turn the page to the next chapter. But it was full of interesting examples of people taking action to change their lives and their communities for the better, from throughout North America (Canada, US, Mexico), and inclusive of many different ethnic groups.

fuller review coming later, after I check it out with some students

[Abby Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book features people of all ages and backgrounds and their efforts to help the environment from establishing ways for city-dwellers to grow vegetables to installing solar panels on rural dwellings to starting a program for proper disposal of e-waste. This may not be a first choice for browsing material, but it would certainly make a good addition to classroom units on the environment and may inspire kids to look for ways in which they, too, can help the environment.

http://abbylibrarian.blogspot.com/201...

[Deirdre · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is great book for kids about how "regular" people, including kids, can make a difference as advocates and organizers on behalf of the environment. There are profiles of 12 activists some of whom quietly engaged in activities that made their communities healthier as well as others who publicly took on powerful special interests and challenged government action. This book inspires all who read it to become aware of what may be happening in their neighborhoods and to take action when communities are threatened.

[Gail Gauthier · Rating 4 out of 5]

" a terrific collection of minibios. No big names here, at least, none I'd heard of. These are stories of people who became immersed in an environmental situation. One of the things that's so good about this book is that in writing about the people, Rohmer writes about the issues they deal with."

Excerpt from Original Content.

[Library · Rating 4 out of 5]

GreT book for middle school entrepreneurs. Have an idea? It may be able to clean up the environment or possible make you some money! All about people who saw a need and wanted to make a difference in their community. Great book.

[Emerson School Library · Rating 5 out of 5]

read to 4/5s in January 2011
read chapter about Erica Gonzales, who was an activist against natural gas drilling off the California coast.
worked well with nonfiction unit

[Debra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting and easy read (although at times quite serious) about those kids, underdogs, and other motivated folks invented ways of saving the environment.

[Almeta · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great to read a book with stories about young people who are making a difference in caring for their environment, and about the "not so young people" that support their efforts.

[Hafiz Rahman · Rating 5 out of 5]

A short book about a topic I very rarely read about. Opens up my mind. Inspiring.

[Eded · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm a kid but in school we are reading this book and this book is cool it a real story!!!

[Dorian · Rating 4 out of 5]

The true stories of people who are protecting our Earth. I think that this would be a good introduction to a unit on how we can protect our Earth ourselves.

[Ily · Rating 4 out of 5]

great informational book. I bought it for reading some of the stories with my wolf cub scouts for discussing. I think it will work out great using it.

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful book that inspires children (and adults) to make a difference in their community by speaking out and working toward a better environment. Highly recommended!

[Mary Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is very uplifting and inspirational. One person can make a difference!

[LeeAnn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great with my 4th Grade class!