Heal the Earth

Gr 1–3—Healing the world's ills is the mission of this gentle outreach to young children. The authors successfully engage readers in their cause without raising any alarm bells. Instead, they employ an age-appropriate, interactive format where kids are asked to touch a button icon to "travel" to the earth's trouble spots, including places without accessible medical care, oceans now in danger due to climate change, cities lacking sufficient green space, and disappearing rain forests. There is no call for activism—just a solid introduction to the idea that caring for our planet is a shared responsibility. The imaginary means of travel is a white feather flyer, the origin of which is explained by Lennon in the back matter. Coh's soft hues and playful cartoon illustrations set a pleasing tone, and the spare text delivers an impactful message with just the right dose of seriousness for the intended audience.