Human Footprint

Gr 3—6—Kids hear about "carbon footprints,'" but Kirk's slim book shows exactly how big our "human footprint" is during a lifetime: 3796 disposable diapers for each baby (using 1898 pints of crude oil just to manufacture the liners); 12 cars (which have footprints for their own integral parts); 4376 loaves of bread, and 1055 pounds of sugar from candy bars. These statistics (garnered from the National Geographic Channel's presentation of "Human Footprint") and the clear color photos are startling evidence of our demands on our planet. The pages are busy, with text in different fonts, sizes, and colors superimposed on a full-bleed illustration on each spread. Sadly, the "What You Can Do" section offers a meager three hints: lower the thermostat, collect rainwater for car washing, and unplug electrical appliances when not in use, which may be outside the provenance of many kids (what's wrong with drinking tap water instead of wheedling canned sodas from Mom, for example?)—Patricia Manning, formerly at Eastchester Public Library, NY