Project Earth

Gr 1-3–“Introducing…Earth Girl!” Jina Jeong is here to save the planet. A class research assignment leads Jina to learn about climate change, a series of missteps in saving energy, and a solution that initiates a friendship. Though the introduction to climate change is somewhat simplistic, Jina’s realizations about the practicalities of conserving energy are on point; for Jina, it seems “saving energy takes a lot of energy.” Opening windows and raising the thermostat prove to be uncomfortable solutions, and Jina discovers that walking to school does not work for every family. Jina’s persistence in searching for a way to do her part ultimately pays off in a satisfying and clever conclusion. Simple sentence structure and short chapters make this a suitable early chapter book. The text is formatted to appeal to early readers with sufficient white space, large text, and well-spaced colorful illustrations. The glossary contains some scientific definitions related to global warming as well as descriptions of Korean dishes, such as bingsu and bulgogi.