Stories for a Fragile Planet

K-Gr 3—Ten stories loosely attributed to various cultures from around the world focus on the relationship between humans and the rest of nature, particularly animals. A girl tends a swan shot by a hunter in a "story from the Far East." An African man rescues and raises a lion cub but ultimately returns it to the wild so it can go "back to where it belonged." Miners ravage the countryside in search of precious stones in an unnamed South American country, but a shepherd and some children work to restore the forest. Ray's static, jewel-toned illustrations in bordered boxes underscore the timeless, mythic aspects of most of the tales. Stevens's low-key conversational style makes for easy listening if adults want to select one or two for ecology units or Earth Day observances, but the volume is unlikely to attract a broad readership.—Kathy Piehl, Minnesota State University, Mankato