Often when we think about preserving our planet, we think of faraway rain forests or of pandas we’ve never seen. Truth is, when we talk of the environment, it’s easy to forget we have a role in it. The two books below, though vastly different, share a common message: Nature is a part of us, and we are a part of nature.
FAR-FETCHED FAIRY TALE WILL LURE YOU IN
The Far Side creator Gary Larson wiggles his way back into our hearts with his ecological fairy tale, “There’s a Hair in My Dirt! A Worm’s Story” ($16, HarperCollins). You see, Junior Worm is sick of being fish bait and of eating dirt. So Father Worm decides to teach his son a lesson: He tells a story about a maiden, Harriet, who strolls the forest. Although Harriet thinks she’s helping creatures, in truth, she’s a walking menace. Through Harriet’s encounters, Larson illustrates how every living thing – even worms – is connected yet competing for Earth’s resources.
Larson’s book is no fuzzy-animal children’s tale. (Let’s put it this way: the cartoonist says he takes his inspiration from Charles Darwin and Alfred Hitchcock.)But its quirky humor is sure to hook The Far Side fans.
– Carol Monaghan
ANTHOLOGY POINTS OUT THE PLIGHT OF OUR PLANET
“Anthology for the Earth,” edited by Judy Allen ($22, Candlewick Press), is a poignant collection of people’s writings on the environment. We hear from famous authors, Indian chiefs, environmentalists, Buddhists and regular kids about their love for nature. This beautiful book brings home the frightening message that we are destroying the delicate balance that is nature and endangering the Earth’s survival.
– Amanda Vogt
