Earth Day, Book Spotlight, Print vs. Electronic, Vote for BookTree  /  April 2019


Raising Eco-Savvy Children
Through Reading
Sharing stories to help children understand the importance of caring for our planet is a perfect way to cultivate caring and ecologically minded citizens, not just on Earth Day April 22, or during periods of drought or fire, but every day! Inspire young imaginations with stories of animals in their natural homes, children on another continent walking to get their families water from a well, or transforming an environment by patiently nurturing what we plant.

Teaching children to care for our communal home teaches empathy for other people and creatures, responsibility and gratitude for what we have, and the necessity of sharing. This spring, read books such as the ones featured below to stimulate your child's intellectual and emotional growth while strengthening core value roots.

- Kathy Balch, BookTree Founder
Book Spotlight: Environmental Awareness
Our Big Home, by Linda Glaser and illustrator Elisa Kleven . Exquisite poetry and artwork guide children to a deeper understanding of the interconnectedness of our planet and its inhabitants, for ages 2 and up.

The Great Kapok Tree: A Tale of the Amazon Rain Forest , by  Lynne Cherry. Vividly illustrated story that teaches the criticality of trees and the intricate relationships among rain forest flora and fauna, for ages 3 and up.

Compost Stew: An A to Z Recipe for the Earth, by Mary McKenna Siddals and illustrator Ashley Wolff. Engaging rhyming, alphabetical, and multicultural recipe for composting with bright, collage-style artwork, for ages 2 and up.

The Water Princess, by Susan Verde and illustrator Peter H. Reynolds. Moving biographical vignette from the childhood of model Georgie Badiel who walked daily for miles to draw water from a well in West Africa, for ages 4 and up.

The Gardener, by Sarah Stewart and illustrator David Small. Inspiring 1930's era story of a young country girl who goes to the city to live with her uncle and brings a passion for gardening that gradually transforms her surroundings, for ages 4 and up.
Print vs. Electronic: Latest Research

A recent  study published in the journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics concludes that print books are superior to both basic and enhanced electronic books when it comes to dialogic collaboration, verbalization, emotional expression, and overall effectiveness. Perri Klass, M.D., discusses the results in a March 2019  New York Times article.
Please Vote for BookTree in Bay Area Parent's "Best of the Best" Contest!

In 2018 BookTree took bronze in Bay Area Parent's "Best of the Best" awards in the "Tutoring or Education Support Program" category. We would be thrilled if you can take a minute and vote for BookTree in 2019 in SF/Marin and/or  Peninsula. You can vote once per week; polls close midnight April 30th. Thank you so much for your support in maintaining BookTree's visibility and reputation!
BookTree serves over 200 locations in San Francisco, the peninsula from Sunnyvale north, Marin County,
and western Los Angeles County. Have an idea for a location we should serve? Email us!
Like us on Facebook