Nature – Why We Need to Care for Our Planet

Nature – Why We Need to Care for Our Planet by Joli Hannah and Amelia Herbertson (Albatross Books) HB RRP $29.99 ISBN: 9788000070070

Reviewed by Kellie Nissen

With our planet in its current state, the importance of books that focus on biodiversity, ecology, forestry and ecosystems, and that are written at a comprehensible level for young readers, is paramount.

In Nature – Why We Need to Care for Our Planet author Joli Hannah has crafted a range of chapters, each one focusing on a different aspect and each with a short relatable story and call to action.

With chapters on rainforests, farming, deforestation, coral reefs, commercial fishing and more, Joli Hannah has left no aspect unexplored and gives readers a taste of each, leaving them with the desire to set off and find out more for themselves.

Written in an easy-to-read style, with short chapters and digestible chunks of facts blended with story, readers are invited to consider the world around them with open eyes, to look at what we – as humans – have done, what we are still doing and, most importantly, what we could be doing to save our planet. The author’s passion for the environment is clear, and infectious.

The bright and beautiful illustrations by Amelia Herbertson offer, in themselves, hope for the future. They are perfect for the target readership, who may just be transitioning into the non-fiction genre, or who may find photos too confronting.

The final chapter, ‘What can we do for you, Earth?’ offers suggestions that are easy for children to implement, and that act as a springboard for further discussion, whether with parents and carers, or with teachers and peers at school. And the ending quote by marine biologist Sylvia Earle says it all:

“No one can do everything, but we can all do something.”

Nature – Why We Need to Care for Our Planet is perfect for children aged from 6 to 9 years, who are transitioning from shared to independent reading, or from fiction to non-fiction. This would also be the ideal book for teachers who work with English as an Additional Language or Dialect (EAL/D) students as a reading and comprehension focus, and a springboard for conversation.