Making a Splash!

Great Science Books for Kids!

While all of us who contribute to this blog, create books for children, I would like to share two titles with you that you might not yet have seen.

Captain Jacques-Yves Cousteau was was a French naval officer, explorer, conservationist, filmmaker, and author. He also became a world renowned scientist. As if that wasn’t enough, he co-developed the Aqua-Lung, enabling scuba diving, and pioneered marine conservation. Cousteau left his mark for ever on the planet. When Cousteau and his teams embarked aboard his ship Calypso to explore the world, no one yet knew about the effects of pollution, over- exploitation of resources and coastal development. The films of Calypso's adventures drew the public's attention to the potentially disastrous environmental consequences of human negligence. Cousteau, through his life and his work, was a major player in the environmental movement.

Now his grandson Philippe has taken up the cause and is following in his grandfather’s footsteps by bringing awareness about oceans to young readers. “Everything you do makes a difference,” he says, “What can you do to make a positive difference?” Together with renowned educator and award winning author Cathryn Berger-Kaye, this dynamic team has produced two recent books with Free Spirit Publishing. Make a Splash, a Kid’s Guide to Protecting Oceans, Lakes, Rivers and Wetlands is aimed at ages 8-12. It gives crucial information and ideas through bright photos and activities. The book features kids who have made a difference and offers tools to kids who are interested in doing the same.

www.freespirit.com/splash offers an online guide to parents and educators.

Going Blue is the accompanying title aimed at teens in grades 6 and up. The book encourages investigation into problems, demonstrates how to prepare for action, how to reflect on results and how to actually make a difference in protecting the environment.

Water is the most important substance on Earth, the authors state; and go on to explain that it is also the most threatened by climate change, trash, and pollution (such as the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico). Young people across the globe are responding to the world water crisis by transforming their ideas and energy into action and participating in service learning. The call to service is being sounded by world leaders such as President Barack Obama, Jane Goodall, and by Philippe Cousteau. Teens are answering the call to help our environment by being green, and to rescue our oceans and waterways by going blue.

Going Blue vividly presents facts and statistics about Earth’s oceans and waterways and information about the issues surrounding our current water crisis. Readers will find a wealth of strategies and examples that help them see themselves as change agents and move forward to complete an effective service project. The book is divided into the five stages of service learning:

STAGE1: Find Out - Investigate
STAGE2: Dive In - Prepare
STAGE3:  Get Going! - Act
STAGE4: Think Back! - Reflect
STAGE5: Tell It! - Demonstrate

Using real case studies, this book gives teens tools to tackle their own concerns and raises environmental awareness to a whole new level. Know a kid who likes to dive? Give them this book!

Go to this website: www.freespirit.com/goingblue- scroll down to the PDF’s of several chapters and print off activities.

Also by Cathryn Berger-Kaye: A Kids’ Guide to Climate Change & Global Warming, How to Take Action!