Alternate Energy Sources

School Library Journal

Gr 5-7Three books that focus on people of different ages and walks of life and the environmental changes that they have effected. Alternative Energy Sources describes their efforts involving new solar and wind-power technology, house-building methods that gather and conserve heat, and alternative ways to power vehicles. Natural Foods focuses on global techniques to grow organic produce, using small spaces, environmentally sensitive methods, and ethical practices. Protecting Our Air, Land, and Water has a strong conservation bent, with standard fare about preserving wetlands, old-growth forests, and methods to make one's community environmentally aware. The two-to-four page chapters, which the authors refer to as stories about ordinary people achieving the extraordinary, are nevertheless packed with facts. Each book contains approximately 18 different endeavors, with frequent clear full-color photographs or diagrams. A particularly useful feature is an address and/or telephone number to contact for more information about each organization. Perfect for short reports that raise awareness of factors influencing our global environment.Shannon VanHemert, Memphis/Shelby County Public Library, TN