Natural and Human-Made

Children's Literature - Marilyn Courtot

I guess my first reaction to this title was a chuckle at how politically correct it is, but then I thought, why not start the concept of gender neutrality in the earliest readers? The opening example is quite good. It shows natural sand, and sitting on top are human-made plastic pails and shovels. Wood and cotton are natural resources. Wood can be used by people to build homes and cotton is used to create cloth, which in turn is fabricated into clothing. Returning again to sand, readers learn that it is the major component of glass and, in later pages, that plastics are petroleum based. The closing pages contain a glossary, two additional books to read, and a reference to FactHound to learn more at various Internet sites. There is an index, information useful to reading teachers, and another note at the front of the book that states, "The Nature Basics set supports National Science Standards related to earth and life science." Excellent photographs and illustrations and a clear writing style make this an attractive early reader. Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot