Oil Spill!

Children's Literature - Susie Wilde

Children who are learning to read can learn about their world with the "Lets-Read-And-Find-Out Science" series. The series is well conceived such that the developmental reading and interest level are matched. Many outstanding nonfiction writers and illustrators are contributing to the series. Stage 2 for ages five to nine handles meatier issues with more complicated ideas and vocabulary like those found in Berger's Oil Spill! Kids will get a lot of general information about oil spills, clean up and the impact on marine life, and will get specifics about one of the worst in recent history-the Exxon Valdez oil spill.

Carolyn Phelan

Beginning with the events and effects of the "Exxon Valdez" disaster, Berger introduces children to the causes of oil spills, the ecological damage they cause, and the ideas and technologies developed to deal with them. Although the text is simple and clear, it's sometimes choppy: "Chemicals make the oil less harmful. But they add poisons to the water." Does cutting the sentence in two and treating the subordinate clause like a sentence really make it easier to read? Subtle in texture and deep in tone, the colorful artwork effectively illustrates marine animals and oil tankers; there are also diagrams of cleanup operations, maps, and fanciful ideas (the "1,000 big swimming pools" that could be filled with oil spilled from the "Exxon Valdez"). The book ends with suggestions for preventing oil spills, from conserving energy at home to writing letters to members of Congress requesting better oil transport legislation. From the Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science series, a good introduction to the subject. See Lauber, below, for another series title.