Resources


Reviewers in this issue: Will Burton, Laura O'Brien, Julie Stinson, Veronica Uzielli,


Stacey Widenhofer and Kim Zumach. The Acadia Files


I want to be ten years old again, so I can read (and learn from) the series of books called The Acadia Files. They are joyful small books about a 10-year- old girl, Acadia,


and her science teacher parents. The author, Katie Coppens, uses the parents as the guiding forces in helping Acadia find the answers to her questions: Who ate my blueberries? Why do I have curly hair? Where does sand come from? Why do the leaves change colors? She uses a science journal (with amazing il- lustrations by Holly Hatan) to write her hypotheses, results, ideas, and other considerations. The stories are short enough to hold your attention, and the illustrations add fun and whimsy to each subject. I read the first two books in the series, Summer and Autumn, and might secretly go find Book 3 (Winter) in the library. Appropriate for Grades 2 through 6. – (SW)


The Acadia Files, Katie Coppens illustrated by Holly Hatan.


Summer Science - Tilbury House Publishers, 2018, ISBN 978-0-88448-601-5 (hc), 85pp, US $13.95 from www.tilburyhouse.com.


Autumn Science - Tilbury House Publishers, 2018, ISBN 978-0-88448-604-6 (hc), 73pp, US $13.95 from www.tilburyhouse.com.


Beastly Brains The brain is a highly complex organ that has been researched for decades. Beastly Brains: Exploring How Animals Think, Talk and Feel by


Nancy F. Castaldo is a small power- house of a book. It is full of history and


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scientific studies that help us under- stand how the brains of animals work, specifically with regards to communi- cation, tool use, and the ability to feel empathy. It turns out that humans are not alone in their complex feelings and emotions towards each other. Castaldo discusses Darwin’s early studies on earthworms, Jane Goodall’s ground- breaking work with chimpanzees, communication between dolphins, jeal- ousy in dogs, intelligence in crows and parrots, and self-awareness in Asian Elephants. There is so much more for humans to learn about the intellectual intricacies of different species and how our understanding about animals and their thinking has evolved. This book is a great resource for ages 12 and up. – (SW)


Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Com- pany, 2017, ISBN 978-0-544-63335-3 (hb), 152 pp, US $16.99 from www.hmhco.com.


Don’t Even Think About It George Marshall explores why so many citizens in the rich industrial- ized West are skeptical of or outright deny the existence of climate change. A lifelong environmentalist, Marshall considers the psychological founda- tions behind this question in Don’t Even Think About It. Short chapters weave a narrative that pulls together interviews with skeptics/deniers (such as politi- cians, Tea Party members, and Think Tanks),


a range of psychologists, as well as those working within the environmen- tal movement itself, notably James Hansen and Michael Mann. Most of the author’s critique is saved for the media and scientists themselves for the failure of the environmentalist move- ment. Indeed, Don’t Even Think About It reads like a widened exploration of Shellenberger and Nordhaus’s 2007 article The Death of Environmentalism, in which the authors lament the failings of the environmental movement to cre- ate a coherent and galvanizing narra- tive. Marshall suggests early on in the book that he has “become convinced that the real battle for mass action will


Green Teacher 119


not be won through enemy narratives and that we need to find narratives based on cooperation, mutual interests, and our common humanity” (p. 42). What this book offers an educator is the suggestion that taking this approach within the classroom is essential if we are to draw youth onto the side of the believers in climate change. – (WB)


Bloomsbury USA: 2014, ISBN 978- 1620401330(pb), also available as hardback and ebook; 272 pp.; US$14.45 from amazon. com.


Eat Up!


This colourful book by An- tonia Banyard and Paula Ayer challenges us to find out where our food comes from so that we can become


more food literate. Eat Up! An Info- graphic Exploration of Food is full of interesting trivia that ranges from the history of food through to nutritional information. While fun and engaging, this vibrant infographic doesn’t shy away from difficult issues like factory farming, the prevalence of processed food, and how to grow enough food to feed the world. This book is well suited to upper-intermediate and middle- school-aged students. – (KZ)


Annick Press, 2017; ISBN 978-1-55451-883- 8(pb), also available as hardback and ebook; 72 pp.; $12.95 US from annickpress.com.


Foodspan.org website Visit the Foodspan website for a boun- ty of resources on teaching about all aspects of food. From the homepage, “this free, downloadable curriculum provides high school students with a deep understanding of critical food system issues, empowers them to make healthy and responsible food choic- es, and encourages them to become advocates for food system change.” The lessons are organized into four parts: Meet the Food System; Farmers, Factories, and Food Chains; Consum- ers and Communities; and the Food Citizen Action Project. You have the opportunity to download the entire curriculum lesson plans, with the option of also including handouts and slides. Students will learn the impor-


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