The Secret Garden of George Washington Carver & Earth Hour (Mini-Review)

Series: N/A
# of Pages: 40
Publication: January 14th, 2020
Source: Library Copy
Genre: Non-Fiction Picture Book
Goodreads | Amazon 

The inspirational story of George Washington Carver and his childhood secret garden is brought to life in this picture book biography by the author-illustrator team behind Muhammad Ali: A Champion Is Born. When George Washington Carver was just a young child, he had a secret: a garden of his own. Here, he rolled dirt between his fingers to check if plants needed more rain or sun. He protected roots through harsh winters, so plants could be reborn in the spring. He trimmed flowers, spread soil, studied life cycles. And it was in this very place that George’s love of nature sprouted into something so much more—his future. Gene Barretta’s moving words and Frank Morrison’s beautiful paintings tell the inspiring life and history of George Washington Carver, from a baby born into slavery to celebrated botanist, scientist, and inventor. His passion and determination are the seeds to this lasting story about triumph over hardship—a tale that begins in a secret garden.

This book was AMAZING. Of course I’ve heard of George Washington Carver and I know a little bit about his legacy however I’m always amazed of how much you can learn from children’s nonfiction books. They can be phenomenal. This book really made me learn a lot about his past and why he was so passionate about agriculture. I think that people always recognize his ability to utilize the peanut in so many different ways but I think that this book definitely provides much more insight to his life. There was so much I didn’t know. For example, I had no idea that he even acquired a Masters degree! It’s such a phenomenal story. And the artwork adds a special touch. Each picture within the book showcases the artists' ability to capture detail while making sure the pictures remained soft and appeal to the eye. If you're interested in teaching your children more about historical figures I would definitely recommend checking this one out. 

Series: N/A

# of Pages: 32

Publication: January 21st, 2020

Source: Library Copy

Genre: Non-Fiction Picture Book 

Goodreads  | Amazon 

Click flashlights, light lanterns, get ready to turn electric lights out to celebrate Earth Hour! Wherever you come from, you can help our planet. Kids around the world use electric energy to do all kinds of things--adults do, too! From cleaning the clothes we play in, to lighting up our dinner tables, to keeping us warm and toasty when the weather is cold, electricity is a huge part of our lives. Unfortunately, it can also have a big impact on our planet. Earth Hour--a worldwide movement in support of energy conservation and sustainability--takes place each March and is sponsored by the World Wildlife Fund for Nature (WWF). During Earth Hour, individuals, communities, and businesses in more than 7,000 cities turn off nonessential electric lights for one hour. Across each continent--from the Eiffel Tower to the Great Wall of China to the Statue of Liberty--one small act reminds all of us of our enormous impact on planet Earth.

Okayyyyy so I feel so bad because before reading this book I was highly unaware of Earth Hour and I feel like I definitely should be doing better about energy conservation. The illustrations and the diversity showcased in this book were great! If you didn’t know Earth Hour occurs this year on March 28th at 8:30pm and I’m definitely going to participate. I think with the direction that our planet is going in it’s definitely important to teach our little ones about taking care of the planet and how we can do better about conserving energy. I know that a lot of things have changed since the beginning of the pandemic, but I know that this is something that the world is still going to be thinking about once this is all done and over. I hope that even during this difficult time people still consider participating.