Gabby and Grandma Go Green

February 28, 2011
In this earnest picture book, carrot-top Gabby spends a day with her grandmother celebrating the environment. They sew their own reusable grocery bags, visit a farmer's market, and check out books about "save the Earth" projects from the library. Gabby and Grandma's activities are rendered in sunny gouache and photo collage, while tips and reminders about protecting the planet appear on sidewalks, signs, and in border art ("Save those scraps for compost," shouts a recurring mouse character who, with his megaphone, comes across as just a little hectoring). Though the overall effect is rather instructional, Wellington energetically weaves an optimistic green message into an urban backdrop. Ages 3–5.

February 1, 2011

When Gabby comes to visit her grandmother, they give their day a green focus, reusing, returning, refilling and recycling. With shopping bags they made from Grandma's old dress, they carry plastic bottles to the supermarket for recycling and purchase a few groceries. Going on to a farmer's market, they buy local fruits and vegetables, cheese, bread and cookies and get an egg carton refilled. They make sandwiches to take to picnic in the park. Finally they visit the library to look for books with more "save the Earth projects." Naturally, they walk everywhere, in an urban neighborhood with a community garden, secondhand stores, signs extolling mass transit, a library advertising the author's books and a post office displaying 20-cent bird stamps. The cheerful illustrations are painted in gouache, with clean lines and simple shapes. Details cut from color photographs provide collage accents. Some illustrations are full bleed; others are in boxes, like the straightforward text. These are surrounded by sketches of relevant objects, providing plenty for a pre-reader to identify. There are further ideas for going green, and a cartoon mouse adds comments and suggestions. The book will conclude with instructions for sewing a cloth bag, green activities and a list of green websites, none seen by reviewer. (Picture book. 3-6)

(COPYRIGHT (2011) KIRKUS REVIEWS/NIELSEN BUSINESS MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.)

March 1, 2011

K-Gr 1-This simple book about recycling, reusing, and reducing is so focused on getting its message across that it ends up being dry and rather dull. Gabby and her grandmother spend a day together, first making cloth bags, then shopping, recycling, picnicking, and talking about other things they can do to preserve the environment. The ideas are not new, and the characters are not well developed. The illustrations are flat-people appear like paper dolls, without personality. On most pages a tiny mouse with a megaphone repeats the lesson illustrated, such as "Not a plastic bag in sight," or "Let's recycle glass, plastic, and paper." Unfortunately, it is not engaging enough to distract from the preachiness of its messages. Janet S. Wong's The Dumpster Diver (Candlewick, 2007), Melanie Walsh's 10 Things I Can Do to Help My World (Candlewick, 2008), or any of the recent titles about Nobel Peace Prize laureate Wangari Maathai, such as Janet Winter's Wangari's Trees of Peace (Harcourt, 2008); Dona Napoli's Mama Miti (S & S, 2010); or Claire A. Nivola's Planting the Trees of Kenya (Farrar, 2008) are better choices.-Mary Hazelton, Elementary Schools in Warren & Waldoboro, ME

Copyright 2011 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

March 1, 2011
Preschool-G Young Gabby and her gray-haired grandmother decide their day will be a green one. First, the duo makes cloth bags. Once done, its off to the farmers market to buy locally produced products (carried in their new bags), to the park to play and recycle their reading matter, and then over to the library to check out books with more earth projects. This upbeat picture book is charming and attractive. As usual, Wellingtons clever use of design and bits of collage add to the appeal. Here, most pictures are actively bordered with small items, like recycle stickers and a tiny mouse scampering about, saying things like, Waste not, want not! The rounded, simple shapes give the art a childlike feel, and the many things to look at can turn the book into an interactive experience as adults ask children what they spy. Instructions for making a cloth bag and other green activities were not seen but will be included in the final book. A delightful way to introduce going green.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2011, American Library Association.)