Running Dry

January 1, 2015

Gr 4-8-This title provides a clear and concise look at the importance of fresh water in sustaining life on earth. An introduction explains where fresh water is available and where it is most needed, while subsequent chapters discuss how water is tainted and where, the concept of supply and demand, and our changing climate. Fast facts, statistics, and information on governmental policies and scientific innovations that may help save water are all presented, allowing readers a brief overview of this global issue. The information is organized well, and the accompanying photos will enhance understanding. Both the length and format (comprised of short sections that shed light on various topics, such as water conservation, water rights, fracking, and the water cycle) of the book will appeal to those with little or no background on the subject. An excellent source for student research.-Denise Moore, O'Gorman Junior High School, Sioux Falls, SD

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November 15, 2014
In urgent tones, a call for action as climate change and continuing waste and pollution of available fresh water pose imminent threats to human health and agriculture.Drawing from recently published reports and news stories, Kallen paints an alarming picture. Aquifers are being sucked dry by large-scale agriculture, lake levels are falling, and water sources above- and belowground are being polluted. Though he points to a few significant counterefforts-the Clean Water Act (1972) in the United States and local initiatives elsewhere, such as "rainwater harvesting" ponds in India and Kenya-these come off as spotty responses that are often hobbled by political and corporate foot-dragging. He also points to shrinking glaciers and snow packs (plus, for added gloom, superstorms like Sandy) as harbingers of climate change that will lead to widespread future disaster. Aside from occasional incidents or examples and rare if telling photos, though, this jeremiad is largely composed of generalities and big numbers-not a formula for motivating young readers. Nor does the author offer budding eco-activists much in the way of either hope or ways to become part of the solution; for the latter, at least, Cathryn Berger Kaye's Going Blue: A Teen's Guide to Saving Our Oceans, Lakes, Rivers, & Wetlands (2010) is a better choice. Cogent of topic, but for readability, it's aptly titled. (source notes, multimedia resource lists, index) (Nonfiction. 12-14)

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January 1, 2015
Grades 8-12 This short, accessible book provides information on the growing water crisis. Looking at the subject globally, the discussion includes matters such as the dwindling supply of fresh water, its pollution by agriculture and industry, the dramatic effects of climate change, and the increasing competition for water. Kallen writes clearly and bolsters his arguments with specifics, such as the diminishing Ogallala aquifer, which lies beneath eight arid American states and supplies drinking water as well as nearly a third of the nation's irrigation water. Approximately 240 feet deep in the 1950s, it averages about 80 feet deep today. While the color photos are often rather small, they are well chosen and clearly reproduced. At intervals throughout the book, excellent sidebars and full-page features spotlight pertinent topics such as the desalination of sea water, the destructive effects of ethanol production on aquifers and river systems, and the 2014 chemical spill that contaminated drinking water in Charleston, West Virginia. This timely, informative resource offers young people facts and perspective on this vital topic.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)