Greta and the Giants by Zoë Tucker, Illustrated by Zoe Persico

4 stars An allegorical tale of Greta Thunberg’s activism and how she’s inspired others to stand up to demand change. The use of talking animals and literal giants helps make this engaging for young children while sticking to its message of environmentalism. Though the characters are small compared to the giants, when they come together…

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Before After by Anne-Margot Ramstein and Matthias Arégui

4 stars A lovely beast of a book, packed with gorgeous illustrations and complex ideas. Much more intricate than it first appears. When I checked this out from the library, I was expecting the obvious before/after relationships (caterpillar to butterfly, acorn to tree). But this book goes far beyond that. Some are before and after…

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The Omnivore’s Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals by Michael Pollan

4 stars A fantastic look into modern food industries told in three parts. Each represents a way of obtaining food by following a specific source. Corn represents the industrial food complex, touching on corn surplus, monocultures, subsidies, health effects, the co-evolution of plants and humans, and concentrated animal feeding operations. Next is the pastoral view,…

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Swan: Poems and Prose Poems by Mary Oliver

5 stars Wow, what a beautiful collection of poems.  I picked this up on a whim from the Recently Returned cart at the library. I’ve been trying to read more poetry lately and was drawn in my the simple title and lovely cover art.  Then I started reading it. Oh my goodness. This is the…

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