Trouble on Earth Day Book Tour Review

Earth Day is approaching and Kathy Stemke is touring her book Trouble on Earth Day. Along with great guest blogging stops, Kathy is offering informative and fun recycling crafts for children on her own site. She’s showing them that helping the earth can be fun!  So, please stop by her site at: http://educationtipster.blogspot.com




 What is the Meaning and Symbolism of the earth Day Flag?
According to legend, it was created as a combination of the letters e and o, from the words environment and organism. This flag was also based on the Stars and Stripes of the US Flag. Green was substituted in place of blue and red. The colors represent "pure air and green land" and environmental action.

Trouble on Earth Day is available at a discounted price at: http://educationtipster.blogspot.com. It's also available through Amazon, B & N, and other online stores.

Throughout the book tour visitors will be asked to send their best EARTH photo to dancekam1@yahoo.com to be displayed on the last day of the tour. A winner will be selected and awarded a $10 gift card.

Now for my review:

Title: Trouble on Earth Day
Author: Kathy Stemke
Illustrator: Kurt Wilchen
Published by Wild Plains Press
ISBN: 978-1-936021-36-9
Reviewed by Karen Cioffi

As a proponent of conservation and the environment, I love children’s books that approach this topic in an engaging and entertaining format. Trouble on Earth Day by Kathy Stemke does just that.

The story begins with the main character, Shelby the squirrel, winning the Earth Day poster contest; the young reader is quickly brought into the focus of the story, our environment. Shelby’s poster has “Rethink, Reuse, and Recycle” boldly and colorfully written on it.

As the story progresses, Shelby and her parents discuss the different ways individuals and families can conserve, such as using old clothing for a quilt.

It also delves into the effects of deforestation. When Shelby hears the cries of a “little bird,” she searches until she finds it, then asks the bird what’s wrong. The bird explains, “The workman cut down my tree and my nest. I found a new tree, but I can only find twigs to make a new home.”

Using ingenuity and what she learned from her parents, Shelby helps the bird build a new nest using recyclable items from her home. Trouble on Earth Day will quickly heave children asking about the environment and looking around their homes for items that can be recycled.

Adding to the invitingness of this delightful story are amazing full page illustrations by Kurt Wilchen. Each page has vivid and bold illustrations that will surely grab and hold a young reader’s attention. Along with all this, Stemke includes pages and pages of activities, and additional information about conservation and the environment, all to help children better understand the story’s theme. It even includes a song titled “The Fuzzy Squirrel” that children can sing to with the music from “I’m a Little Teapot.”

Some of the activities and information include in Educator’s Edition:

• Reading comprehension activities
• Original topic related lyrics that children can sing to the melody of classic favorites
• Discussion topics, such as Why Trees are Important and What Things Can be Reused
• Games, including the Going Green Game
• Recycling activities, such as making napkin rings using recycled toilet paper rolls, recycling old CDs to make ornaments, and how to recycle old crayons
• Dolch Sight Word activity page

My favorite information page in Trouble on Earth Day briefly explains what went on before the first Earth Day in April 1970, what the focus of Earth day is, and why it’s so important.

Learning how each of us can take steps to protect our environment is important for children and adults alike. It will take all our efforts to help improve the environment for a healthier tomorrow. Trouble on Earth Day is a great start for children.

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Award winning author, Kathy Stemke’s first children’s picture book, Moving Through All Seven Days, was published on Lulu. Her next two picture books, Sh, Sh, Sh Let the Baby Sleep, and Trouble on Earth Day were released in 2011. Both of these books have been awarded the Children’s Literary Classics Seal of Approval.

Sh Sh Sh Let the Baby Sleep is available through the publisher,
http://guardianangelpublishing.com/shshsh.htm and through Amazon, B & N, and other online stores.

Being a teacher for 37 years, Kathy understands and loves children. It’s her desire to give parents and teachers exciting books and resources to help them teach their children all the things they need to have a successful life.

Mrs.Stemke offers great teaching tips and children’s book reviews as well as a monthly newsletter titled, MOVEMENT AND RHYTHM, on her blog. http://educationtipster.blogspot.com


Click on the Amazon link below to get your copy of Trouble on Earth Day:


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Other Reviews of Children's Books You May Like:

Day’s End Lullaby Video Review
Ruthie and Hippo’s Fat Behind
The Power of the Penny
Walking Through Walls Review by Margo Dill

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Until next time,

Karen Cioffi
Multi-award winning Author, Freelance/Ghostwriter, Editor, Marketer

Find Karen’s eBooks on writing and marketing at:
http://karencioffifreelancewriter.com

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