Celebrating Earth Day with Educational Books for Kids Prize Pk

Earth Day was introduced to the world on April 22, 1970, and it has been a yearly reminder of the strives and achievements we’ve made so far to keep our planet and its resources protected. Older generations did a bad job of keeping Earth clean, healthy, and thriving. It’s up to the current and future generations to undo the harm and devastation created by greed, neglect, and carelessness. The best way to do this is through educating our children and grandchildren, so they are consciously aware of what environmental and ecological issues need addressing and how to turn them around to save our beautiful blue globe from further ruin.

Harbor House has launched two non-fiction books for kids that will prepare, train and teach them about our natural world. These books will give kids and their families the knowledge, wisdom, and guidance to live in harmony with our beloved planet. Kids love sharing what they learn and they are eager to put their new knowledge into practice.

The Science & Superpowers of Seaweed

I was raised on a beach strip and on many days I would walk along the shoreline, only to see it disturbed by clumps of seaweed. Back then I didn’t appreciate the value of this marine plant, nor were we educated on its usefulness. Fast forward several decades and you’ll find lots of educational resources written by experts in their field, with the sole purpose of teaching and educating the next generation on how to care for our planet. This is where the informative and colorful, activity-packed book, The Science & Superpower of Seaweed, A Guide for Kids, will be of service to the young kids of today. It’s all about kelp.

As kids explore the pages of this book, they will glean insight into the various kinds of kelp. Plus there are oodles of full-color photos, fun-fact boxes, and cool activities that kids can participate in at home.

Readers will learn that some seaweeds are edible and some are not. And they come in so many different colors – pink, purple, golden yellow, emerald green, with some even being iridescent. Did you know that bull kelp can grow up to 40 meters long and is one of the fastest-growing organisms in the world? It’s also part of underwater forests called kelp forests. It’s in these forests that some sea creatures call home, like crabs, jellyfish, seals, sea lions, orcas, and other whales.

In addition to providing homes for marine life, seaweed also provides vitamins and minerals that protect our bodies from disease. It also adds flavor to many culinary dishes like soups, stir-fries, smoothies, and more. I personally use Dulse every day as a dietary supplement and Irish Moss (that grows around the Atlantic coast) in several recipes, including vegan cheese. It’s a great thickener, and its collagen is good for your hair, skin, and thyroid. It’s also beneficial for health conditions like arthritis, fiber myalgia, and even wrinkles. You’ll also find a few recipes in this book that your family can make with seaweed.

“Seaweed is also critical to the health of the planet. Were you aware that seaweed produces oxygen that we need to breathe, to keep the earth cool and provide nourishment for thousands of kinds of sea creatures?” Did you know that many seaweeds can protect against sun damage? You can apply the gel inside rockweed as a natural and coral-safe sunscreen.

This book is brimming with awesome information about seaweed. The more you learn about it, the more you will want to include it in your life. It’s an amazing plant and of great value to your planet.

A Kid’s Guide to Plants of the Pacific Northwest

A Kid’s Guide to Plants of the Pacific Northwest not only encourages kids to enjoy being outside but also teaches them about fifty-five fabulous flora growing in their area. This little compendium is bursting with plant descriptions, fun stories, recipes, games and oodles of hands-on activities.

The onset of the book shares a safety message. It’s important that children consult an adult before attempting to eat a wild plant. Many are poisonous and the goal of this resource is to educate kids and imperatively, keep them safe. Six symbols are provided for readers so they know more about the plants they are reading about. These include Not edible, but it won’t kill you | Edible | Rare, so don’t pick | This plant has medicinal value | This activity needs an adult’s help | and Poisonous, so don’t touch it!

As a vegan and nature lover, I love plants. I found this book so informative and insightful; there are so many interesting facts about plants I never knew about. Plants are everywhere and are used for an abundance of reasons including food, clothing, fuel, and medicine. It’s up to us to learn how to use them consciously while protecting the planet. So, it’s probably good to know their names and what value they offer man and animal.

Kids and parents will enjoy reading about the Dos and Don’ts of wildcrafting plants. Do you know what they are? I didn’t. Some of these include Do not take more than one plant out of ten, Leave rare plants alone, Watch out for poison, and Thank the plants. If every person followed these simple but effective guidelines, we would have an abundance of safe plants and a much cleaner earth.

As kids peruse the book, they will find a diagram of the plant, symbol, guild, description, and some cool facts. Did you know that dried Bracken Fern can be used to make a bed? Did you know that another name for Horestail is Scouring Rush? It’s good for scrubbing and polishing, and it can be used to clean your dishes and brush your teeth while camping. Did you know you can eat the young leaves of an Oxeye Daisy plant? Add them to your salad for a sweet vanilla flavor. Ever hear of Hooker’s Willow? Its bendy branches can be used for making baskets and its bark has long been used for headaches and pain. Did you know that the Western or Pacific Yew is poisonous? But its wood was used for making tools in the past. I bet you didn’t know that you can use a specific plant instead of toilet paper.

The book also shares plants that are available during the four seasons. Winter is a great season to embrace evergreen trees. And it’s during this season that sap will start running in the trees. Kids can learn how to harvest their own maple syrup. Sounds yummy. By the way, maple blossoms are edible.

There is so much to take in with oodles of full-color photos and illustrations, lots of pop-up fact boxes, and cool activities. This book is a great resource that kids can refer to over and over as they learn to live with the plants in their area.

Disclaimer: I received complimentary products to facilitate a review. All opinions are my own, yours may differ.