Jankeliowitch profiles 45 children committed to environmental preservation and activism in this inspiring and upbeat volume, created with the GoodPlanet Foundation, founded by Arthus-Bertrand. An 11-year-old from Utah pioneers an organization devoted to removing invasive plant species, a 13-year-old Siberian girl helps collect water samples for a study on climate change, and a 15-year-old boy from Malaysia brings awareness to endangered animals through theater. The young activists appear in photographs with descriptions of their work, motivations, challenges, and successes. Allowing the children and their efforts to speak for themselves, the book suggests that curiosity, creativity, and mindfulness are key ingredients in making an impact. Ages 9-12. (Sept.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

Arthus-Bertrand not only contributes photographs to this inspiring compilation of stories but is also president of the book's formative organization, the GoodPlanet Foundation, which builds schools and provides educational resources in developing countries to combat the global ecological crisis. This volume is a compilation of successful interventions to environmental problems undertaken by some of the world's most forward-thinking, optimistic, and ambitious teens and children. Each kid's story begins with the identification of a problem that they experienced personally, and walks readers through the formation of a goal, the specific actions taken, and the positive outcomes of their successful plan. Each story is styled as an interview with direct quotes from the kids involved. Photographs are dynamic and stunning, and background information and statistics on environmental issues are included in the margins. Here are countless examples of the tremendous impact that one person with a clear goal can have, no matter their age.--Anderson, Erin Copyright 2014 Booklist

Gr 3-6-This slim but powerful volume profiles 45 young environmental activists who have initiated projects that are changing the world. Tween and teen activists ages nine through 16 and from countries around the world are featured, with a balance of gender, age, and ethnicity. Each two-to-four page profile includes an attention-grabbing tagline, biographical information, a one-line objective, a captioned photograph (typically a landscape), and a section in which the activist responds to prompts such as "My Advice" and "What I Am Most Proud Of." Pull-out quotations, websites, sidebars of background information, and several sections of shorter profiles complete the layout. Especially intriguing are projects that involve science (collecting water samples to help an international climate change study), the arts (painting, music, theater, and dance), and local social action (convincing one's school to replace disposable water bottles with reusable ones). The book acknowledges that some stories have multiple sides ("the pipeline and its construction will provide work for some people but...") and recognizes that sometimes success can require multiple attempts, resulting in an optimistic but well-rounded tone. Mentions of organizations large and small emphasize the power of community and will perhaps leave readers curious about how their peers were able to attend major international summits. Although the book lacks internal subdivisions, it will easily inspire readers to pursue their own environmental action projects.-Jill Ratzan, I. L. Peretz Community Jewish School, Somerset, NJ (c) Copyright 2014. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.