Mother Earth

By Contributor Stephanie Young

My 8-year-old son and I love to read books. We’re also pretty outdoorsy and enjoy learning about the Earth and science.

So the book “How Are You, Mother Earth? We’re Taking You to the Doctor!” was a good fit for us to check out.

Mother Earth Book
Mother Earth Book
Mother Earth Book

The premise is unique. Mother Earth goes to the doctor for a checkup, including her age, weight, pressure, respiration and air quality, circulation and fluid analysis, dermatology and temperature. This starting point allows the author to examine environmental issues in an easily relatable and not too science heavy way.

I have to say the environmental issues, while interesting, were a bit beyond my 8-year-old. What he did enjoy, however, were the facts we learned about Mother Earth.

These were things like:

  • Earth’s mass is 10.6 septillion pounds (that got my math whiz in a big discussion)
  • Earth “breathes” with carbon dioxide increasing in fall/winter and dropping in spring/summer
  • Discussion of the cycle of evaporation and precipitation.
  • Discussion of currents, mountains, trenches, asteroids and geology.

There were plenty of maps, charts and graphs for illustration, and environmental topics included mercury, carbon dioxide, coal mining, oil and gas drilling, timber harvesting and forest clearing, landfills and population growth.

The author’s conclusion was very clear: Seek alternate energy sources.

This 42-page book would serve as a good starting point for environmental discussions with older kids. And I have to admit, I learned a lot from reading it too.

From author Gordon Hunter, retired professor emeritus of biology and public school science consultant:

“Focusing on global warming, climate change and natural energy consumption, How Are You Mother Earth? Puts the current ‘health’ of the environment into perspective without complicated scientific explanations. Proposing that the government, corporations and the general public work together toward this worthy cause, Hunter’s new book will have readers thinking twice about their choices and actions.” 

Paperback: $24.40
E-Book: $3.99
Available at http://amazon.com, http://barnesandnoble.com and http://bookstore.trafford.com

Stephanie Young lives in the heart of Kansas where she is mom to a spirited 8-year-old boy, self- employed with her husband and writes the blog From the Burbs to the Boonies about living large in small-town U.S.A.