Nature: Why We Need to Care for Our Planet (The WHY Files) [Hardcover] Hannah, Joli and Herbertson, Amelia

Proud holder of the 2024 California Reading Association Eureka Silver Award

Using little stories about environmental protection, this beautifully illustrated book will enchant readers with its vivid landscapes.

In this book, young readers will embark on an inspiring ecological journey to learn about the importance of protecting our planet. Through a series of captivating stories, kids will learn about topics such as biodiversity, deforestation, and how each and every person can make a positive impact on our environment.

Each page is filled with illustrations that vividly bring to life the natural world, from lush green forests to deep blue oceans. The stories and images create a powerful and inspiring message about the beauty and fragility of our planet. Young readers are encouraged to think deeply about their own impact on the environment and are asked to consider important questions about how they can make a difference.

Sections include:

• Our Lifestyle: We must give back to nature, which provides us with food, water, air, and sunshine, and remember that we share this planet with other living beings.

• Connections: Our well-being depends on fulfilling essential needs like clean air, water, nutrients, and socializing.

• Modern Life: A girl named Jane’s unhealthy lifestyle caused exhaustion by overconsuming, being inactive, and using her phone excessively, leading to less enjoyment of life.

• A Call for Help: Jane’s exhaustion underscores the importance of us meeting our basic needs, and it also mirrors our need to care for the planet.

• Land Conservation: Sir David Attenborough expresses his concern for the Earth due to human activities that harm the environment, but he also holds hope for a better future.

• Ecological Footprints: The Earth and we people have limits, and ecological footprints help us measure how our actions impact the planet, reminding us to use natural resources wisely.

• Rainforests: Rainforests, like the Amazon, absorb and store carbon dioxide, acting as "the lungs of the planet" and purifying the air for humans.

• Biodiversity: Rainforests exhibit high biodiversity, but human activities like farming and economic development are continually leading to their loss.

• Deforestation: Deforestation and human activities harm rainforests, reducing biodiversity, valuable species, and the forest’s carbon processing ability, exacerbating global warming.

• Farming: We often overlook the impact of our actions on nature, using more and more land for food production.

• Our Species: Human actions are harming the planet by depleting resources and causing pollution. We must remedy this.

• The Miracle of the Ocean: The ocean regulates temperature, absorbs CO₂, and its plant life absorbs more greenhouse gases than land forests.

• The Coral Reef: The ocean absorbs CO₂ and is crucial for life, but its acidity is harming underwater life. Coral reefs are being destroyed by global warming and overfishing.

• Commercial Fishing: Fishing harms ocean life, and fish farming can be harmful.

• The Ocean: Sustainable fishing means only catching what we need to eat, giving the ocean time to recover, and not relying too much on fishing.

• The Earth Has a Fever: Human progress has harmful consequences: greenhouse gases warm the planet, leading to devastating outcomes.

• Ecological Extinction: The Earth’s getting hotter causes air pollution, water contamination, and wildfires that damage nature irreparably.

• Balance: Balance and stability in the ecosystem are crucial for our well-being, and it’s up to us to take care of our bodies and maintain a healthy environment.

• Balance Restored: Jane found balance in nature, friendships, healthy food, and rest, which brought joy and transformed sadness.

• What Can We Do For You, Earth?: Sustaining biodiversity in rainforests and oceans, reducing waste, meat consumption, and embracing reusable products can support the environment.

In Nature, children aged 7–11 will learn about the importance of preserving the natural world, and be inspired to take action to protect it. This book is perfect for kids who are curious about the world around them, and who want to make a positive difference in their communities and beyond.

Joli Hannah, a children’s book author and publisher, started working with international publishers in 2000 to create children’s books, which over time she began writing herself. She is raising three children in a charming house in the countryside, and every night before bedtime, she reads or invents original stories for them. Joli works under a pseudonym, as she wishes her readers to perceive her through her stories and not through her image on social media. She loves life, people, and their stories, and was born and raised in an industrial city in Central Europe.

Amelia Herbertson is an illustrator known for her vibrant and colorful artworks inspired by her love of nature and botanicals. In her cozy, plant-filled studio, she works primarily with watercolor and gouache. Her quirky illustrations have been featured on stationery, home décor, and a range of trinket dishes for the homeware brand Anthropologie. In addition to her illustration work, Amelia enjoys gardening, watching cheesy eighties movies, and reading a book with a cup of tea. She is based in Sydney, Australia.