Mini-Post: What I’m Reading

This past weekend was pretty laid back. My parents were in town for a nice visit and we spent most of the time visiting with little time for any projects to report on. Not much on my eco-radar this week besides the great Chipolte/Willie Nelson/Coldplay commercial during the Grammy’s. If you missed it, it was amazing and l LOVED it!!! You can see it here.

Even with the busy weekend I was able to get in some reading and I thought you all might be interested to see what’s in my reading queue lately!

Currently reading:    

             

 Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children From Nature-Deficit Disorder by Richard Louv

This book, which I am just starting, is based on the idea that today's child has replaced natural play (i.e. outside with other children) with a solitary, digital lifestyle revolving around television and video games. It also supports the belief that the increased diagnosis of ADD and ADHD in children is linked to this disconnect with nature. I have personally felt this way for a long time and was very excited to discover this book and a name (although not scientific) for this “nature deficit”. More to come on this later…

Just finished in my classroom:

Four Against The Odds: The Struggle To Save Our Environment (Scholastic Biography) by Stephen Krensky

This is a great book for the high elementary to middle school reader. This book features a series of short biographies about four unique individuals who were ahead of their times in the fight for the environment. The Four Against the Odds include: John Muir who saved Yosemite National Park and founded the Sierra Club in the late 1800s to early 1900s; Racheal Carson who fought pesticide companies for safer practices and showed the world that these chemical not only kill bugs, they kill people too; Lois Gibbs who fought against her city for the evacuation and reimbursement for a neighborhood built on a toxic waste dump; and finally Chico Mendes who lost his life due to his commitment to the fight to save the rainforests.

The Down-to-Earth Guide To Global Warming by Laurie David and Cambria Gordon

This is another great book for the elementary reader or anyone who wants a very understandable guide to the ins and outs of global warming. This book is packed with fun illustrations and great pictures that really engage the reader. The book also does a great job of breaking down environmental lingo into everyday terms that the reader can wrap their head around.

Just finished in my leisure:

Clapton: The Autobiography by Eric Clapton

I’m a biography lover and I’ve had this book for a while. I made a deal with myself that I could not buy anymore Kindle books until I finished the last of my hard copies on my shelf (one to go, Chelsea, Chelsea, Bang, Bang!). I loved this book! I may be biased because I have been in love with Eric Clapton since a 6^th grade ski trip when I heard Timepieces for the first time! The book begins with Clapton as a child discovering a mistruth about his grandparents and follows the guitar legend through a series of ups and downs both musically and personally. Spoiler Alert: It has a happy ending! J

I hope this gives you few books to add to your reading list. If you have any good reads, please share!

Buzz!!