Planet Ark

Hardcover Jacket
978-1-55453-753-2 | Apr 1, 2013 List Price:
USD $18.95, CAD $19.95

4-color • 9 x 12 • 32 pages
Grades: 3 To 7 / Ages: 8 to 12

In this illustrated nonfiction book, author Adrienne Mason compares planet Earth today to Noah’s ark, as it travels through the universe carrying every living thing and whatever each one needs for its survival. As explained in the introduction: “For billions of years, life on Earth has been evolving. The result — a rich biodiversity — is the foundation of life on our planet. And just like a strong, leak-proof hull on an ark, a healthy biodiversity supports so much.” Notable features of Earth’s unique biodiversity are described, with a focus on the delicate interdependencies between species, habitats, climate and more. And explained throughout are the ways in which “Planet Ark is sailing in troubled waters” because of threats such as climate change, extinction and overharvesting. Mason also includes a section on “modern-day Noahs” who are helping to protect and preserve life on Earth through responsible environmental stewardship. By breaking down the broad subject of biodiversity into smaller, more manageable topics, the material is never overwhelming but becomes instead personal and compelling. Illustrations by Margot Thompson further flesh out the concepts with details. Packed with statistics, definitions and facts, this would be a tremendous resource for life sciences classes in the early grades, when biodiversity is a key component of the curriculum. As with all the titles in the CitizenKid series, this book contains specific suggestions for ways young readers can help the cause. Useful tools include a table of contents, glossary and index.

Buy

Available in print:

Buy from Amazon.com Buy from Indigo Buy from Amazon.ca

Ebook:

Buy from Kobo Buy from iBooks Buy from Kindle Buy from Google Play

Educational Resources

CURRICULUM CONNECTIONS

Diversity of living things
Ecosystem
Global awareness
Cultures, Local & Global

READING LEVELS

Guided Reading
Guided Reading Grade Level
Lexile Level

S
4
1060L

KEYWORDS

Noah’s Ark   biodiversity   global awareness   life science   animals   environment   extinction   characteristics of living things   birds   fish and amphibians   genetics   habitats and communities   insects   food chain   migration   pollination   endangered species   nature   patterns   stability and change

DOWNLOADS & LINKS

Teaching Guide

Reviews & Awards

Reviews

“… offers children an accessible, informative introduction to the importance of biodiversity and the need to protect it.”
Kirkus Reviews, March 2013

“… useful for classrooms studying the importance of biodiversity and other aspects of environmental science.”
School Library Journal, May 2013

“This handsome book explores biodiversity … a fine addition to the CitizenKid series.”
Booklist, June 2013

Awards

2014 Green Earth Book Award, The Nature Generation, Short-listed
2014 Top 10 Books on Sustainability for Youth, Booklist, Winner
2014 Information Book Award, The Children’s Literature Roundtables of Canada, Long-listed