Not Your Typical Book about the Environment (review)

The title is rather a bold claim, but in point of fact, it's true: this upbeat, creative, wide-reaching exploration is indeed a standout in a genre composed primarily of lamentations for the polar bear. Kelsey touches on kid-relevant issues in chapters on clothing, food and water, technology, and energy, in each case drawing connections between the macro picture and the micro usage, offering examples of some creative approaches to solving problems and some insight into the ways in which change is a complicated issue (there's a pros and cons list about various tshirt fabrics, for instance). She explicitly resists a simple division into heroes and villains and conveys genuine enthusiasm for the innovations (the book is liberally sprinkled with examples large and small from all over the globe) in earth-friendly science, manufacturing, and resource management, including some insights from specific experts in fields that readers may not even have known existed, such as biomimicry and ecological economics. While a few kinks could use ironing out and the dense, light text is a bit taxing to read, overall this is one of the best books to date at dealing both concretely and philosophically with the blend of opportunity and challenge contained in the green movement. Zesty, spirited cartoons provide backdrops, marginal entertainments, and interwoven spot art as well as the occasional diagram and clarification; the visual pace is quick and varied, with orientation changes and layout variety keeping things interesting. The audience reach here is considerable, since this is a title likely to arouse the interest of budding engineers and scientists as well as social activists, and it would also enrich and enliven an environmental unit. There are unfortunately no sources or additional resources listed, but there is an index.