Drummond, Allan  Green City: How One Community Survived a Tornado and Rebuilt for a Sustainable Future
Gr. K–3    40 pp.     Farrar/Foster

On May 4, 2007, a tornado leveled Greensburg, Kansas. The citizens who stayed decided to rebuild a community as environmentally sound as possible. Drummond creates a first-person narrator from a composite of experiences "meant to reflect [those] of many town residents." Concise informational sidebars explain the processes. Watercolor illustrations — a vibrant blend of vignettes, full-page art, and double-page spreads — reflect the town's can-do attitude.
Subjects: Pollution and Conservation; Natural disasters—Tornadoes; Kansas

Farley, Terri  Wild at Heart: Mustangs and the Young People Fighting to Save Them
Gr. 4–6, middle school     196 pp.     Houghton

Photographs by Melissa Farlow. Beginning with "Wild Horse Annie," the 1950s activist who secured protections for America's wild horses, this wide-ranging volume explores horses' prehistoric ancestors, herd dynamics, the horrors of government roundups, and today's young activists fighting to make a difference. Emotional language and first-person sidebars try to recruit readers to the cause, while crisp color photos depict beautiful horses in their natural habitats. Bib., glos., ind.
Subjects: Mammals; Animal rights; Activism; Animals—Horses; West (U.S.); Environment—Conservation—Wildlife

Heos, Bridget  It's Getting Hot in Here: The Past, Present, and Future of Climate Change
Middle school, high school     231 pp.     Houghton

This thoughtful, in-depth account examines earth and human history from a climate-change perspective, the scientific evidence for human-produced global warming, global energy policies, and future societal changes that need to occur. Heos's narrative is straightforward, occasionally conversational, and mostly jargon-free. Sections labeled "Be the Change" encourage practical actions that readers can take to make a real difference. Reading list, websites. Bib., glos., ind.
Subjects: Pollution and Conservation; Energy; Climate change; Environment

Paul, Miranda  One Plastic Bag: Isatou Ceesay and the Recycling Women of the Gambia
Gr. K–3, 4–6     32 pp.     Millbrook

Illustrated by Elizabeth Zunon. In the Gambia in the 1980s, ever-growing piles of discarded plastic bags were attracting disease-bearing insects and killing domestic animals. Paul has written a clear and sensitive account of Isatou Ceesay and her fellow activists' ingenious solution to the problem. Zunon's collages, with vivid colors, elegant patterns, and varied textures — especially those from plastic bags — provide a beautiful entry into the story. Reading list, timeline. Glos.
Subjects: Pollution and Conservation; Ceesay, Isatou; Environment—Recycling; Africa, West; Activism; Environment—Refuse and refuse disposal

Young, Karen Romano  Mission: Sea Turtle Rescue: All About Sea Turtles and How to Save Them
Gr. 4–6     112 pp.     National Geographic

National Geographic Kids Mission series. With Daniel Raven-Ellison. Spectacular photos, fascinating facts, anecdotes about individual turtles, and updates from field scientists give a thorough overview of the species' survival threats and current status. Unfortunately, the design is busy and page inserts of stories and interviews interrupt the flow of the narrative. Each chapter ends with "rescue activities," such as holding an awareness-raising art show and writing to politicians. Reading list, websites. Ind.
Subjects: Reptiles and Amphibians; Animals—Sea turtles; Environment—Endangered species; Activism; Environment—Conservation—Wildlife; Oceans

From the March 2017 issue of Nonfiction Notes from the Horn Book.

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