It's Earth Day: Little Critter (by Mercer Mayer)

After Little Critter learns that climate changes on Earth are endangering the habitat of polar bears, he is determined to fix the problem. He tries to invent a machine that will control the climate all on his own, but he learns that if we all work together to "reduce, reuse and recycle," we can be the best climate control machine of all.

Readers who know Mercer Mayer's Little Critter books know Little Critter is always up to something. This time he is on a mission to slow down global warming and help the polar bears, and of course he does it with the typical Little Critter enthusiasm. On the school tree-planting trip, he ends up waist-deep in the hole he has dug, and turning out the lights leaves his father stumbling dangerously in the dark.

Even with its serious message, this Little Critter book comes with the usual trappings. Fans will love trying to find the mouse and spider hidden in every scene as well as the cleverly drawn cartoon-like characters for which Mayer is known. And together, that is enough to draw young readers into a book that tackles a topic which might otherwise be a bit scary. Here the message is handled well: Little Critter is trying to save the world for the polar bears. The lesson he learns is that solving the problem is not up to him alone. Rather, if we all work together we can make the difference.

Author: Mercer Mayer
Illustrator: Mercer Mayer
Publisher: HarperFestival
Publication date: February 26, 2008
Number of pages: 24
Paperback price: $3.99
Read Aloud: 3
Read Alone: 6