Caitlyn Vernon

Ever since I read Salmon Bears I've been fascinated by the Great Bear Rainforest. This book addresses the unique features of the forest, but mainly focuses on the native peoples that live there and the environmental activism involved in saving the forest.

The basic text of the book takes the reader through the different aspects of the rainforest and the environmental concerns, from First Nation to timber industries. There are a lot of extras included. Quotes from activists, authors, and books (especially It's our world too by Phillip Hoose), photographs, cartoon illustrations, various inset paragraphs of text.

Some of the inset boxes include information and facts while some are labeled "take action" and give starting points for thinking and investigating various issues. Larger boxes include "Eco-Story" which are reminiscences from the author and "Voices from the coast" which are interviews and quotations from people who live in and around the Great Bear Rainforest, mostly First Nation, but also activists and scientists. The Voices sections were interesting, although I noticed they did all seemed rather one-sided. The Eco-Story sections were unnecessary in my opinion. The author isn't such a well-known activist (at least that I'm familiar with) that her meandering philosophical thoughts and memories from her childhood with activist parents are all that interesting.

Verdict: There is a lot of information included in this book and I found the first-person narratives from people who live in and around the rainforest interesting, but ultimately there isn't much practical information in the book. The suggestions to take action are vague and there are very few real-life examples. While I found this interesting, because I like bears! I don't see any kids in our library checking this out. I'd only purchase this if I had a lot of kids interested in being active for the environment or if we were near the Great Bear Rainforest, which we are definitely not.… (meer)

Nowhere Else on Earth describes British Columbia's Great Bear Rainforest and its cultural, political, economic, and environmental significance. It invites readers to consider the Great Bear Rainforest from diverse points of view, including trees, salmon, grizzlies, loggers, First Nations, and young people around the world. The text tackles some significant issues, such as tying Alberta's tar sands to the fate of the rainforest and changing local practices as part of a larger, global effort to halt climate change. The book concludes with upbeat suggestions for small, personal ways to become active for change, and reminds readers that no individual can do everything but every individual can do something.

I would strongly recommend this book for upper elementary and junior high libraries and classrooms. It is very accessibly presented, with numerous photographs, drawings, sidebars, and inspirational quotations complementing the running text. The running text itself is broken into short chunks, easy to read in multiple sittings or to consult on the go. The profiles and voices of many young people are presented, underscoring the idea that environmental awareness is one of the most important issues now facing young people and that even young people can effect great change.

The issue of climate change -- and the related issues of food security, species loss, habitat loss, and environmental migration -- only continues to grow in importance. Many students want to understand special places like the Great Bear Rainforest; this book is an outstanding introduction.… (meer)