Dear Earth...From Your Friends in Room 5

by Erin Dealey, Luisa Uribe (Illustrator)

Overview

"A well-thought-out presentation of an important environmental message." —Kirkus

When the kids in Room 5 write to Earth asking what they can do to help save our planet, they are delighted to get a letter back. This beautiful picture book is a celebration of every child’s ability to connect with the environment and make a positive impact.

A monthly exchange of ideas between the kids and Earth becomes a lasting friendship in this affectionate story about how to be an Earth Hero, lyrically written by Erin Dealey and gorgeously illustrated by Dilys Evans Founder Award-winning illustrator Luisa Uribe.

Young readers will learn about environmental conservation, along with simple things they can do to help care for the planet—like recycling and reducing energy consumption. There is even a reversible jacket cover that features a poster printed on the inside with twelve months of Earth Hero activities. These fun and interactive activities will encourage children to help protect our planet, not just in honor of Earth Day but year-round.

Dear Room 5,

Your letter arrived on the wind.

A whisper of hope in the night.

I’m thankful for helpers who care for their planet…

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780062915320
Publisher:	HarperCollins Publishers
Publication date:	12/01/2020
Pages:	32
Sales rank:	454,312
Product dimensions:	10.10(w) x 10.30(h) x 0.40(d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Erin Dealey grew up in Oakland, California, where she often did her homework on the roof of her garage. She has written over a dozen children’s books and dearly hopes her Dear Earth...From Your Friends in Room 5 will find its way to Earth Heroes everywhere. You can find her online at www.erindealey.com.

Luisa Uribe likes drawing, reading, and chasing the cat around the house. She lives in Bogotá, Colombia, where students (like the Earth Heroes in her book Dear Earth...From Your Friends in Room 5) are helping protect the environment and our natural resources. Of her many illustration projects, her true love is picture books. Luisa was honored with the Dilys Evans Founder's Award at the Society of Illustrators Original Art Exhibit in 2018. You can find more of her wonderful art at www.luisauribe.com.

Editorial Reviews

03/01/2021

Gr 1–4—Small changes add up to big results, as Dealey's classroom full of kids—white, Black, brown, pink, one with glasses, another with metal crutches—become monthly pen pals with Earth. The planet magically answers: "Room 5,/Your letter arrived on the wind./A whisper of hope in the night./I'm thankful for helpers who care for their planet./Here's one way: please turn off the lights./Using less electricity saves energy. Stargazers will thank you too!/Your friend, Earth." The next letter tells Earth of the class plan for reusable bottles. Earth replies with the tale of a sea creature that mistakes plastic for dinner. Climate change is a topic soon enough, for the children's resolve is quickening as Earth decides to call them "Earth Heroes." By December the children have learned about gardening, cleaning up the beaches, conserving water, and more. Crisp illustrations provide literal and fanciful versions of events, while back matter offers further suggestions. The upbeat tone on both sides of the correspondence will keep kids turning pages, anxious to see the next payoff in this crescendo of good will and great stewardship. The steps are small, the goals are global, and any class or story hour can launch their own year of being Earth Heroes. VERDICT With an emphasis on good will, this is a primer for a family or a club, and would also be the basis for a dramatic presentation on Earth Day.—Kimberly Olson Fakih, School Library Journal

School Library Journal

2020-09-29
A year’s worth of letters between elementary students and Earth highlight practical ways to care for our planet.

The students of Room 5 hope to “do our part” to care for their world. In January, they send a letter to Earth asking for suggestions; the Earth happily replies. This series of monthly exchanges includes familiar recommendations, beginning with turning off the lights and ending with regifting Christmas presents with recycled wrappings, and why these actions matter. What begins as an all-class activity becomes an “Earth Heroes” club by the following September, led by Bernard, the most enthusiastic correspondent. Over the year they’ve adopted reusable water bottles, planted a garden, begun to bike to school, used both sides of pieces of paper, and convinced the school cafeteria to contribute compost to their garden, among other actions. In the process, Bernard, a boy with light-brown skin, even becomes more skillful at rhyming. In cheerful, bustling illustrations, Uribe depicts a wonderfully diverse group of schoolchildren indoors and out. They vary in hair, eye, and skin color and hairstyle; some wear glasses or use mobility aids. The pages with Earth’s letters feature smiling globes, attractive scenery, and appealing animals, including a sea turtle, a winsome black-footed ferret, and even a nesting red knot. The final spread includes a simple explanation of climate change’s causes and effects and a summary of things Earth Heroes can do. (This book was reviewed digitally with 10-by-20-inch double-page spreads viewed at 94.1% of actual size.)

A well-thought-out presentation of an important environmental message. (Informational picture book. 6-9)

Kirkus Reviews