What Is a Green Roof?

by Vicki Sando, Zee Lehar (Illustrator)

Overview

Green roofs are an urban oasis in a patchwork of black tar and silver rooftops, but what exactly are they? This beautifully illustrated picture book is a perfect introduction to green roofs for children- and their adults. From the ancient Hanging Gardens of Babylon to present-day rooftop farms, green roofs have been built for centuries. They are receiving new attention because of the environmental benefits and the added value of 'greening' typically neglected spaces. This book is packed with charming, informative illustrations and facts that provide everything you need to know about green roofs and why they help combat climate change. Also included is a glossary of green roof vocabulary and educational resources. Reading Level M-P or Grades K-3. This book is a great read-aloud book for families and classrooms.Named to Kirkus Reviews' Best Books of 2020

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781734167207
Publisher:	Nausicaa Valley Press
Publication date:	02/19/2020
Pages:	28
Sales rank:	1,057,242
Product dimensions:	8.50(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.07(d)
Age Range:	7 - 10 Years

Editorial Reviews

★ 2020-05-06
Urban environmentalist and educator Sando makes green architecture accessible to an elementary school audience in this picture-book debut.

The rooftops of New York City come in several colors: blue, black, silver, stone, and green. Sando briefly describes the reasons behind the other structures’ hues before delving into the subject of green roofs and how planting atop buildings can have a tremendous environmental and emotional impact. In well-labeled diagrams and instructional illustrations, the author, along with illustrator Lehar, reveals the layered structure that makes planting atop a roof naturally beneficial. Sando also makes sure to mention the positive impact it can have on people, who “work and feel better when they look at nature.” Sando seamlessly introduces scientific terms (such as “compression,” “tension,” “habitat”), providing definitions inline or in a callout where necessary as well as in a glossary. Lehar’s bright cartoon illustrations depict real New York landmarks with green roofs to show the variety of appearances they can have as well as a variety of New Yorkers. The text’s complexity is best suited for independent readers at the second- or third-grade level, but teachers will also find plenty of plain-language classroom material here.

An engagingly illustrated work that brings a compelling concept to life.

Kirkus Reviews