How Do Humans Depend on Earth

Lundgren, Julie K. How Do Humans Depend on Earth? Vero Beach, Fla: Rourke Educational Media, 2013.

The nonfiction story tells of how humans interact with the Earth by use of its resources.  The book highlights how resources are provided, used, and explains threats to overusing resources.

The writing style is very informative.  The author includes specific examples on how humans depend on Earth.  She tries to make complex processes easy to understand for the child reader.  The illustrations mainly consist of real-life photographs that depict the examples given.  Diagrams of certain processes are also included, for example, the greenhouse effect.

Although the book is very informative, it often uses vocabulary that target audience may not be able to understand. Luckily there is a glossary in the back, but it still could be slightly difficult for a child to read. This being said, I would recommend this book to other children, particularly 5th graders.  The content matches up with this grade levels science standards.  I feel this book would be great if read by the teacher, to the class as an engagement on the topic.

Reviewer: Zach Cowell