Next month a lot of library programs will focus on Earth Day. April 20 is also the anniversary of the worst ecological disaster in US history, the explosion of the Deepwater Horizon drilling platform in the Gulf of Mexico. I just had the opportunity to review a new picture book that features kids involved in the clean up. Roscoe and the Pelican Rescue is a delightful book written and illustrated by Lynn Rowe Reed, publishing in April from Holiday House. Perfect for storytimes, a young boy is looking forward to days at the beach with his cousin and his cousin’s dog, Roscoe. But when they get to the beach it is closed due to the oil spill. Roscoe discovers three pelicans that are covered in oil. The cousins take the pelican to a rescue center where they learn how to clean them up, tag them, and release them back to clean water. Reed’s quirky, whimsical cartoon-style characters are bright and bold. A final page provides information about the spill and cleanup efforts.
Earth Day and the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill
