A good addition to libraries looking to expand their environmentalist collection related to sourcing to bridge younger generations.

A visual reader collection that looks at the sourcing of materials of objects we use every day, from aluminum foil to plastic bags. The explanations of polymer science for young audiences are particularly well done here and really dig into the fossil fuel questions younger readers may have. The text is light with vocabulary scaled to match readers’ levels, but inclusive of critical science literacy terms for growth. VERDICT A good addition to libraries looking to expand their environmentalist collection related to sourcing to bridge younger generations.

Kids are constantly bombarded with messages reminding them to recycle and be mindful about consuming natural resources. This series, Where Materials Come From (4 titles), helps readers make connections among everyday products and the raw materials used to create them. The titles share the same author and format, with two-page chapters describing raw materials, their uses, and how they’re transformed into new products as well as environmental problems caused during production and solutions to mitigate those negative impacts. Cotton to Clothing follows step by step as fibers from cotton plants are turned into finished outfits, while recognizing how harmful cotton farming can be, urging readers to buy organic, and recycle old clothes. Graphics-rich pages feature short sentences, word balloons, fact boxes, full-color photos, and photo insets laid out in busy, agreeable formats. These titles give kids accessible and relatable reasons to recycle, reuse, and renew.