Exploring environmental science with children and teens, by Eileen G. Harrington,
Chicago, American Library Association/ALA Editions, 2014, 254 pp., US$50.00 (US$45.00
ALA members) (soft cover), ISBN 978-0-8389-1198-3 (available from Inbooks)
This book is designed to help staff in libraries and museums plan interesting and
educational informal science programmes. Recent studies show children are often
disconnected from nature as more children live in an urban environment, and there is a lack
of science education in schools where the current emphasis is on maths and literacy.
Librarians and museums can play a major role in teaching environmental issues to young
people, developing science literacy and engaging children with the natural world to spark a
lifelong interest in environmental issues.
Author Eileen Harrington is an academic health and life sciences librarian with experience
as an educator and curriculum developer. She has formal qualifications in environmental
studies, and this book demonstrates her enthusiasm for promoting science to children and
teens using interesting and engaging techniques through informal science programmes.
Storytime encourages children to spend quality time with parents and can foster a love of
reading and foster early literacy skills. There are 10 ready-made programmes for sciencethemed library storytimes described in Chapter 2, with environmental topics such as coral
reefs, gardens, African primates and owls. Science storytime can include informational
science books as well as fiction to improve vocabulary and develop knowledge of scientific
concepts. Each programme is described in a simple manner using learning outcomes, readaloud books, required materials, craft activities, websites and reading for further
investigation.
Chapter 3 (Reading for a Greener Future) looks at the increased popularity of book clubs
and describes how to adapt them for teens and tweens from the planning process, selecting
titles, formulating questions to how to run the meeting. Sample discussion guides are
included for titles such as Hoot by Carl Hiaasen with a description of the book, icebreakers,
author information, discussion questions, extension activity suggestions and further
reading. Chapter 4 examines kindergarten science programmes, including a helpful list of
tips for pre-school programmes such as real scientific tools and terms, incorporating maths
and creating displays of resources. Self-directed programmes include kits with activities for
all ages, including naturalist bingo, naturalist backpacks and mystery boxes of scientific
material such as rocks, corals or seeds that can be borrowed from a museum or library to
encourage nature exploration. Chapter 6 looks at how teens and families can become
involved in community engagement using ‘citizen-science projects’ such as Galaxy Zoo and
Frogwatch USA. The book concludes with an exploration of family science programmes
and environmental action clubs.
Exploring environmental science with children and teens is designed to help librarians from
a non-science background create activities and science programmes in their libraries to
engage children and young adults so they can learn and apply the knowledge to their own
Book review by Kay Neville for ALJ Exploring environmental science with children and teens
lives and their local communities. The ready-made programmes, activities, real-life
examples and lists of print and web-based resources makes this an excellent handbook for
teachers, librarians and museum staff who wish to create interesting and appealing science
activities for young people.
Kay Neville
Northern Sydney Institute
Book review by Kay Neville for ALJ Exploring environmental science with children and teens