Friends of the Earth: A History of American Environmentalism    by Pat McCarthy Order:  USA  Can Chicago Review Press, 2013 (2013) Softcover, e-Book     Reviewed by Bob Walch Here's the ideal book to prepare students for Earth Day (April 22). Accounts of some of the key preservationists and conservationists are presented in this book along with background information on influential events that define the conservation movement. The list of individuals discussed includes not only familiar names like John James Audubon, John Muir, and Rachel Carson but also lesser known folks such as Aldo Leopold, one of the founders of the Wilderness Society, and Marjory Stoneman Douglas, who fought to save the Florida Everglades from development and draining. The book also contains 21 activities for young readers nine years of age and older. There are instructions on how to make a compost pile, build a bird feeder, produce new paper from recycled material, and bake a batch of John Muir's favorite Scottish Oatmeal Scones. Teachers, naturalists working with young people, and parents homeschooling their children will find this book a valuable resource that will make the discussion of the importance of conservation and environment protection more relevant and interesting. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Kids books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews