What a Wonderful World

The latest non-fiction book from Leisa Stewart-Sharpe is IN. She's teamed up with talented illustrator Lydia Hill and the team at Templar Books, to create a this wonderfully inspiring, meticulously researched tome - What A Wonderful World.

Lydia and Leisa marvel at our wonderful world, and, most importantly showcase a fabulous range of Earth Shakers. Organised by region, the tour covers jungles and oceans, deserts and grasslands, and more! In each region the reader is introduced to a variety of Earth Shakers who are all playing their part, large and small, in making the world a better place. Love this! Discover Erich Hoyt saving orcas in Canada, student Poorva Shrivastava leading the way for clean water, Sarah-Louise Adams saving frogs in Montserrat and... well, you really need to dive in to discover more!

Inspirational, without being preachy, What A Wonderful World hits the spot perfectly. Leisa and Lydia introduce us to a diverse range of talented and determined people, young and old, from across the globe. For most of them... all it took was one idea, and then the courage to act upon that idea. Leisa has interviewed SO many people, and really gets to the heart of what they do and why.

This is what I feel many young people will take away from this book - that there are MANY, MANY ways to make a difference.

Cleverly organised, with a useable glossary and a section encouraging further research, this has been perfectly designed for use in the classroom - a very effective tool for information gathering, for inspiration, for enjoyment.

* My Book Corner *

This is such an interesting and inspiring book for any children who care about the environment. What a Wonderful World is a large book, between A4 and A3 in size, and has a lovely matt finished hardback cover and some thick matt pages inside filled with so many beautiful illustrations and text. The book focuses on the natural world and environment and how children can make a difference and become Earth Shakers, people who help make a difference to the planet.

I really enjoyed reading this book and love how engaging it is from the first pages. The book begins by explaining how great the Earth is and how humans have, unfortunately, managed to damage the world and bring about possible mass extinction. Despite sounding worrying at first, the book focuses on the positives and shows children how it's not too late to save the planet and all of the different species that live on it. There are different areas of the world explained, such as the mountains, deserts, temperate forests, etc. And these double pages are just so wonderful to look at with so much detail to see in each page. I love how the animals and natural world is shown and all of the interesting facts about the areas including what sort of animals live there.

Other pages are about certain people who are called Earth Shakers, people who have dedicated themselves to doing something good for the environment and planet such as a woman who sat in a tree to save it (and others) from being cut down, two friends who began a hedgehog hogspital and help to release hedgehogs into the wild who have been injured or orphaned, children who are helping to save bees and even Greta Thunberg is included as one of the many Earth Shakers in this book. I had heard about a few of these people but was surprised by just how many different and interesting people there are out there and the different ways in which they are all helping to save animals and protect the environment. Each page is written in such an interesting way with just enough information to inform kids without huge blocks of text which can sometimes be daunting for some to read. I love all the ways that people have gone to make a difference to our planet and how this book and their stories really do make you feel inspired to do something yourself, which I'm sure many children reading this also feel too.

Throughout the book there are some great tips for being green which are quite easy and simple and which can make children feel like they are making a difference. These things include simple ideas like having a shorter shower or even writing to local businesses to encourage them to go green. I like how simple these tips are and how anyone can do them. As well as these small tips throughout certain pages, there are ideas at the end of the book on things that all kids and their families can start doing to help save the planet and make their carbon footprint smaller. There is also a glossary in case children are unaware of some of the words and names for things like the UN.

The illustrations throughout this are just so wonderful to look at. I love how colourful each page is and how engaging it is to read this book. Pieces of text are in small chunks with some great illustrations of both people and animals as well as the natural environment. I love how detailed some of the pictures are, especially ones about the different parts of the planet like the forests and deserts. These double pages have so many things to look out and I know that some children will love to look at this book again and again for the pictures alone (I would have as a child!). Everything about the illustrations is so engaging and fun and I love how everyone looks.

Although the book carries a serious message it's done in a really great and interesting way and I love the idea of Earth Shaker s and how children can become one if they want to. I love how this book explains everything about the world and climate change but puts the message in a positive way, showing children that they can make a difference and that it isn't too late. There are lots of interesting facts about the planet and I'm now keen to find out more about the different people and organisations mentioned in the book (which is easy as there are some links to websites at the end of the book). This is definitely a book that will make children interested in the environment and saving the planet and because of its size and the way it looks and is illustrated, it's just a really brilliant and fun read too and one I'd recommend.

* The Strawberry Post *

Our planet might be under threat but, fortunately for us all, there are movers and shakers out there who are fighting to change the world!

Meet the brave and dedicated Earth Shakers - people from all corners of the globe who are taking action and making changes for a better future - in a wonderfully wise and inspirational book from the boffins at Templar Publishing.

Written by Leisa Stewart-Sharpe - whose Australian childhood has inspired her love for the natural world and the stories of its strange and wonderful creatures - and packed with Lydia Hill's stunning illustrations, What a Wonderful World takes children on a breathtaking tour of planet Earth.

From towering mountaintops, through grasslands, jungles, rivers, deserts, polar wildernesses and into the blue ocean, this big, bright and beautiful book explores the incredible variety of life that calls Earth its home.

Along the way, youngsters can read the stories of thirty-five inspiring Earth Shakers... children and adults, from tree-planters to scientists, who have and are still taking action to protect the world around us

With lots of practical tips that give you the tools to make a positive change, some handy resources on how to find out more, and a special foreword from Lee Durrell MBE, of Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, this is the perfect inspiration for all budding activists.

-- Pam Norfolk * Lancaster Guardian *
This wonderfully illustrated non-fiction hardback details the lives and exploits of 35 'Earth Shakers' - people who have worked to improve animal rights and environmental and ecological awareness. Including the biographical histories of a diverse range of figures such as Yola Mgogwana, Mina Guli, Priti Sakha, Felix Finkbeiner and John Muir, there's a compelling mix of life stories, history, science and geography. With intricate and mesmerising illustrations by Lydia Hill, 'What a Wonderful World' will make a cracking addition to KS2 classroom libraries and is an ideal impetus to spark ideas for independent projects. -- Tom Tolkien * School Reading Li