Rosenstock, Barb. Great Lakes: Our Freshwater Treasure, The. Jamey Christoph, Illus. Knopf, 03/2024. 40pp. Nonfiction. Trade $19.99. 978-0-593-37435-1. GRADES 2–5. OUTSTANDING.
An opening-page map of North America makes clear the visual prominence of the Great Lakes. Vivid, active text, full of striking details, reveals the lakes’ national and world-wide importance. Detailed painterly illustrations in naturalistic hues support the dramatic and comprehensive story that begins with the lakes’ Ice Age formation. Particularly valuable to science educators are five pages that anthropomorphize the lakes’ three-hundred-year water cycle. An environmental-focused ending is supported by substantive back matter that centers a Wasanodaekwe caretaker and a stewardship center, and includes an author’s note and selected sources.
Melissa McAvoy—Retired