Winter 1999 Bookworm

Common Ground: The Water, Earth, and Air We Share
1997, Molly Bang
Scholastic
ISBN: 0590200564

Audience: Ages 4-8

How do our individual actions affect the world?

This is a simple story about our planet's resources and how people have chosen to approach these resources. Through the example of a shared village green -- a commons -- the author presents the challenges of managing our planet's natural resources. Jewel-like paintings illustrate this full color picture book.

This book is designed to spark a sense of responsibility in young readers about the preservation and upkeep of planet Earth. The author shows how humans have chosen two paths toward using Earth's natural resources. Some people have chosen to work together and limit the amount of land they use, while others have chosen to expand and use as many resources as they see fit.

Common Ground: The Water, Earth, and Air We Share won the prestigious Giverny Book Award as the most exceptional children's book written about science.