Jump to Comments

At our local elementary school, we recently began a program called Cancel-A-Car that encourages families to take action at home to offset carbon emissions from cars. After the school-wide launch assembly, where a mama polar bear and her cub discover that their home is melting, the kids were excited to learn what they could to to prevent global warming. My kids are taking shorter showers, using reusable Sigg water bottles and encouraging their teachers to recycle more in the classroom.

With the global warming assembly fresh in my mind, I jumped at the chance to review a children’s book about a polar bear cub for KidsCuisine . Knut - How One Little Polar Bear Captivated the World arrived within days, and my kids grabbed it with enthusiasm and ran to the sofa so that we could read it together. Before I got there, they were laughing hysterically at the photographs of little Knut eating a boot, just like a teething puppy. They quickly became engaged as I read them the story of how this little bear was rejected by his mother in a Berlin zoo and was raised by a human foster-father. The duo became the main attraction at the zoo and emerged as a symbol for a greener world. Scientists have issued warnings that the polar bear will soon become extinct if proactive measures to protect the environment are not taken. Knut has become an inspirational icon and his story raises further awareness of the issues of global climate change.

By the time we had finished the book, we were all in love with Knut. The kids couldn’t stop talking about the school assembly about global warming, Knut, and what else we can do to help preserve and protect habitat for his wild cousins. We enjoyed reading the How You Can Help section in the back of this book and discussed additional ways that we might be able to make a positive difference in the world. For starters, when we move to our new house, we plan to make it energy-smart. We will start a new compost area, plant some of our own food and tell our friends and family how they can make a difference too.

It felt like a good parenting moment - snuggling with my kids on the couch, reading a fantastic book, and talking about saving the world. What could be better?