Once I Was a Cardboard Box...But Now I'm a Book About Polar Bears

Readers get a lively introduction to polar bears and the process of paper recycling in this recycled-paper-over-recycled-board book. The majority of the spreads, which feature photographs of polar bears in a cheerful cartoon habitat, are devoted to the animals' habits and struggles, particularly in relation to global warming. A secondary narrative unfolds in a slim column along the right side of each spread, as a cardboard box gives an upbeat account of its life story, from its creation in a factory in China to its eventual transformation into this very book ("We went into a big machine that scrunched us up into little pieces"). The twin environmental messages are well served by the friendly, highly accessible format. Also available: Once I Was a Comic... But Now I'm a Book About Tigers. Ages 5–8. (Nov.)