The Barefoot Book of Earth Tales

The stories in this cross-cultural collection emphasize ecological awareness. The text-heavy pages are lightened by vivid illustrations and spot art representing the stories' cultures of origin (an Australian story is illustrated with aboriginal motifs). In keeping with the environmental message, readers are encouraged to create projects offered after each story: instructions to “Make a pinecone birdfeeder” follow a Kazakh tale about freeing captive birds. While the connection between the projects and the stories might feel tenuous, the proactive component is refreshing. Ages 4–10. (Apr.)