Overview
From Follett
Includes bibliographical references (pages 158-184), filmography (page 180), and index.;Noticing -- Optical illusions -- The essentials -- My town/your town -- Perception -- Vested interests -- Common sense -- Out of sight -- In the now -- Backstory: The oil embargo -- Defense mechanisms -- Denial -- Projection -- Regression -- Systems -- Democracy -- Capitalism -- Backstory: Ozone -- Attitudes -- Science to the rescue -- Never retreat -- No limits -- Losing control -- Backstory: Kyoto -- Eyes abroad and ahead -- Conflict -- Chindia -- Fixes -- Coming soon. "We're living in an aha moment. Take 250 years of human ingenuity. Add abundant fossil fuels. The result: a population and lifestyle never seen before. The downsides weren't visible for centuries, but now they are. Suddenly everything needs rethinking - suburbs, cars, fast food, cheap prices. It's a changed world. This book explains it. Using politics, psychology, and history for attitude, Eyes Wide Open shows how to see the principles driving events and attitudes, from vested interests to denial to big-country syndrome. Here's the briefing you need to comprehend the twenty-first century"--Back cover.
From the Publisher
Paul Fleischman offers teens an environmental wake-up call and a tool kit for decoding the barrage of conflicting information confronting them.
We're living in an Ah-Ha moment. Take 250 years of human ingenuity. Add abundant fossil fuels. The result: a population and lifestyle never before seen. The downsides weren't visible for centuries, but now they are. Suddenly everything needs rethinking -- suburbs, cars, fast food, cheap prices. It's a changed world.
This book explains it. Not with isolated facts, but the principles driving attitudes and events, from vested interests to denial to big-country syndrome. Because money is as important as molecules in the environment, science is joined with politics, history, and psychology to provide the briefing needed to comprehend the 21st century.
Extensive back matter, including a glossary, bibliography, and index, as well as numerous references to websites, provides further resources.
Product Details
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Publisher: Candlewick Press
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Publication Date:
September 23, 2014
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Format:
Paperback
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Edition:
First edition 2014.
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Dewey:
363.7
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Classifications:
Nonfiction
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Description:
203 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm
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ISBN-10:
0-7636-7545-8
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ISBN-13:
978-0-7636-7545-5
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Follett Number:
0942YP8
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Interest Level:
YA
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ATOS Book Level:
7.7
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AR Interest Level:
MG
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AR Points:
5
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AR Quiz: 169345EN
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Reading Counts Level:
10.2
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Reading Counts Points:
8
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Lexile:
1080L
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Fountas & Pinnell:
Z
Reviews & Awards
- Booklist starred, 09/15/14
- Horn Book Guide, 04/01/15
- Horn Book Magazine, 11/01/14
- Kirkus Reviews starred, 07/01/14
- Library Media Connection, 01/01/15
- Publishers Weekly starred, 08/11/14
- School Library Journal starred, 08/01/14
- Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA), 08/01/14
Full-Text Reviews
Booklist starred (September 15, 2014 (Vol. 111, No. 2))
Grades 8-12. This remarkable book offers young people the tools they need to become informed, responsible global citizens. While it opens with a tale of Fleischman finding dead bees in his driveway, the discussion quickly broadens to consider the application of critical thinking skills to environmental issues. Rather than advising readers to take specific actions, Fleischman tells them how to evaluate information on topics such as climate change and encourages them to take action by charting a course that seems reasonable. He also discusses techniques to sway public opinion, such as sowing doubt, discrediting scientific studies, and hiding corporate funding of organizations promoting, for example, fossil fuels. The cascade of facts, observations, informed commentary, and sage advice may occasionally overwhelm. On the whole, though, thoughtful readers will appreciate this insightful, refreshing title’s broad scope, use of specific examples, and the many references to related books, documentaries, and online articles, lectures, and interviews. The appended How to Weigh Information section is particularly excellent. A Newbery Medal–winning writer, Fleischman notes that he is no trained scientist, but his exceptional ability to organize the information here and present it articulately makes him a notable citizen scientist.
Read all 7 full-text reviews …
Horn Book Guide starred (Spring 2015)
A wake-up call about the environmental crisis, the book homes in on five "key fronts"--population, consumption, energy, food, and climate--and explores historical and sociological contexts. Fleischman writes urgently, conversationally, and inspirationally, in a flow of ideas that can be dizzying. Yet none of the concepts is dumbed-down. A refreshingly opinionated approach to informed action. Reading list, websites. Bib., glos., ind.
Horn Book Magazine (November/December, 2014)
Fleischman issues a wake-up call -- and a challenge -- to today's teens about the environmental crisis. He begins with a call to arms to see through "the everyday world's two biggest illusions: 'it's always been this way' and 'everything's fine,'" urging teens to critically examine the information fed to them through advertising, politics, and "the whole culture we're part of." The book homes in on five "key fronts" -- population, consumption, energy, food, and climate -- and explores the historical and sociological contexts in which those in power made the profit-driven decisions that helped get us into this mess. Fleischman writes urgently, conversationally, and inspirationally, in a flow of ideas that is sometimes quite dizzying as he connects the dots between major social, political, psychological, economic, and scientific concepts and his personal experiences and thoughts. There's a lot to process: a single page might hold references to a political speech, an internet video, a cartoon image, Fleischman's observations of his local environment, and a sophisticated scientific term. Yet none of the concepts is dumbed-down, and readers can look up more information if they choose using the copious source notes, resource lists, and a primer on critical media consumption found in the back of the book. Going straight to the issues that matter, this is a refreshingly opinionated approach to informed action, encouraging teens to think and act critically, communally, and responsibly. danielle j. ford
Kirkus Reviews starred (July 1, 2014)
With simple, matter-of-fact language, an attractive layout and an abundance of references, this compact guide to addressing climate change is a must-read for millennials and for all who seek solutions to global warming. Fleischman begins with a personal story about noticing dead bees in his driveway and wondering about the cause. He uses this incident to emphasize the point that history—specifically history related to environmental issues—is happening all around us and is undeniably related to the choices made by both individuals and institutions. He clearly states the book’s goal early on: “to give you a foundation under your decisions.” The pages that follow—best read slowly and sequentially—represent a crash course in recent and ancient environmental issues, drawing from history, economics, psychology and sociology to pursue the stated goal. Readers are offered advice on how to analyze and interpret what they hear in person and discover through the media. There is a laudable restraint; even as the text relentlessly shows how human beings have created climate change, sources are also given to read “the most respected” divergent views. Despite its unflinching presentation of facts about myriad environmental concerns, the book manages to end on a note of hope for a new generation of activists. For high schools that assign one book for all students to read and discuss: This is the one. (source notes, bibliography, suggested resources, glossary, acknowledgements, image credits, index, website) (Nonfiction. 14-18)
Library Media Connection (January/February 2015)
Pulling from numerous sources, Fleischman has put together a guide to today's environmental issues, causes, and possible solutions. He discusses all the factors at play including politics and economics. The presentation of the material may be a cause for concern in some communities that are dependent on some of those businesses for employment since Fleischman is definitely pushing an agenda. His inclusion of numerous sources of historical anecdotes reinforces the point he is trying to make. He suggests to readers that they research further and then act on what they find. Material is written in short, factual posts like blog posts, which students will find easy to follow. Appendices include suggested resources and a "how to evaluate information." Bibliography. Glossary. Kyla M Johnson, NBCT Librarian, Farmington (New Mexico) High School [Editor's Note: Available in e-book format and paperback.] RECOMMENDED
Publishers Weekly (August 11, 2014)
Starred Review. History is happening right here and right now, writes Newbery Medalist Fleischman in this challenging and provocative overview of current environmental and sociological problems, which urges readers to think critically and broadly about the world. Throughout, Fleischman gives readers a toolbox of deciphering skills with which to recognize-for starters-the vested interests that guide decisions made by those in power, media and PR distortions, and both real and shadow solutions. Photographs, sidebars, and an array of suggested resources bolster the hard truths outlined (Solving the environment requires looking straight at reality and calculating the costs of our lifestyle and options). Few readers will look at the world the same way after finishing this book. Ages 14-up. (Sept.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
School Library Journal (August 1, 2014)
Gr 6 Up-Written in a lively style, lavishly illustrated, and timely in its subject matter, this well-researched book is a call to action: now is the time to save our environment. The author describes his technique as getting altitude, or getting above the problem, to see the big picture. Rather than simply offering a list of simple things kids can do to help the environment, he offers more complex solutions for becoming aware of the issues, such as noticing that there is a problem, becoming aware of defense mechanisms preventing people from acting, and learning about systems like capitalism that allow environmental threats to continue. Each chapter, divided into nifty topic-highlighted paragraphs, is filled with historical facts and current events, sidebars, photographs, and definitions of key terms. Backstories, including the oil embargo, the ozone crisis, and the Kyoto Protocol, are presented along with a section on how to weigh information (evaluate the media, follow the money, and check for fallacies). The presentation of facts and the author's positive message are what shine here. An excellent and thought-provoking take on a well-worn subject.-Patricia Ann Owens, formerly with Illinois Eastern Community College, Mt. Carmel (c) Copyright 2012. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
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