“Everything is alive. Everything is interconnected”
–Marcus Tullius Cicero (106-43BCE)
Think back to your high school days, maybe in biology or history class. Did you come across the notion of the Great Chain of Being, that hierarchical structure of all matter and life taught by early and medieval Christianity to have been decreed by God? This ranking by sentience is nothing new, Plato, Aristotle, and Proclus, and Plotinus, produced a similar idea that the early church had stolen fair and square by the 400s CE. Some Muslim scholars also have a similar hierarchy.1 Because of this humankind, especially humankind that developed a lifestyle dependent on conquest, made out well, ranking just below the angels and well above animals and plants. Minerals aren’t sentient, so bottom of the chain.
Why is this important? Hierarchies present binary, and sometimes diametrically opposing positions like power vs. powerlessness or exclusivity vs. belonging.
Take the Wobblies movement of the twentieth century as one of the modern global and political disruptors of the Great Chain. They focused on organizing workers worldwide, drawing on those who had not been born to wealth, monetary, and political power. The Wobblies sought to unite all workers into one big union instead of several smaller specific trade/services unions Wobblies prioritized the rank-and-file members, instead of having leaders to bargain on behalf of workers and believed that workers would come to the aid of one another when needed. Wobblies embraced social justice and allowed communists, socialists, women, immigrants, African Americans, and Asians to join at a time when all those groups were heavily discriminated against. the IWW motto was "an injury to one is an injury to all." was one of the first non-religious expressions of inclusiveness.2
The French weaver who threw his wooden sabot (work shoe) into the weaving mechanism of the woolen mill as he was leaving work–striking directly at the owner’s profits and giving us the word saboteur.3 is an apt model. The Wobblies’ target was the wage system that emphasized people over profit, and cooperation over competition. And their shoe was the regional/worldwide strike.4
Hierarchical thinking about the importance of humans has done irreparable harm. It has given humankind an inflated sense of importance and entitlement and paired that with a particularly bad blind spot that led to an extractive exploitation of minerals, plants, and animals. That archaic worldview has given all of us global temperature rises, an increase of greenhouse gasses, a change in water cycles, famine, desertification, loss of sea ice, rising water levels, more frequent and stronger hurricane and cyclone events, ocean acidification, and loss of habitat not only for humans but also for all those animals and plants that support all life. It’s also been a way to distance ourselves from others by easily creating simplistic dichotomies, an either/or, us/them, instead of a perspective and outlook of comprehensiveness and interconnection.
For many people, seeing one’s own interconnectedness and the need to be all-inclusive in the world arrived in 1985 when Lionel Richie and Michael Jackson got together to write “We Are the World” for the supergroup USA for Africa. The song ended up on heavy rotation on MTV and most pop stations on AM and FM went quadruple platinum, and garnered four Grammys, an American Music Award, and a People’s Choice Award.5
“We Are the World” called attention to famines in Africa and their causes and the effects on those who lived there. The warnings about global disruptions that had been circulating in the scientific and naturalist communities for decades were now on television every night globally. The consequences now were at a human scale that could be seen, felt, and understood individually.
The spotlight was on people, but it shined a light on the region in general. Animals that we knew about were suffering too; we could see them suffering and dying on the news; and we understood that it was because of the lack of water for the plants that created the basis for life. Cause and effect were graphically visible. The song, the music video, the album, and the televised concert, showed that we all needed to work together, to recognize everything had an impact.
It brought us back to Cicero: It reminded us that in nature, nothing is isolated.
For centuries, we could/should have been learning from plants and animals beyond their nutritive and/or monetary value. From our lofty height on the chain, we didn’t seem to be listening or couldn’t hear for all the noise we were making. Now after the Wobblies and the powerful music of the 1980s maybe we’ve tuned into the subtle whispers and electrical impulses of the mycorrhizal network in the wood wide web like Suzanne Simard, from the University of British Columbia (Finding the Mother Tree, The Spoke of the Plant) and Carl Safina from Stony Brook University (Voyage of the Turtle, Beyond Words: What Animals Think and Feel). They have been writing about how humans are changing the world and what those changes mean for all beings-plants, animals, protists-and minerals.6
Today’s robust Citizen Science movement that’s afoot keeps reporting on what’s outside locally and asking us to see the interconnectedness of all things where we are as well as in all parts of the world.
Today, there are more and more social movements that are seeking to embrace groups that have been overlooked and marginalized. Here’s my call to action.
Let’s disrupt the Great Chain of Being which has shackled us for so long.
Let’s get messy and entangled in life everywhere.
Let’s make this a revolution to reform our careless ways by cooperating with plants, animals, and human beings with the support of the minerals.
Let’s disrupt to make things better for the seven generations to follow us.
Be a mensch and join the readers/reviewers of Puget Sound Council and READ THIS BOOK!
Title:Bigger Than Me written by Erica Simone Turnipseed, illustrated by Kara Bodegon-Hikino
ISBN: 9781665900324
Grade Level: K-3
Recommendation: Recommended
Reviewer: Craig Seasholes, Retired and Inspired
Review: Luna and Zion are youngsters learning to read and make sense of their world. They hear and want to understand and respond to the big, booming words on TV and discussed by adults: "Words like "pandemic" and "homelessness." "Inequality" and "immigration." With stacks of alphabet blocks, they begin to build an understanding at home before going out into the community to organize other kids to do something about these big, frustrating word problems. “With tape and glue, paint and salvage-art creativity, the neighborhood kids get busy creating banners of courage, creativity and truth, with high-flying kites that jitterbug across the sky declaring ’freedom’ and’ love’ with multilingual magnanimity and paint a cheerful mural ‘to honor brave humanitarians who fill the world with words like ‘generosity’ and ‘perseverance'!" Illustrated with an eye for diversity and inclusion, this picture book will appeal to adults hoping to spark classroom and library discussion and action in creative response to big words and ideas that kids hear, read, and think about, too.
Title:Mushrooms Know: Wisdom from Our Friends the Fungi written by Kallie George, illustrated by Sara Gillingham
ISBN: 9781778400773
Grade Level: K-3
Recommendation: Recommended
Reviewer: Kris Maraveller, Teacher-Librarian, Meadowdale High school
Review: In this engaging picture book for budding scientists, we learn that mushrooms are more than just fun guys (and gals) to be around; they have wisdom in their forest communities. Mushrooms form “friendships” with their neighboring live trees, they recycle, and some can even be strong enough to grow through concrete or glow in the dark. The book is digitally illustrated with bright colors, some sponge dabs, and smiley faces (mostly) on all the mushrooms. A child with light brown skin appears sporadically throughout. Each two-page spread has the storyline and information about mushrooms. The ending two pages are a “Did You Know?” with more information about mushrooms and a warning not to touch or eat any mushrooms. This STEM book would be a perfect book to read on a fall morning, followed by a nature walk to see the fungi in action.
Title:Cactus Queen: Minerva Hoyt Establishes Joshua Tree National Parkwritten by Lori Alexander, illustrated by Jean Ely
ISBN: 9781662680212
Grade Level: K-6
Recommendation: Highly Recommended
Reviewer: Eve Datisman, volunteer cataloger, North Olympic History Center
Review: American activist Minerva Hoyt (1866-1945) shines in this motivating account of her efforts to get the Mojave Desert recognized as a national park. Alexander moves quickly through Hoyt’s early years, emphasizing her building collegial relationships as a child in Mississippi and later as a California transplant. The "wide and wondrous" Mojave Desert becomes a beloved spot, especially after the death of Hoyt’s husband. By 1933, the Joshua trees and their habitat were threatened by carelessness (people cutting them down for wood), and Hoyt hatched a plan to designate the area as a national park, preserving this unique ecosystem. It was a hard sell, but she—and the activists she inspired—were successful. "No one who heard her talk could ever again regard the subject of conservation of desert flora with indifference." Ely’s gouache illustrations (double-page spreads, single-page drawings, spot art, and quotes), depict both Hoyt's gutsy spirit and the majesty of the high desert landscape.
Title:One Turtle's Last Straw : The Real-Life Rescue that Sparked a Sea Changewritten by Elisa Boxer, illustrated by Marta Alvarez Miguens
ISBN: 9780593372470
Grade Level: 3-5
Recommendation: Recommended
Reviewer: Jodie Purcell, Teacher-Librarian, James Baldwin Elementary
Review: A boy tosses away his empty cup and straw on the first page. The straw travels long and far and out to the beautiful ocean. Detailed moments of the process are developed, including a sea turtle getting tangled in a fishing net, coughing on a swallowed straw, and a resulting loss of smell and breath. Scientists drag him onto their vessel, and they gently work to pull out the bits of straw from his nostril. They save the turtle, who swims off into a glorious sunset. The final page has a girl asking for no straw with her order. Five pages of back matter develop the science and media of the plastic straw ban movement.
Title:Outdoor School: Tree, Wildflower, and Mushroom Spotting: The Definitive Interactive Nature Guide
Review: An interactive journal full of facts, pictures, and activities, Tree, Wildflower, and Mushroom Spotting is sure to inspire budding plant enthusiasts. The journal is organized into five sections: an introduction to "plant spotting" followed by four common classification groups. The introduction lays a good foundation of basic plant knowledge with a good mix of pictures, labeling, side notes, and interactive activities to record findings. The next sections focus on broad classifications (trees & shrubs, wildflowers, ferns & mosses) with the final section on mushrooms & other fungi (not plants, the introduction explains the inclusion). Each section contains an introduction, vocabulary, and common features of the group paired with drawings and labeling. Further, within each section are full pages specific to individual plants (including 70 types of trees & shrubs and 100 wildflowers) identifying basic characteristics and a place to record and note sightings of such plants. The journal is well-organized using color, shapes, diagrams, flow charts, and repeating formats to instruct and encourage. While it is meant to be consumed-written in, this journal will certainly encourage young botanists to explore deeper.
Title:Planting Hope: A Portrait of Photographer Sebastiao Salgado written by Philip Hoelzel, illustrated by Renato Alarcao
ISBN: 9781534477650
Grade Level: 4-6
Recommendation: Recommended
Reviewer: Eve Datisman, volunteer cataloger, North Olympic History Center
Review: Brazilian photographer and environmental activist Sebastião Salgado used his camera to galvanize the world. Growing up in the lush Mata Atlântica forest of Brazil, Sebastião cultivated a respect for nature early. That sentiment stayed with him even after he moved to São Paulo. After speaking out against the government, he fled to Paris, where he took his first photograph. When his work as an economist sent him to Rwanda, he discovered that images were better than reports at telling a more complete story about the people, their lives, and the land. He became a globe-traveling professional photographer, documenting everything from protests for labor rights to wars to environmental destruction. After returning to Brazil from Rwanda he found his family farm in ruins because of deforestation. His wife Lelia and he set out to reforest the land. When the forest began to recover, Sebastião returned to his camera and traveled the world, documenting humans’ relationship with nature. Major events in Sebastião’s life are clearly presented with clear chains of cause and effect. Throughout, Hoelzel explores the theme of humanity’s place within nature.
Title:Alone : The Journeys of Three Young Refugees by Tom Paul, illustrated by Melanie Baillairge
Review: Alone is a nonfiction book written and laid out much like a graphic novel. It tells the stories of three teens who faced a crisis and had to leave their countries for the safety of Canada as refugees. They all embark on a terrifying journey that is filled with fear, uncertainty, and obstacles alone. The book conveys their perseverance with simple storytelling and illustrations that will make young readers turn the pages. This is a must-read for young readers to better understand the ordeal refugees go through to feel safe and stay alive, even if it means leaving everything they know and love behind. The struggles and sacrifices of refugees can be easily understood by young readers in this well-written book.
Title:Learning to be Wild: How Animals Achieve Peace, Create Beauty, and Raise Families (Young Readers ed.) written by Carl Safina
ISBN: 9781250838254
Grade Level: 6-12
Recommendation: Highly Recommended
Reviewer: Merrilyn Tucker, St. Joseph School, retired
Review: Wild animals have cultures that are passed down from one generation to the next, just as humans transmit their culture. As a researcher in the book states, “Who you’re with makes you who you are.” The author further explains that animals in captivity can’t learn the culture of their wild counterparts. Also, when habitats disappear or change dramatically, culture sometimes can’t be passed on to the younger group. For example, if a songbird’s territory is cut down, then the males can’t hear the songs of the older males. This song is what attracts the female, so if there is no song, there is no mating. The author stayed with the chimps in Africa, Macaw parrots in Central America, and whales off the island of Dominica. This is a fascinating exploration of the richness of these animals’ lives and how humans have completely disregarded the complexity of animals’ existence. What has gone on for millions of years, humans have done their best to undo in the last couple of thousand years. This book is both heartbreaking and beautiful to read. A must-have for all libraries. This would make an ideal text for science classes. Table of contents, bibliography, and index included.
Title:Accountable: The True Story of a Racist Social Media Account and The Teenagers Whose Lives It Changed written by Dashka Slater
ISBN: 9798368703664
Grade Level: 6-12
Recommendation: Highly Recommended
Reviewer: Erin O’Connor, Teacher-Librarian, Kellogg Middle School
Review: This book was a finalist on the YALSA Excellence in Nonfiction list. Written by Dashka Slater, who wrote The 57 Bus (another excellent nonfiction YA book), it's the true story of a group of kids in a city north of Berkeley, CA, who made the mistake of creating a private Instagram account to share blatantly racist memes with each other. The strange thing is that some of the kids were BIPOC kids, and they had friends of all races. Some of their Black friends even showed up in the account as the butt of their jokes. Once word got out about the account, the students at the school who were impacted were enraged, and the domino effect was huge. It's a story that includes interesting information about institutional racism and the ways in which white supremacy impacts the citizens of the United States. It's also a wake-up call as to how jokes can go way too far, and how social media can harm a community. Follett Titlewave has Teacher and Caregiver guides.
Title:Ab(solutely) Normal: Short Stories that Smash Mental Health Stereotypesedited by Nora Shalaway Carpenter and Rocky Callen
ISBN: 9781516059157, 9781536232950
Grade Level: 9-12/YA
Recommendation: Recommended
Reviewer: Kris Maraveller, Teacher-Librarian, Meadowdale High School
Review: This collection of 16 stories by diverse authors presents an array of mental conditions, characters, and genres. From OCD to PTSD, anxiety to depression, and a little-known premenstrual disorder, the characters show us that these conditions do not define them and that it is okay to reach out for help. Most of the selections are short stories, but there is a graphic narrative, a one-act play, and two tales in verse. Each begins with a content warning of the topics contained and ends with personal notes from the author’s own experiences. A list of resources and author bios are included at the end.
Eve Datisman is a cataloger and collections manager at the North Olympic History Center. She’s been the office manager for a couple of weeks while her boss was out with COVID which had given her delusions of grandeur that aren’t good for her character. He better get back soon.
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC-BY 4.0)
