What Does It Mean To Be Green?

By Angela Pike

Go green… recycle… save the planet! No matter how you say it, taking care of Planet Earth is a shared responsibility and definitely a concept that must be passed on to children. Little Pickle Press is dedicated to this cause, with a mission to “help parents and educators cultivate conscious, responsible little people.” This includes teaching the importance and responsibility of being green and recycling. Little Pickle’s conservation efforts stand out in its various products — including posters and children’s books — and particularly shine through in the book, What Does It Mean To Be Green?

What Does It Mean To Be Green? takes young readers on an educational quest to find the meaning of living green. Written by Rana DiOrio, the story opens with a comically homonymic journey through other meanings of being green such as feeling sick in a car or looking like a frog. The author guides the reader through the true meaning of being green with environmentally-friendly tips in kid-friendly language. DiOrio even includes some eye-catching statistics about the importance of protecting the Earth’s precious resources in a way that adults and children alike will be awestruck by the sheer waste that occurs.

The illustrations in this book, provided by Chris Blair, are whimsically captivating. Stick figures and watercolors combine in a simplistic yet mesmerizing fashion as readers follow the characters through green situations in their homes, at the market, and in the park. Calm shades of primaries and pastels are easy on the eye and present an aesthetically appealing storyboard to follow.

The storyline and illustrations in this book are a winning combination. Not only will readers award this book high merits but What Does It Mean To Be Green? also received the “Mom’s Choice Award.”

Little Pickle Press doesn’t just teach others to be green… they are green themselves! What Does It Mean To Be Green? was “printed and distributed in an environmentally-friendly manner, using recycled paper, soy inks, and green packaging.” They even provide statistics about how many resources they saved by using a green product called New Leaf Reincarnation Matte which is made with recycled fiber and post-consumer waste. The statistics are profound and boast the saving of 28 trees, 1,337 pounds of solid waste and more.

On top of caring about the environment, Little Pickle Press truly cares about kids. Not only do they teach positive messages through their books and other products but they also donate 10% of the purchase price of a book to the Starlight Children’s Foundation.

Little Pickle Press has provided a timely and important message in What Does It Mean To Be Green? Young and old can enjoy this whimsical expedition through the ins and outs of being green.

Also check out the other brilliant books provided by Little Pickle Press: