  | Full Text Reviews: School Library Journal - 03/01/2018 Gr 2–5—Based on actual experiences of people living in Bangladesh, this fictional story highlights the role of scientific problem—solving to improve daily life through the conceit of a science fair project. When Iqbal's teacher announces that the theme of this year's science fair will be sustainability, he constructs a solar cooker; that way, when the monsoon weather arrives in Bangladesh, his mother and baby sister will not have to breathe in the smoke-filled air caused by cooking indoors. With the help of his sister, Iqbal does win and, more important, he solves a problem in a way that protects the environment, reduces health problems, and especially benefits girls and women. The well-written text is clear and descriptive. A monsoon, for example, is described as follows: "Not a light mist or even a steady downpour, but gusts of rain that whip across your face and make you squint your eyes." The illustrations provide many details of the setting in Bangladesh, of Iqbal's dreaming and planning, and of the details of the solar cooker. Back matter includes more information about solar cookers and directions for making one from a pizza box. VERDICT An excellent example of how children can apply science to problem solving.—Myra Zarnowski, City University of New York - Copyright 2018 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission. Booklist - 03/01/2018 From the CitizenKid line comes this picture book, a third-person fictional story of a boy inspired to be a better citizen by acting locally. During monsoon season in Bangladesh, Iqbal notices cooking smoke making his mother sick, and so with his sister’s help, he wins a sustainability science fair with a solar cooker, creating benefits for his Muslim family and the environment. The familiar context of science projects will resonate with the audience, and additional information about clean cookstoves and instructions for creating one from a pizza box are included. The glossary defines words in Bengali, several international organizations are indicated as references, and the colored-pencil illustrations are informative and particularly well drawn. Calling it his “ingenious idea” is a bit disingenuous, as Iqbal gets the plan from going “straight to the computer” and typing in smokeless cooking, but it’s nevertheless an impactful idea of which he can be proud and which might motivate readers. - Copyright 2018 Booklist. Loading...
 |