One Pelican at a Time: A Story of the Gulf Oil Spill

One Pelican at a Time by Nancy Stewart, who incidentally is not related, is a wonderful fictional tale based on real events that occurred in the Gulf Oil Spill. Nancy simply yet entertainingly shares the story of Bella and Britt who see first hand the devastating effects of the disaster on the surrounding ecology. Particularly concerned about the wildlife in the area, Bella and Britt keep a close eye on the old crooked beak pelican that is a long time fixture on the beach they love. When the pelican becomes covered in oil, the girls race to find help. One Pelican at a Time is a great book for teaching children the importance of taking care of the environment around us. As Miss Stewart so aptly points out in the author notes, we only have one world and we need to cherish it. ( )

I received this book for review from the author. I did not receive any compensation for my review, and the views expressed herein are my own.

If I was shopping at a book store, this is exactly the type of picture book that I would hope to find. I prefer something non-fiction, something of educational value, or something that models good character traits. This book fits all of my criteria!

The book teaches children about the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill in the Gulf of Mexico on April 20, 2010 and explains how it affected the environment and wildlife. Geared for ages 7-12, the language was appropriate for my 9-year old daughter. My 3-year old also listened with interest to the story.

Bella and Britt, who are best friends, discover that the local pelican is covered in oil. They ask a nearby adult for help, who brings the pelican's plight to the attention of the workers in the area who are cleaning up the oil spill. After the bird is rescued and taken to the bird sanctuary, Bella and Britt help to gently clean the oil off of it.

Stewart stresses the importance of saving the environment and gives suggestions to her young readers that they can incorporate into their daily lives to help them be "a bit greener," such as: Turning off lights when they are not being used, not running the water when brushing teeth, and unplugging appliances when they are not in use. I loved that the author included these suggestions because it shows children that even they can make a difference!

Stewart also includes child-friendly website links for readers to visit to learn more about oil spills.

The illustrations by Bell are colourful, lovely, and appealing to the reader. I love that the best friends, Bella and Britt, are depicted as racially different. This teaches an unspoken lesson about the diversity of our population and acceptance of others who may look different from ourselves.

My 9-year old is a nature-lover and favours non-fiction books, specifically anything that has to do with wildlife. She absolutely adored this book and read it the moment it arrived as soon as she saw the cover.

There are currently two other books in this series: Bella Saves the Beach and Sea Turtle Summer. You can read more about these books at the author's website. I know my nature-loving kids will want to read these as well!

MY RATING: 5 stars!! I loved it, and so did my kids!! Thank you, Nancy! ( )

One Pelican At A Time is a children's picture book concerning the environment and how even a child can help.

Britt and Bella, two little girls who live near the beach, are concerned one day when oil begins to wash up on the shores. Watching as the drama unfolds around their home, the girls become frightened when their favourite pelican becomes covered in oil. With no time to spare, the girls decide its time to help and with their quick thinking the girls learn how to help the animals that are washed up and covered in oil.

The Gulf Oil Spill will live with them forever and the lessons they learn concerning our environment will enable Britt and Bella to react in a positive manner to correct the wrongs that have been occurred.

I read this to my 7 year old daughter who didn't understand why we needed oil if it made such a big mess of everything. She was very upset that the animals were often the victims in such tragedies, and proceeded to explain to her younger brother that if there was ever an oil spill they would have to go and save the animals. I do believe she received the message being shared with the reader, no matter how small or young you may be, there is always something you can do to help, if your heart is in the right place.

One Pelican At A Time is a very endearing book for young readers, it not only helps strengthen their reading skills but the message is an important one. This book should be in school and public libraries to introduce to youngsters the plight of our environment, how to care for our planet and how fossil fuels can sometimes hinder the good when serious accidents occur. ( )