I love the History Smasher series by Kate Messner, and Earth Day and the Environment is no exception. It is written with the perfect blend of narrative prose, comics, and photos to keep your attention. There is an extensive timeline of environmental history and additional book suggestion at the end of the book.

I received a digital ARC of this book thanks to the publisher and NetGalley.

As good as the rest of the series! Perfect for enhancing Earth Day lessons with our homeschooling! Love the graphics, and has lots of interesting information!.

What a thought-provoking book geared towards middle-grade and young adults with actual facts a d truths brought to light. As a kid, our history books were very skewed and didn't show whole truths of situations or other sides of the coins. This book is definitely informational, but without being biased and remaining neutral with facts.
My kids, 10 and 11 years old, was able to understand the issues and grasp the importance of our U.S. history, shedding light on more nuanced issues.

HISTORY SMASHERS: EARTH DAY AND THE ENVIRONMENT is a comprehensive look at environmental activism, exploring the roots of the movement from long before the start of Earth Day. The book describes how human interaction with the environment has made an impact and been a call to action over time, whether through activism, conservation, or preservation. Impacts of a variety of events, including the Industrial Revolution, the increase of pesticides and pollutants, and climate change are discussed in detail in a way that is kid-friendly and engaging. As in prior series titles, Messner provides evidence to contradict some widely held claims about the topic. Many historical figures and change makers are highlighted, providing a diverse view of the individuals who blazed trails in environmental activism. The book does not shy away from discussing how racially and economically marginalized communities have often been the ones most impacted by environmental issues. This is a timely and informative book that will draw reader attention to an important topic.

HISTORY SMASHERS: Earth Day and The Environment is glowing with appreciation for its depth and detail. My 12 year old expressed a particular admiration for the book's timeline, which expertly weaves together pivotal moments in the history of Earth Day and humanity’s environmental impact. Jay found the narrative both enlightening and engaging, making it a truly memorable read. This book resonated with him as an incredible resource for understanding the ongoing relationship between people and our planet.

Thank you to Netgalley for the free arc!

This was my introduction to the History Smashers series and it did not disappoint! It was informative in an easy to read format that incorporated history as storytelling, comics, and highlighted individuals. The book incorporated multicultural perspectives of people of diverse backgrounds from the United States and across the world. It also uncovered the racist and classist history of environmental activism and how different communities have been affected differently depending on the people living there. Myth Busters sprinkled throughout the book helped to break apart misconceptions. I recommend this book as a an informative and thought-provoking read!

History Smashers are a big hit in my school library, but this was the first one I've read. It will not be the last. Messner does a masterful job presenting a lot of potentially dense information in an engaging and kid-friendly way. She weaves in a lot of history about our understanding about climate, the way marginalized groups are disproportionately impacted by environmental changes, and the history of Earth Day as a holiday.

This is a great look at how humans impact our environment. I am going to want a couple of copies for my class library.

“History Smashers: Earth Day and the Environment” is packed with fascinating information about Earth Day, including the story behind the very first celebration. The book is incredibly comprehensive—even I learned something new! The History Smashers series is a favorite in my school library, and I have no doubt this one will be just as popular. I tested it out on my 8-year-old and he enjoyed it. It’s an excellent choice for kids who enjoy nonfiction and graphic novels, offering a perfect blend of engaging narrative and visuals.
Thank you to NetGallery and Random House Books for Young Readers for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

"It's not that Native people were perfect caretakers for the environment before Europeans showed up. People of many tribal nations burned forests to facilitate hunting and farming. ...They certainly had an impact on the land and wildlife- but it was on a far lesser scale than what would come after the arrival of Europeans."

Yikes, this one missed the mark for me. This speaks nothing of the controlled burns that Indigenous people often had to do and still do to take care of the land. To put in this paragraph after speaking on the harm that colonization brought felt like the authors attempts to say, "Hey! Native people were bad at taking care of the Earth too!" which as they slightly acknowledged in the last sentence, are just not comparable.

All in all, this part left a bad taste in my mouth and I will not be finishing reading.

This book does a great job of explaining how peoples’ use and care for the environment has changed over time. The use of graphics in the book and the pages not being over-crowded make this easier to read for the middle-grade students I teach than traditional nonfiction texts. I particularly liked the sections explaining how even with the “good” things done to protect the environment, there could be negative consequences, such as how the conservation and creation of natural places, such as national parks or large city parks, often resulted in people who had originally lived in those areas being unfairly treated.

Kate Messner does a fantastic job of teaching about major historical events that people commonly have misconceptions about or are misinformed about. History Smashers: Earth Day and the Environment is a great add-on to the History Smasherrs series and I will be adding it to the library for my students.

A look at the history of Earth Day, focusing on how the environment was treated throughout the history of the United States. This was the first of this series that I've read, and I really enjoyed it! I liked how the book had a mix of media/styles - there were normal words, but also parts in more comic form, pictures, etc. I thought it was written in a way that was really engaging (and would be for children as well). The author also did a good job of highlighting when things seemed strange and sought to explain that. Definitely recommend!

I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

You know a book is great when in the first couple of pages you’re already like yup this book is headed for the banned lists 😂 @katemessner has another home run in her history smashers series - this time about the environment and climate change and the origins of earth day. Honestly I know many adults who need to read this and educate themselves as well as our students. What I appreciate most about Kate’s writing is she makes complicated topics accessible to all while also using a very reader friendly format. She includes amusing anecdotes and comics while teaching you the facts.

"History Smashers: Earth Day and the Environment" is the next installment of the History Smashers' series that debunks myths and gives information about various topics for middle grade readers. Written by bestselling author Kate Messner, the books tend to be very informative and humorous in a way that makes it fun to read and not overly technical. This book talks about environmentalism before and after the first Earth Day and notable environmentalists. I like that it doesn't shy away from mentioning racism/misogyny in the past and that people can do some really good things, but have bad viewpoints about other things.
The back of the book has a lot of suggested reading and informational resources. A must buy for middle grade nonfiction collections.

Earth Day is every day. In fact, it's been going on for much longer than the official proclamation of an Earth Day. As you'll discover, it's been going on for not just years but decades. Centuries, even. This book gives reference to more than just the happenings and reactions to an official Earth Day but takes us back to see where the idea of taking care of the earth we live on began.

I won't try to summarize the history of the goal of saving the earth, obviously, but will say that Messner does her usual excellent job of combining fact, humor, and thought provoking bits of information and comments throughout. While I can't claim to have read the entire series, this one differed from some recent ones I've read in that it seems to be more wide-ranging. By that I mean it covers a vast array of time and place. We may think of Earth Day as a single event but its beginnings were wide spread and its impact felt for centuries before someone got around to making it an official day. I have Native American roots and was delighted to see their role given attention. Also, as someone who has always been fascinated by the Mayan culture, the reminder that the terraces and reservoirs that were used by the Maya people were some of the most visible means of cultivating our earth's resources while helping protect them for the long term, too. And these efforts are simply the tip of the iceberg.

Bottom line, there is a great deal of info to be digested here as well as suggestions on how we as both individuals and groups can preserve our world for future generations. I mean, maybe you'd like to go live on barren Mars but I think I'll stick to good ol' planet Earth. Messner's writing style flows nicely and is easy to understand and digest. Even better, she documents her sources and there are lots of both fun and informative illustrations to help readers grasp what they are reading. The ample use of sidebars and color helps. There is certainly more to see, read, and learn. Thanks #RandomHoouseChildren's books for sharing this early copy with me. The retired teacher in me thoroughly enjoyed it and, yes, learned more than a few things.

I wasn’t sure what to expect from History Smashers: Earth Day and the Environment. I didn’t think there was enough information on Earth Day to comprise a whole book so this book surprised me. Messner starts by discussing humans’ early impacts on the environment. She covers air pollution, pesticides, and environmental protests. She also addresses the fleeting public support for Earth Day and the work that is still left to be done. She ends by addressing climate change and highlight contemporary climate activists.

This book is great addition to a much loved series! I’m always looking for new high interest nonfiction to add my classroom. I actually use some of the other History Smashers books for book clubs in my sixth grade classroom. This will make a great addition!

This was an excellent book full of information on the history of the environmental movement, climate change, and environmental pollution.

We have recently read books about climate change and about racial inequality and this book tied both subjects together neatly as it pointed out that it is poor people of color who have to deal most with the effects of climate change and also who often have to deal with toxic waste.

The information was presented clearly and simply in an easily digestible and easy to understand way. The paragraphs of text were broken up by sidebars and comic panels. Kiddo (10) really enjoyed it and it provided him (and me) with a lot to think about.

I would highly recommend it for schools and I intend to read more books in this series to my kiddo very soon.

*Thanks to Random House Books for Young Readers for providing an early copy for review.

Excellent information well-presented and easily understood. The information is documented and made more real with the use of photos and illustrations. This grandma truly enjoyed reading it and pre-ordered copy to share.
Great for gifting to anyone, but especially to school library and your local public library. I feel that it is totally fun for ESL, too!
I requested and received a free temporary uncorrected advance proof from Random House Children's | Random House Books for Young Readers via NetGalley. Thank you!
Avail Mar 11, 2025 #HistorySmashersEarthDayAndTheEnvironment by @KateMessner #NonFiction #HistorySmashersSeriesBk10 @randomhousekids ***** #MiddleGrades #EarthDay #Ecology #History #SavingTheEnvironment

I love these books! My two middle school boys love history and the ease books are super fun and make it interesting.

As an elementary school librarian, I'm always looking for fun ways to get kids to read books other than fiction. These are fun and interesting and keep their attention.

Thank you netgalley for this Arc in exchange for an honest review

I received an electronic ARC from Random House Children's through NetGalley.
Messner's series has been a huge hit and this latest book will provide opportunities for dialogue as well. Readers learn that people were concerned about the environment long before Earth Day began in the 1970s. We see scientists and activists pushing for regulations and care of our planet beginning centuries ago. Information is shared in an easy to read format for middle grade readers though adults should read this series too. The author has done extensive research and shares the bibliography, timeline, and book recommendations for further exploration.