Yolanda Kondonassis - Our House Is Round: A Kids Book About Why Protecting Our Earth Matters

For my Amanda, who inspires me in ways I never could have imagined; for my Dad, who has been there for me every step of the way; and to the memory of Joan Scarangello, my dear friend and cheerleader.

YK

Copyright 2012 by Yolanda Kondonassis

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Manufactured in China, January 2012
This product conforms to CPSIA 2008

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available on file.

ISBN: 978-1-61608-588-9

A Note from the Author

I am both a mom and a former kid. As a mom, I care about the Earth that my child and future generations of children call home. We grown-ups have a big responsibility to clean up the environment and figure out a better plan for the future of our planet. But as a former kid, I also know that grown-ups often need help from kids and this messy planet thing is a BIG job.

I wrote this book because if I were still a kid and somebody told me that I should recycle and use less energy because its good for the planet, Id want to ask them how its good for the planet and why its so important.

Recycling and using less energy are great ways to make our Earth cleaner and healthier, but just because isnt always enough to help us start forming a new habit or making a change.

For instance, I did not like brushing my teeth when I was a kid. I thought the taste of toothpaste was disgustingly minty (we didnt have fancy flavors back then) and the whole thing just felt like a big, boring chore. One day, my mom got so tired of nagging me to brush my teeth, she said, If you dont start brushing your teeth, I dont know what Im going to do!

Why is it so important? I asked. My mom answered, Because your teeth will rot, your gums will become diseased, and youll need to have every tooth drilled out because your mouth will be full of cavities! You already have three fillings!

Oh, I said. I have never missed a day of tooth-brushing since then.

Taking care of our Earth is like taking care of our bodies and our homes. Our daily habits affect the health of everything close to us. Even though it may be easier to do less or do nothing at all, we benefit from the big and small efforts of every person who helps. Thats why its important to decide right now to start protecting our Earth in as many ways as we can. Check out the Messy Planet Action Plan near the end of this book for lots of ideas on how you can be part of the solution.

Imagine a world where everyone understands that caring for our Earth isnt just a nice idea, but a necessity. I hope this book helps you learn about the hows and whys of our challenges and inspires you to make a difference, because WE ALL CAN!

Yolanda Kondonassis

Did you know that our Earth is round?

Of course you did!

Do you know what happens when your home is a round planet?

It means that if you were to ride your bike in a straight line for a VERY, VERY, VERY, VERY, VERY long time, you would end up...

...right back where you started!

What if your house was round?

What if your round house got messy?

What if you didnt feel like cleaning up that mess in your round house and you pushed it away so you wouldnt have to look at it?

Where would that mess end up?

Right back in your house!

Earth is a lot like a round house, only MUCH, MUCH, MUCH BIGGER!

Our Earth has gotten messy. What should we do?

Clean it up!

Whenever we face a new challenge, it helps to know as much as we can about the problem so we can fix it.

What happens when our Earth gets messy?

Cars, trucks, and factories make pollution, a kind of dirty gas or liquid that goes out into the air and into our rivers, lakes, and oceans.

What if we just make sure not to live next to a highway or a factory?

Would that keep pollution away from us?

Of course not!

Pollution goes up into the sky and forms a blanket of gas that holds heat within Earths atmosphere.

That makes our whole earth warmer and leads to...

Unclean air for breathing...

melting polar ice caps.