by Elizabeth Suneby (Author) Rebecca Green (Illustrator)
It's monsoon season in Bangladesh, which means Iqbal's mother must cook the family's meals indoors, over an open fire. The smoke from the fire makes breathing difficult for his mother and baby sister, and it's even making them sick. Hearing them coughing at night worries Iqbal. So when he learns that his school's upcoming science fair has the theme of sustainability, Iqbal comes up with the perfect idea for his entry: he'll design a stove that doesn't produce smoke! With help from his teacher, Iqbal learns all about solar energy cooking, which uses heat from the sun to cook --- ingenious! Has Iqbal found a way to win first prize in the science fair while providing cleaner air and better health for his family at the same time?
Award-winning author Elizabeth Suneby's thoroughly researched and inspiring story introduces young children to the problems associated with open-flame cooking in the developing world, as well as background information on sustainable technology. Part of the CitizenKid collection, this book uses the common experience of a science fair project to help children recognize that they, too, can help make the world a better place through innovative thinking and creative problem solving. The artwork by Rebecca Green, filled with details of everyday life in a Bangladesh village, beautifully evokes a sense of place and culture. Iqbal offers a perfect example for the character education subject of initiative. End matter includes information about clean cookstoves, a DIY solar cooker activity and a glossary.
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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 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.In the newest addition to the CitizenKid series from Suneby (Razia's Ray of Hope), a Bangladeshi boy's search for a science fair project is the conduit for discussing a health and safety issue found in many developing countries: open-flame cooking. The fictional Iqbal (not to be confused with the late Pakistani children's rights crusader) notices that smoky indoor cooking during monsoon season is causing his family's breathing problems. He works with his teacher and sister to build a solar cooker for the science fair, hoping that the prize money could pay for a propane stove. The stylized colored-pencil illustrations from Green (How to Make Friends with a Ghost) offer realistic scenes of Bangladeshi village life in muted hues and portray the closeness of Iqbal's family. Readers also glimpse an educational system segregated by gender: Iqbal's class consists of all boys with a male teacher, though his inquisitive, insistent sister, Sadia, who also attends school, is just as involved with the project. An author's note, glossary, and do-it-yourself instructions for a pizza box solar cooker wrap up another successful entry in this series of encouraging stories about children empowered by education and engaged in problem-solving in their communities. Ages 8-12. (May)
Copyright 2018 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.Rebecca Green is an illustrator and painter whose work can be found in children's books, magazines and galleries. She lives in Nashville, Tennessee.