What Planet Are You From, Clarise Bean? by Lauren Child

Title: What Planet Are You From, Clarice Bean?

Author: Lauren Child

Copyright: 2001, Candlewick Press, Cambridge, MA.
Grade Level: 2-5
Genre: Science, Fiction

Summary: This is a story about a young girl named Clarise Bean, who talks about her school and how they are learning about the planet Earth. She walks about gravity and how her teacher, Mrs. Wilberton wants the class to do a project called The Environment. She talks about nature and how her grandfather loves and enjoys the nature. Clarise starts thinking of ideas for her big project, and one of her big ideas is to try to protest and save a tree in the neighborhood that is about to be cut down. Knowing that trees are important to the environment, Clarise decides to sit in the tree and protest, missing school and having her teacher very upset. After her teacher realizes why Clarise missed school, she seems to understand and tells Clarise that she has done a good job. In the end, Clarise understand she has missed school and that was not ok, but she is happy that she could save the tree and help the environment.

Pre-Reading Activity:
Ask the children what they can do to help the environment. Talk to them about the things they can do to help the world.

Post-Reading Activity:
Come up with a project for the whole class; something that has to do with helping the environment. Maybe do community service and clean up trash in one area, or plant trees on Earth Day. Also, talk to the students about recycling and why we should do it. This will show the students how important it is to help the environment and how easy it is to do it. Explain to them that one person can make a difference.

Reflection:
I think this is a wonderful story to introduce to kids. It teaches them about the importance of the environment and about the things they can do to help/save the environment. It has wonderful pictures and it is fun to read. Also, it can be used in early elementary classrooms to teach the children about the environment and just how important it is that people take care of it.

About the Author:

Lauren Child was born in 1965 in Marlborough, Wiltshire. She was known as Christened Helen, before she changed her name to Lauren. She is the middle of the three daughters, and she is best known for writing her Clarise Bean novels. She studied Art at Manchester Polytechnic and London Art School. Lauren Child also started her own company, 'Chandeliers for the People', making exotic lampshades. it wasn't a success. Now, she lives in London, where she works for a design company called the Big Fish.

"In 2008 she was announced as UNESCO's Artist for Peace and in 2010 she was awarded an MBE for services to literature."