mattyb's review

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hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted reflective fast-paced

4.75

readingthroughtheages's review against another edition

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4.0

You may be familiar with Drummond's other stories that champion positive changes places have done for the environment. This book focuses on solar energy and the big idea of sustainability. Instead of just defining what it is, the fictional kids in the story look for examples of it.
Drummond found the largest solar plant in the world and it may surprise you where it is located - in Morocco's Sahara Desert! Readers will see both illustrations and photographs of this solar field and see how it is making a difference.

skeinsinthestacks's review

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informative fast-paced

3.75

The biggest solar power plant in the world is As large as 3500 soccer fields and contains 660,000 mirrors!

maidmarianlib's review against another edition

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3.0

Great overview of sustainability concepts

lbandoch's review against another edition

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3.0

A really informative book which may change the way you view other countries, especially Morocco. The illustrations are gorgeous and there's tons of facts to dive into for a curious child. Ultimately, there's a lot of words on each page and it could confuse an early/emerging reader.

amdame1's review against another edition

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3.0

Focuses on a community in Morocco with the largest solar power plant in the world. Conversational style, not overly wordy. Emphasis on sustainability. Pictures make it easy to understand, although it is not really about how solar power works, rather about the change that it has brought to the community.
Author visited the community so there is one page spread of actual photographs from his visit.

bethmitcham's review

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3.0

Kid's eye view of the giant solar plant in rural Morocco, which Drummond was surprised to find was the biggest solar plant in the world. Told by a kid in the local school, the book covers the climate of the area, the local conditions, and then takes a field trip to the plant to explain how it operates. I learned stuff I didn't know (superheated sands? it's not just rows of panels, but also mirrors concentrating heat to make steam and generate electricity which is even cooler. I mean hotter). The kids then do a school report on sustainability to describe how the plant is working to make itself a good neighbor to the village -- hiring and training workers so that even when the jobs for building disappear the locals will have acquired skills to keep them employed elsewhere, and investing in education for students in trades and in adults at work to help the community prosper and not resent the farm.

It's a good well-round look but keeps pretty close to the surface.
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