Love Your World

Here’s a book that encourages absolute beginners to ‘take care of the plants, the animals and the planet’. The message is delivered by a team of winsome tots (Little Dorlings, possibly) who do nice things like growing bee-friendly plants, snail-friendly tray-gardens (in the picture two snails can be seen making a desperate bid for freedom), recycle everything, wear sweaters, holiday near home and share things.

Exposed to this degree of naïve enthusiasm, the adult tongue creeps remorselessly into the cheek, but there are doubtless hands by which this message can be effectively delivered and young minds that will absorb and practise it. Just a pity that a book whose underlying burden is sharing resources starts off ‘This book belongs to…’ and ends with an individual Super Green Star Award for the reader.