Celebrated author/illustrator Marc Brown revisits his beloved bestselling character in the first new Arthur picture book in almost ten years!
Arthur comes home from school and begins sneaking around the house, taking notes and talking about a Big Green Machine. D.W. is suspicious of her brother's weird behavior, but when Arthur shows up late for dinner with green hands, she really gets the creeps! But it turns house Arthur is making a poster listing all the ways to save energy at home--and go green!
Just in time for Earth Day, this heartwarming story will be printed on recycled paper with soy based ink.
Marc Tolon Brown is perhaps best known for his series of children's books about Arthur the aardvark, which was turned into an animated television show on PBS. Brown is a three-time Emmy Award winner, for his role on the television show inspired by his books.
He lives on Martha's Vineyard and in New York City with his wife, Laurie Krasny Brown. He has three children, sons Tolon and Tucker, and daughter Eliza. The names of his two sons have been hidden in all of the Arthur books except for one: Arthur's Tooth.
The perennial favorite, Arthur, is back with a gentle eco-themed story. Arthur tries to think of ways he can make his household more "green" as part of a class project, and there's a silly mixup when his sister D.W. thinks he's actually talking about turning the color green.
The book demonstrates and concludes with some simple tips on eco-friendly modifications to make around the home, such as changing lightbulbs and not wasting water while brushing teeth. Diet, unfortunately, is not addressed, although this has the potential to make more of an impact than the more familiar changes.
) Text-to Teaching Connection: What is a response activity that you can do in a classroom with children in response to the book? (e.g. drama, music, art, or writing
after reading the book the teacher will ask the students what are some things we can do to save the planet. the teacher and the students will talk about things Arthur did to save his planet. students will make a chart of things they can do to turn their school green. students will make a bubble map on ways to save the planet. students will go out into the community and ask people what are somethings they do to keep the earth clean. students will write a paper on ways they can help to keep the earth clean. students will create and decorate recycle bins to use in the class room.
Summary: Arthur’s class is working on a project called “Big Green Machine” where they have to find an activity to make our world a better place. Arthur went around his house doing various things – he unplugged chargers, changed lightbulbs, and showered really fast. He works in the garden and even starts to turn green! His sister, D.W. has a dream about a big green machine that chases her and turns everyone green. She is scared to go to family night at school because of this but eventually finds out that it is just the name of the project. Arthur had created a huge poster called “Turn Your House Green” and showed everyone.
Theme: environmentalism
Personal response to this book: I am from Northern California and have grown up loving nature and the environment. As a child, I don’t remember reading many books about the environment and how we can make impacts to save it. The environment is a topic that I believe every student should be aware of at a young age. I wish that teachers had included some sort of environmental curriculum when I was going through elementary school.
Why I recommend this book: Arthur Turns Green is a great resource to get children more aware of our environment. It is important for students to understand that we need to value the planet we live on. I especially like this book because it provides readers with little steps they can do to make an impact. Arthur exemplifies the ways that people can reduce waste, save energy, save water, etc. on an everyday basis. I think this book would be excellent to have in the classroom to promote environmentalism for young children.
I don't think it's nostalgia that makes me particularly fond of this episode of Arthur's adventures. Rather, as I've been discussing with my allies, it is the environmentally-conscious road that the series has taken over the years.
This is as brilliantly-coloured as I remember from my youth.
What I took away from it was the ten ways to turn your house green - which I copied into my notebook, even though I noted next to the tenth one that with my seizure condition I have difficulties with fluorescent light-bulbs.
Environmental books are a tough sell, and Marc Brown doesn't muster enough interest to make Arthur Turns Green worth the read. Arthur's class is doing a project on environmentalism and being green, and Arthur's environmental behavior confuses D.W. into thinking there's a machine turning everyone green. That's about it in terms of plot, the rest is extremely basic environmentalism (don't take long showers! don't run the water while you brush your teeth!) that just feels inadequate these days.
Arthur's school project is called the Big Green Machine, so when Arthur starts sneaking around the house, and acting weird D.W. becomes suspicious and then worried thinking that whatever Arthur is doing will soon turn everything, and everyone green. D.W. is soon provided with all the answers during school family night.
Another good book about what you can do at your house to make a difference. (Now if we could just get larger companies/industries to do the same!) But seriously, my cynicism aside. This is cute, and reminds me of things I need to continue to do (like change the light bulbs). Plus! It's Arthur.
Learning more about being environmentally friendly takes a twist when DW fears a green monster has taken over her family. Cute, but not our favorite Arthur story.
Arthur comes home from school and is talking about a big green machine. D.W is suspicious of her brothers behavior and gets creeped out by his hand. This book could be read on earth day.
It's been a long time - almost ten years! - since the last Arthur book by Marc Brown, but nothing's changed in Elwood City, or in the Read family. DW's still the pesky little sister, Arthur's still in third grade, and even the illustrations have returned (blissfully) to their original, pre-TV show style.
As the title suggests, the storyline has to do with the green movement. Arthur's class is involved in a project called The Big Green Machine, where they will brainstorm ways to help the Earth and share them on family night. DW, however, has her suspicions about this green machine. Her brother's been coming home with green fingers - does that mean the machine is literally turning him green?
This newest installment in the Arthur series fits right in alongside the original titles, as though no time has passed. As with every Arthur book, there are no gimmicks here. The story is simple, gentle, and funny, and has universal child appeal. I was a little bit disappointed, since nothing new really happened in this book, and the story didn't really feel that original or creative. In fact, it almost felt like a TV reunion special, with brief mentions of many secondary characters so as not to leave anyone out of the story. But every other series has an Earth Day book - I see no reason why Arthur shouldn't have one, too. And fans will be pleased to see that their beloved series lives on!
Arthur's class is working on class project called the "Big Green Machine." Each student comes up with an idea on how they can make the earth greener and then they will present it at their school's family night. D.W. starts to get concerned for Arthur when he comes home from school with green fingers, and she notices him doing weird things around the house, like recycling, turning off the lights, adding plants to the rooms, unplugging items not in use etc. She things a big green machine is going to get him.
Once D.W. learns what Arthur has been working on, and why it's called the "Big Green Machine" her fears disappear, and she becomes excited when she sees all the ways she can help around the house to make it greener. Arthur Turns Green is a fabulous way to teach kids about the things they can do around their homes to be greener. This book is a great addition to any home or grade school class room.
Arthur's class project is about looking for ways to make our planet a better place to live in. Everyone shares a plan for their contribution except Arthur. His plan will be a surprise.
Arthur's little sister D.W. is worried. Arthur's acting weirder than usual and he keeps talking about the mysterious Green Machine. Now his hands are turning a creepy green color. When it's time for Family Night at school to display the projects, D.W. pretends to be sick. She doesn't want anything to do with the Green Machine.
All turns out well in the end and D.W. and readers learn a lot about making the world a better place to live in. This book, printed in China, is printed in soy ink on recycled paper. For children from four to eight.
"Arthur Turns Green" by Marc Brown is a great introduction or encouragement for children to think about our planet and ways to contribute to it's preservation and restoration.
Arthur is working on a school project called the 'Green Machine' assigned by the teacher to all students. Arthur is being quite secretive about the details of his project and D.W. is worried about what this Green Machine is doing to her brother as she watches his hands and arms turn green!
Although the green concepts described in the book are a bit simplistic and perhaps dated, 'Arthur Turns Green' is a book that can be used to expand a discussion with our little people about how to truly care for our shared home, earth.
In this Arthur Adventure, Arthur's class is working on a project called the "Big Green Machine." It is a conservation project. Everyone has to come up with ways to save the energy and our environment. While working on his project, Arthur uses green paint, which stains his hands. D.W. sees Arthur's hands and thinks he is being turned green by a machine and gets scared. On family night, the truth is revealed and D.W. is glad that Arthur's hands turned green while he was making a poster highlighting 10 ways to turn your house green. I really enjoyed this story, the illustrations and the message of this book. This is a 3.1 AR Level Book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Arthur Turns Green is a great book to introduce your early childhood students to how to economically cautious. Arthur comes home from school and takes notes about the Big Green Machine. D.W is curious about her brother's weird behavior, but when Arthur shows up late for dinner with green hands, she really wonders what he has been up too! Arthur is actually making a poster listing all the ways to save energy at home. I would definitely use this book in my future classroom so children can understand why it's important to save energy when they are at home.
I'm seriously really getting tired of the hyper-eco-activism in books lately. Yes, the environment is important. Yes, living green is a way of life that doesn't need to be limited to nonfiction texts. Andy Runyon has a great part in Owly and Wormy -- Friends Aflutter where Owly gets an idea and it shows up as an energy-efficient bulb. That's cute!
This is not. WHY IS THIS BOOK ON THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER LIST?!?!
Arthur has to be one of the best characters of my childhood. Even now, I can't get enough of the adventures he has with his friends & family. Arthur is doing a GO GREEN project at school, but when Arthur's hands start turning green, D.W. begins to have some suspicions about what is going on with Arthur's school project. =)
This is a great book to use around Earth Day and promote "going green". Arthur and his classmates are asked to do a project about going green. Arthur's project deals with how to conserve energy in his home. This is a great opportunity to teach kids about being environmentally friendly. I would use this book in any elementary classroom.
Both my boys like reading about Arthur and his adventures. I think this book was geared more toward my 8-year-old but my 4-year-old still liked it. It was a great book to talk about different things we can each do to help our earth.
Cute story, but a little more stilted than the earlier Arthur books... the dynamics between Arthur and DW and the rest of the gang aren't as engaging. Still, this very popular aardvark manages to work in an important message without coming across as overly didactic.