One Hot Mess: A Child's Environmental Fable

FITZROY, a young kangaroo, loves living in the outback of Australia with his kangaroo family. This season the outback is greener than usual, and the beautiful plants growing against the red earth delight him. Then he notices the nasty pile of trash that sits alongside the railroad tracks. Every day it grows bigger and bigger, and gets smellier and smellier. Some of the little joeys are even getting sick! Fitzroy is determined to find a way to clean up the hot mess and ensure that it never collects in the outback again. But it's a big job, too big to do by himself. It will take a lot of paws and claws to get the job done! Fitzroy and the mob find that sometimes the help you need is right there beside you. You just have to have the courage to step forward and ask for it. This delightful story not only entertains it educates. It teaches children that it's important to keep their homes and our planet clean. The fully illustrated tale is enhanced with a glossary containing entries relating to the flora and fauna mentioned withing the story. The entries contain links to web pages where the reader can go to learn more about the outback and its unusual residents. This is a wonderful read-to-me-book or a first chapter book for young readers.

About the Author :
Infused with a reverence for life, J.E. Rogers loves animals and has always been especially intrigued by the unusual creatures that can be found only in Australia. An avid student of every facet of the country, Rogers' love of all things Australian has flowed into her books. She hopes to spark an interest in young readers to the flora and fauna of Australia while engaging them in a wildly imaginative tale of adventure. She spends much of her time blogging and speaking to youngsters, at libraries, schools, and museums, about endangered and threatened animals around the globe. She wants children to understand that we are connected with all life on this planet, and that animals are our fellow creatures and we share this world with them. It is our responsibility to protect them. J.E. Rogers is a graduate of Western Connecticut State University. She lives in Connecticut with her family, which includes two dogs, and two cats.

Review :
"With her newest story, J.E. Rogers has deftly turned her hand to crafting a timeless tale for children in the form of a gorgeously illustrated picture storybook that packs a fine message about caring for the environment." Jason J. Marchi, author of the best-selling picture storybook, The Legend of Hobbomock: The Sleeping Giant, a REVERE Awards Finalist (omicronworld.com/FahrenheitBooks.htm) J.E. Rogers' fantasy tales are brilliant reads for kids. The stories bring children into the Australian outback, teaching them about animals they don't typically see, and gives them beautifully illustrated pictures for them to enjoy throughout the books. Lisa Fender - Author of The Lorn Prophecy series. (djenworld.com/novels) "This delightfully written picture book is rather sneaky. Tucked in with all the action and fun is a message kids will remember--clean up your mess! I recommend reading One Hot Mess to your child or your class. Kids see how a sneaky writer and a mob of kangaroos put responsible teamwork to the test, and were super happy with the results. Margot Finke--Magic Carpet of 15 Books margotfinke.com J.E. Rogers' One Hot Mess, A Child's Environmental Fable is one that teaches young and old alike the importance of protecting our environment. It also teaches us about some of the wild animals that live in the Australian outback, like the kangaroos, the wedge-tailed eagles, and the dibblers. There is a glossary at the back of the book that provides interesting and valuable information on Australia and its wildlife. The message is clear: what we throw so carelessly away affects the wildlife and the wildlife is important to our entire ecosystem. This story is beautifully illustrated and compassionately told, with a child and a young kangaroo teaching us what we should already know - to work together to keep things clean, to protect the environment. READERS' FAVORITE FIVE STAR REVIEW *****