Kids: Book Features Inside Scoop on Soil

Soil! Get the Inside Scoop explores how soil is part of our life — the food we eat, the air we breathe, the water we drink, the houses we live in, and more.

Healthy soil is necessary for healthy plants and food production. Written for children age 9 to 12, Soil! The Inside Scoop shows how soil sustains life and how we must, in turn, sustain and take care of the soil. From learning about different kinds of soil to meeting scientists and professionals who work with soil every day, readers young and old will enjoy this exploration of the ground beneath their feet.

“It’s packed full of fascinating information,” said Julie Rosen, a 4th grade teacher at Woods Charter School in Chapel Hill, NC. “This book provided a unique opportunity for my students to understand the relationship of soil to their personal health and well being. A must-have for the class library or for any parent who wants to connect their child to Earth stewardship.”

The book opens with the importance of soil in our lives: soil is a source of food, a source of oxygen, a filter for water, and a key building material. Soil formation and types are explained with a fun, easy to understand tone. Examples connect directly to kids’ lives. Technical terms are defined and explained with pictures and examples. Throughout, the book stresses environmental stewardship and conservation, showing how conservation efforts directly affect the soil.

Soils! The Inside Scoop can be purchased online through SSSA for $20, Item No. B60913 at: https://www.soils.org/pdf/soil-scoop.pdf, by phone at 608-268-4960, or by email: books@soils.org.

The Soil Science Society of America (SSSA) is a progressive, international scientific society that fosters the transfer of knowledge and practices to sustain global soils. Based in Madison, WI, and founded in 1936, SSSA is the professional home for 6,000+ members dedicated to advancing the field of soil science. It provides information about soils in relation to crop production, environmental quality, ecosystem sustainability, bioremediation, waste management, recycling, and wise land use.

SSSA supports its members by providing quality research-based publications, educational programs, certifications, and science policy initiatives via a Washington, DC, office. For more information, visit http://www.soils.org.

SSSA is the founding sponsor of an approximately 5,000-square foot exhibition, Dig It! The Secrets of Soil, opening July 19, 2008 at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History in Washington, DC.