A Field Guide to Christian Environmental Education: A Complete Guide to Creation Care is a book that came about as part of the author's master's work. Joel Light created a survey and asked professionals in the field of Christian environmental education for their responses. The book was designed to serve as a "road map for developing and implementing a successful Christian environmental education program." It has sixteen chapters and over one hundred pages.

After defining the basic terms, like "environmental education," the author lists different types of environmental education programs and their websites. There is a short description of each of the curricula, broken up into three specific categories: environmental education curricula, Christian education curricula, and integrated environmental education. The next chapter lists Bible verses that relate to creation. It is an extensive list and each passage is written out in the New International Version (NIV). Light then elaborates on theology, adding rationale for Christian environmental education. He tries to answer the question: What is a Christian's role and responsibility regarding the environment?

The later chapters include activities for children. Each activity included a short description, grade level suggestion, key concepts, scripture verses, vocabulary, materials needed list and procedures. Light also includes ideas for integrating environmental education into Christian education programs. The last three chapters are designed more for Christian environmental education experts. A Field Guide to Christian Environmental Education: A Complete Guide to Creation Care also includes a chapter full of resources.

While this book was intended for professionals in the field of Christian environmental education, I found that much of it could be used to teach children at home, especially those who have an affinity for creation. Light explained simple ways that parent-teachers could guide a child through creation to see the Creator. My favorite section was the "Ideas to Integrate." He also suggests using the word "creation" rather than "nature"--simple changes in conversation that I can make to focus more on the Creator. The activities were easy to understand and seemed relatively easy to implement. I appreciate that the author specified if a curricula contained faith-based activities. I also liked that the Bible verses were written out. So much of Scripture talks about creation, so Light divided the references into sections so that it was not overwhelming

Conversely, because the book came out of Light's master's thesis, some of the book was a bit difficult to grasp. Two of the chapters, Virtues, Values and Rights and Provisions and Human Threats, seem to emphasize the works of two other authors in the field. Since environmental education is not my field, I did appreciate the summary of the works, but I wouldn't use that portion of the book in my homeschool.

If you having a budding ecologist or naturalist in your home I would add A Field Guide to Christian Environmental Education: A Complete Guide to Creation Care to your collection. If your child asks the question: "What is a Christian's role and responsibility regarding the environment?" then this will book will offer a theologically sound answer to some of those questions. The activities for exploration are good, the Bible references are complete, and the resources for deeper study are exhaustive.

Product review by: Maggi Beardsley, The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine, LLC, July 2008.