How to Teach Grown-Ups About Climate Change: The cutting-edge science of our changing planet

by Patricia Daniels, Dr. Michael Mann (Foreword), Aaron Blecha (Illustrator)

A witty guide to the science behind climate change, which puts kids in charge.

Never has there been a more perfect time to empower kids to take the lead and educate their grown-ups about climate change. Featuring a foreword by internationally renowned climate scientist Dr. Michael E. Mann and bursting with fabulous original illustrations, this delightfully witty book deals with the pressing topic of our changing planet in an uplifting, positive way. Interwoven amongst the more serious questions––why is Earth so special in the first place? How do we know about climate change? What causes it? How can we recognize false information?––are fun-filled facts about cow burps, woolly mammoths, panda-shaped solar panels, and much more. Crucially, this book also equips kids and adults alike with the practical tools they need to tackle climate change in their everyday lives. And there’s a handy quiz at the end so that you can check your grown-up has been paying attention!

Genres: Nonfiction

112 pages, Hardcover

Published March 5, 2024

Reviews

[Lisa Davidson · Rating 5 out of 5]

We need more books like this! I love the attitude, which is awesome. Kids can influence their grownups because they care about each other. I've seen kids do the same kind of thing when they try to get their loved ones to stop smoking.
In this book, the science of climate change is explained in simple terms with helpful illustrations. There are details about real ways we're already seeing the effects of climate change and what we can expect. Importantly, there are several actions we can take to make things better.
At the end of the book, there are other sources we can look at for more information, including some books and websites geared towards kids. And there are even more ways we can do our part to hold off the effects of climate change.
Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this

[J Kromrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.

Never has there been a more perfect time to empower kids to take the lead and educate their grown-ups about climate change. Patricia Daniels, along with illustrator Aaron Blecha, accomplishes just that in this delightful and witty book. It is an amazing idea, even better in its solid implementation!

Featuring a foreword by internationally renowned climate scientist Dr. Michael E. Mann, the book navigates the science behind climate change in an uplifting, positive manner. Here’s what makes it stand out:

Engaging Approach: Daniels weaves serious questions with humor. Why is Earth special? How do we know about climate change? What causes it? The answers are accessible and engaging.

Fun Facts: From cow burps to panda-shaped solar panels, the book is filled with fascinating tidbits. It’s like a treasure trove of climate-related trivia.

Practical Tools: Crucially, it equips both kids and adults with practical tools to tackle climate change in their everyday lives. We all need to be part of the solution.

Grown-Up Quiz: Yes, there’s a quiz at the end to check if your grown-up has been paying attention. A playful touch that reinforces the message.

Whether you’re 8 or 80, this book is a must-read. Let’s learn, act, and protect our changing planet together! 🌎🌿

[KayG · Rating 5 out of 5]

Important information about climate change is given in an entertaining and accessible format book. Facts are explained clearly to allow anyone to understand what climate change is, what can be the results if it’s ignored, and things to do about it - both simple and more complex. It is essential that everyone understands climate change, and this book is a vital connection toward making that happen. As an adult, I am grateful to understand more facts about it, and to be better able to explain it to my grandchildren.

Netgalley

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Should be required reading for US 4th-6th Graders. A high dose of humor balances this heated, harrowing topic and empowers young readers to move from understanding climate change to climate activism as both personal choices and political, systemic change.

[Kitchen Sink Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

Have you ever thought about being a teacher one day? Of course, you see your own teacher(s) everyday in school, but have you ever thought that one day that could be you. Maybe you already do a little teaching – learning something interesting and sharing your knowledge. But who do you share with, is it your friends or is it people older than you. It can be a lot of fun to share newly learnt information and facts with others and when it is grown-ups there is a true sense of achievement, knowing you can tell them something that they may not have known. Showing them that there is always new learning to be done. But what if they are very set in their ways and when you try to teach them how something they do could be done differently? In this case it is looking after the planet. There are many ways that we can all be better at this but some of them we have to learn and as the planet is going to be in the hands of all those who are currently young it is important they can show the adults what to do now.

How to Teach Grown Ups About Climate Change is written by Patricia Daniels for just this purpose, including a foreword from Dr Michael E. Mann who is a well-known climate scientist, this book is also packed with wonderful illustrations which not only demonstrate in pictures what can be done, elaborating what is written in the text, but also lend themselves to being an additional teaching aid for all readers. This is a serious topic but the book deals with it in a humorous way, putting its reader at ease and empowering them all the more. There is serious, real science in the book but there are also some hilarious and brilliant facts. Questions such as why the earth is so special and how do we know about climate change as well as what causes it are offset by facts about cow burps, the now long-extinct woolly mammoth, and even panda-shaped solar panels – yes they are a thing, and wouldn’t it be wonderful to see more of them? This book not only provides facts, figures, and for some, an education around climate change and its issues, it also provides practical clues and a quiz!

I write reviews for Armadillo Children's Books and this one appeared in my weekly newsletter, Postbag Picks, in March 2024.