A Song for the Earth

by Shannon Jade

A Song for the Earth is a lyrical novel in verse written by an environmental scientist and designed to offer a hopeful perspective on the climate crisis.

The wide, wild world is made of wonder, but as climate change reinvents the landscape, rich ecosystems are under threat. On a journey through Earth's major biomes, January learns the plight of the planet. Armed with the power of a voice made for poetry, she turns her lyrics into a call for action. Is it enough to write a song for the earth and ask the world to sing along?

198 pages, Paperback

Published June 30, 2025

About the author

Shannon Jade is an author and environmental scientist who believes in the real-world magic of storytelling. She is the author of A Song for the Earth, Seashells for Stories, Way Back When, Rainbow, and more, as well as having worked on books for several major publishers, including Rebel Girls and Wiley. Shannon holds a BA in creative writing and publishing and a master’s of environmental science. Today, Shannon mostly writes adult fiction and poetry projects with a hopeful environmental focus, aiming to make the world a better, greener, and kinder place.

Reviews

[Ashleigh Tammy · Rating 5 out of 5]

REVIEW – A Song for the Earth by Shannon Jade

Thank you so much Shannon for sending me a digital copy of your lovely book.

This is a lyrical novel written in verse about the raw, organic beauty of Earth but also the reality of climate change and the impact it has on the natural environment. It is a call for action and an ode to the wonder that is Mother Nature.

A delicate yet stirring piece of literature; this novel takes you on a poetic journey in which the story’s protagonist, January, traverses the urban terrain of the city, and the Earth’s biomes, in search of a deeper understanding of each geographical space and what the people residing in these areas have come to witness over time. Each chapter features beautiful illustrations in which Jade’s writing springboards from.

I found this to be a really moving text to pick up. Not only because of the topic it deals with, but the way in which it is structured. I haven’t read anything like this before, and my attention was truly captured and held until the end through the way in which Jade weaves verse.

A few quotes for your perusal:

My poems are a battle cry,
carried over the winds.
I shout them out loud
and call myself a soldier.
I wield my words high up in the air,
and I let them lead the charge.

-

The impact of the Anthropocene
is profound yet preventable.
That’s the greatest tragedy of all.

-

Just when I think
I am all out of courage
the faintest sunbeam
climbs free
from the darkness.

-

If you’re looking for a bit of a change to your usual genre selection and wish to pay heed to a more environmentally focused piece of literature + support an indie author from Australia who is also an environmental scientist !! then I really do suggest you give this one a go.

A x

[Natasha Corrado · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Song for the Earth is an evocative and compelling collection of poems that spans over not only time, but many different landscapes. This book will have the reader considering things they may have never thought of before, and learning important information woven into the lines of each stanza.

From the beginning of this book, the first few poems were thought provoking as well as relatable. The reader can gain a good grasp on who the narrator is and what her purpose is. Her intentions are made clear, and though the poems do not follow a formulaic rhythm or scheme, they set the tone for the rest of the book in terms of flow and purpose.

As the story line goes on, the poems become stronger in tone as well in structure. The narrators voice gains confidence and authority, and the imagery being painted gets progressively more vivid. There were certain moments where a word or attempted rhyme/metaphor didn't achieve the desired effect, but overall those instances were few and far between. The authors/narrators growth in their poetry is evident throughout each landscape as the poems continued on and is inspiring.

Another facet of this book that was very enjoyable was the way the author included colors into each landscape. She described each new terrain with a slew of colors, tones and hues, not only making visualization easier for the reader but evoking emotional attachment with the fact that now we can see and understand what the narrator is trying to describe. The poems not only read as spoken-word but also as a story where the reader can imagine the different characters introduced, as well as each sun-burn and tear streak on the main characters face.

A theme that needs mentioning is how the color and character of "gold" is scattered throughout each terrain. For me, it showed how there is beauty in every single part of the earth, the broken pieces and the whole ones, the new and the old, the changing and the parts that we hope will remain the same. Gold also stirred up a call to action, not only to preserve what is already there but also to make something better out of what is the current circumstance.

All in all, this book was an informational and beautiful read that will expand the minds of those who were once ignorant of the status of the earth. It was compelling, moving, emotionally intriguing as well as relatable in all the right ways. It showed that all of us have a voice and are able to make a difference, and all it takes is letting the wild in us lead us to the wilderness where we just might find our home.

[B.A. Franc · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5⭐️ rounded up

A Song for the Earth by Shannon Jade is a beautiful, lyrical story that follows a young woman named January as she embarks on a quest to rediscover the Earth on which she lives. The story begins in the city, where January lives and is beginning to feel the call of the Earth to come and explore, to learn its depths, its destruction.

So she leaves, traveling to five distinct locations (the rainforest, the desert, the ocean, the arctic, and the savannah) before heading home to the city. In these five locations, January meets the people who call each place their home and she witnesses first hand both the slow and fast decay of each area in its own, unique way.

This novel in prose was so incredibly moving to read. It filled me with equal parts hope and dread, all while filling my mind with imagery of places I have never been or seen. The author is really talented in painting a vivid picture with the fewest possible words. It's quite impressive. So many passages struck me, plucking chords deep within my soul, and resonated until my body seemed to hum. I wish I could share them all, but there are too many to choose from.

When I first began reading, Jade's story reminded me of Richard Powers’ The Overstory (one of my 5-star reads from 2024, and probably one of the best books I have ever read), set to a steady rhythm that only poetry seems to possess.

I believe this book does an incredible job at speaking directly to this deep seated discomfort so many of us are feeling with the world and the increasing disasters we are facing. It speaks to the part of us that misses our connection to the wild, to the earth. The one we have severed almost completely as we build up more walls and technology and loneliness around us.

If you feel deeply connected to nature, or you feel as if something in life is missing, or you are stressed and worried about the climate, or you simply want to experience the beauty of parts of the world you have never seen, I highly recommend picking up this story. It will be a balm to your soul.

[Cheyenne · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Song for the Earth is a story told through poetry. January is a woman who leaves the city to find herself and the earth outside of the high-rises she is used to. Throughout the story she goes to different places and finds the same in each one, bitter climate change and people needing help. It is a story of hope; for change, for the future, and for a love of the earth.

I really enjoyed reading this. It was put together incredibly well. The word choice helped me fully envision all of the places that January saw and experienced. The variance in stanza structure helped to keep things fresh. I felt the pain and rage of January as well as the hope that she felt for the future. All of it together made for an enjoyable experience. At the end, there was even a citation page for information presented in the story. This was incredible to me as a historian who never sees that. I wish more books cited information for extra research by readers. My only issue was that a few times I had to reread sections for clarity, but it was not often or bad.

I am already a big proponent for cleaning and helping the earth. Even for people that are not, I feel like January and her story could help them to become people that are. It is so fast to read and the message comes across so clear that genuinely I believe anyone could read it and come to these same conclusions about helping our planet. I highly recommend it.
Thank you to the author for sending me a copy for free in exchange for an honest review. This is great work that you are doing Shannon and it is people like you and January that will help us all change our future.

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

A uniquely beautiful book told in poems. Some poems could probably stand on their own, while others are more connected to the overarching narrative of the story.

Facts about climate change were highlighted with endnotes, which I personally thought detracted from the flow of verse and felt more like a research paper. I understand their importance.

Written by someone clearly with love for Earth and concerned about our home’s future. As we all should be.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was gifted this book, and while it isn't something I would normally go for, I enjoyed it.

[Girls Gone Book Clubbin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I devoured this book in a few hours. It is way out of my normal reading scope but I enjoyed it. It shines a light on helping protect our planet through beautifully written poetry. Thank you Shannon for putting this out into the world.

[Christiana Doucette · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a pretty interesting verse novel. It felt pretty YA/. Or even adult audience oriented. The lines were lyrical, at times the story moved slowly, but I did appreciate the read and the slow journey around the world.

[Asena England · Rating 5 out of 5]

🌍✨ A Song for the Earth by Shannon Jade is one of those rare books that speaks to both the heart and the conscience. As someone who deeply values lyrical writing and cares about the future of our planet, I found this collection not only moving, but necessary.

The poems trace a journey across the Earth’s many biomes, from forests and deserts to oceans and glaciers, capturing the fragile beauty of each and the mounting pressures of climate change. What really struck me was how immersive and emotional the language is. Shannon Jade doesn’t simply describe these landscapes, she brings them to life, allowing us to feel their rhythms, their pain, and their quiet strength.

There is a gentle activism in this work. It doesn’t preach, but it does ask us to listen — to nature, to each other, and to the future we’re shaping. The title poses a powerful question: Is it enough to write a song for the Earth and ask the world to sing along? By the end, I found myself both inspired and unsettled, as good poetry often leaves us. Aware of how much we’ve already lost, and how much we still have the power to protect.

Shannon Jade’s background in environmental science clearly informs her writing, but it’s her heart and voice as a poet that give this book its resonance. Each poem stands on its own. Together, they form a cohesive and compelling journey, one that I know I’ll return to again.

Highly recommended for lovers of eco-poetry, thoughtful storytelling, and anyone who believes words can make a difference. A quietly urgent, deeply beautiful collection.

Thank you, Shannon, for sharing such an important and heartfelt book with the world. It’s a gift.

— Asena 🌱📖

[Victoria Pena · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Song for the Earth is a breathtaking symphony of words, tender, raw, and necessary. Shannon Jade transforms poetry into a living heartbeat for the planet, reminding us that Earth is not just a place we live in, but a story we are part of. Through January’s lyrical journey across fragile biomes, this novel doesn’t just speak of loss, it sings of hope.

Every page carries the hush of forests, the cry of melting ice, and the quiet, persistent belief that one voice can spark a chorus of change. It is both a love letter and a warning, gentle yet powerful, urging us to feel, remember, and act.

This book doesn’t just ask you to read, it asks you to listen, to care, and to sing along.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Song for the Earth is a beautifully written response to the climate crisis. Told through interconnected poems, Shannon Jade weaves science with story in such a unique way that I found it hard to put down. It’s a novel in verse that doesn’t shy away from the reality of our environmental challenges, but still leaves you with a sense of possibility and purpose. A glimmer of hope for both teens and adults alike who care deeply about the future of our planet.

[Shannon Jade · Rating 5 out of 5]

As the author, I think this book is pretty cool. But don't take my word for it. Give it a read for yourself! I'd love to hear your thoughts.

[Deb Burns · Rating 5 out of 5]

insightful and thought provoking - a great read