Saving Earth: Climate Change and the Fight for Our Future

by Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich, Nathaniel Rich (Introduction)

A timely and important nonfiction book for middle grade readers, adapted from the adult book of the same title, about the decade in which the trajectory of climate change could have been reversed and how young people today can rise to action.

By 1979, we knew nearly everything we understand today about climate change--including how to stop it. Over the next decade, a handful of scientists, politicians, and strategists, led by two unlikely heroes, risked their careers in a desperate, escalating campaign to convince the world to act before it was too late. Losing Earth is their story, and ours.

Expanded into full book form from the riveting 2018 issue of New York Times Magazine, and adapted here for younger readers, Losing Earth tells the human story of climate change from the distant past into the present day, wrestling with the long shadow of our failures, what might be ahead for today's youth, and crucial questions of how we understand the world we live in. It is a call to action, a riveting dramatic history, and a rare literary achievement.

Genres: Middle Grade, Nonfiction, Environment, Climate Change, Childrens

240 pages, Hardcover

Published April 5, 2022

Reviews

[Jenny B (RhinoAGoodBook) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Saving Earth dives into the climate change and greenhouse effect that scientists have been aware of for decades. Yes, decades of knowledge and very little action taken to actually slow down or reverse what is happening to our planet due largely to politics. This book serves as a call to action for children. Giving examples of young people who have had huge impacts on their communities and government shows readers that they too can make a difference, not just one day - but today.

I love how this book highlights how kids have helped make a difference in the environment, such as the styrofoam out of schools initiative. I also appreciate how it includes resources and steps for kids dealing with anxiety from global warming and grief from environmental loss. Let's face it, this is a very big and impactful crisis that causes a lot of feelings. Rhuday-Perkovich doesn't leave you feeling hopeless about climate change but emphasizes how important it is to act now. There's also a large focus on discriminatory environmental practices and policies and how they disproportionately affect BIPOC, a topic that really needs to be brought to light and changed.

Keywords are also defined as you read, making it perfectly understandable for middle schoolers. The illustrations peppered throughout the book have a wonderful and engaging drawing style. It does spend a lot of time on the political history of climate change, but I feel it's needed to fully see the whole issue and how to begin fixing it. I think overall Saving Earth is very relatable for the target audience and serves to inspire.

Actual Rating 4.5 Stars. I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley.

[Joan · Rating 1 out of 5]

This came real close to a DNF (did not finish). Part of it is an unclear focus on who is the audience. My system classed it as J. The cover looks J. But much of the book really seems directed at teens. The vocabulary is more teen level than J. On the other hand, especially in the beginning, a lot of attention was paid to defining vocabulary and terms which feels more J. Finally, some seems directed towards adults so might go over the heads of J level people! It seems like much of the book might be meant more for research papers than encouraging people to get up and protest what is happening in the Climate Change Crisis. It is dry. But the last chapter in particular seems to urge people to get out and do whatever you can, recognizing that merely recycling isn’t sufficient. While we desperately need books on this subject, I simply cannot recommend this book. At 200 pages before you hit the notes, which are in small print, this book is 300 pages too long.

[BiblioBrandie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great addition to the middle grade climate change shelves. Having just read (and loved) How to Change Everything I wondered if the information would be too repetitive. While many things are similar, the information is presented in a different way. The author goes more in depth about how racial justice is a climate justice issue. The part about how climate change really started when Native Americans were murdered and removed from their ancestral homelands, not during the industrial revolution, was new information for me. I also liked the part on the seed saving vault and the idea about brining back the woolly mammoth! I definitely know some kids who will be psyched by this book.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This middle grade adaptation is an excellent addition to your climate change collection. It covers the history of how we got to be where we are today, focuses on the racial injustice that has been done and continues to be done, but also brings forth solutions and ways to move forward. I like that the author acknowledges and addresses the anxiety one can feel when thinking about the complexity and enormity of this topic. I also like the focus on young climate activists that helps make the topic relatable. Illustrations and fact boxes throughout help make the subject matter more understandable.
Back matter includes: extensive source notes, numerous recommended resources - both print and digital, acknowledgements, and index.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was the perfect books to read for Earth Day! This is great for the younger generation but also such a wake up moment for those that haven’t started to make changes that can aid ending global warming. There are so many people that have started this movement and it was eye opening to read how corrupt and delayed saving our planet has become!
Highly recommend!

[OjoAusana · Rating 4 out of 5]

*received for free from netgalley for honest review* this was a lot longer than i thought it would be but only because it had so much information! really cool read i would reread :)

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Informative and frightening.

[Simeon McKenzie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would recommend this to everyone I meet

[David Fields · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amazing book that really infuriated me. Learning more about the history of climate change and all the opportunities we had to fix it, and just didnt!!! The end was a little all over the place but I don't think it took away from anything.