A clear, powerful resource that’s backed by science and designed to inspire.
A compelling, evidence-based book covering climate change: what it is, why it matters, and what’s next.
The book opens with stark examples of climate-driven disasters: the $113 billion toll Hurricane Ian took in 2021 and the global impact of Canada’s lethal 2023 wildfires. Andra poses the core question: “What exactly is climate change?” and answers with scientific rigor. She distinguishes short-term weather from long-term climate and draws on paleoclimatology to contrast natural vs. human-driven climate change. She accessibly unpacks key determinants of climate: the Coriolis effect from Earth’s rotation, albedo (how surfaces reflect or absorb solar energy), and the disruptive impact of industrial revolutions. Without alarmism, Andra shows how NASA climate scientist James Hansen’s decades-old warnings about the impact of human activity are becoming reality. She illustrates climate change’s dire societal and ecological toll. The final section looks ahead, detailing global organizations and governmental policies that address climate change. Andra highlights the power of achievable, effective individual actions, such as reducing food waste and joining community action groups. She leaves readers with hope, pointing to Norway’s 98% renewably sourced electricity and Fiji’s unexpected coral reef recovery as signs of progress and resilience. Andra writes with clarity and conviction, and her deep knowledge and genuine urgency shine through, offering a heartfelt, unifying call to action. Ample photos, a colorful page design, and clear subheadings add to the work’s appeal.
A clear, powerful resource that’s backed by science and designed to inspire. (glossary, source notes, bibliography, further information, index, photo credits) (Nonfiction. 12-18)Pub Date: Jan. 1, 2026
ISBN: 9798765644232
Page Count: 64
Publisher: Twenty-First Century/Lerner
Review Posted Online: Nov. 22, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2026
BOOK REVIEW
Small but mighty necessary reading.
A miniature manifesto for radical queer acceptance that weaves together the personal and political.
Eli, a cis gay white Jewish man, uses his own identities and experiences to frame and acknowledge his perspective. In the prologue, Eli compares the global Jewish community to the global queer community, noting, “We don’t always get it right, but the importance of showing up for other Jews has been carved into the DNA of what it means to be Jewish. It is my dream that queer people develop the same ideology—what I like to call a Global Queer Conscience.” He details his own isolating experiences as a queer adolescent in an Orthodox Jewish community and reflects on how he and so many others would have benefitted from a robust and supportive queer community. The rest of the book outlines 10 principles based on the belief that an expectation of mutual care and concern across various other dimensions of identity can be integrated into queer community values. Eli’s prose is clear, straightforward, and powerful. While he makes some choices that may be divisive—for example, using the initialism LGBTQIAA+ which includes “ally”—he always makes clear those are his personal choices and that the language is ever evolving.
Small but mighty necessary reading. (resources) (Nonfiction. 14-18)Pub Date: June 2, 2020
ISBN: 978-0-593-09368-9
Page Count: 64
Publisher: Penguin Workshop
Review Posted Online: March 28, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2020
Brief yet inspirational, this story will galvanize youth to use their voices for change.
Testa’s connection to and respect for nature compelled her to begin championing animal causes at the age of 10, and this desire to have an impact later propelled her to dedicate her life to fighting plastic pollution. Starting with the history of plastic and how it’s produced, Testa acknowledges the benefits of plastics for humanity but also the many ways it harms our planet. Instead of relying on recycling—which is both insufficient and ineffective—she urges readers to follow two additional R’s: “refuse” and “raise awareness.” Readers are encouraged to do their part, starting with small things like refusing to use plastic straws and water bottles and eventually working up to using their voices to influence business and policy change. In the process, she highlights other youth advocates working toward the same cause. Short chapters include personal examples, such as observations of plastic pollution in Mauritius, her maternal grandparents’ birthplace. Testa makes her case not only against plastic pollution, but also for the work she’s done, resulting in something of a college-admissions–essay tone. Nevertheless, the first-person accounts paired with science will have an impact on readers. Unfortunately, no sources are cited and the lack of backmatter is a missed opportunity.
Brief yet inspirational, this story will galvanize youth to use their voices for change. (Nonfiction. 12-18)Pub Date: Oct. 13, 2020
ISBN: 978-0-593-22333-8
Page Count: 64
Publisher: Penguin Workshop
Review Posted Online: July 26, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2020
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