THE GREEN GIRLS

Inspired by Greta Thunberg, a teen living in Grenoble, France, starts a club to raise awareness about the perils facing the environment.

In this graphic novel translated from French, 13-year-old Emma and her friends Fadila and Lily, having dubbed themselves the Green Girls (with classmate Silas tagging along, too), plan to shine a spotlight on issues such as the pollution caused by container ships, the need to reduce our carbon footprints, and the dangers of insecticides used to kill mosquitoes. Though Emma’s father’s position as the minister of industry and trade complicates matters (to say nothing of his absenteeism in Emma’s life), the girls act on their dedication, taking part in a series of stunts with varying levels of destructiveness and danger (livestreamed spray-painting, interrupting a speech with a bungee-jumping demonstration). Plans go predictably awry, the bonds of family and friendship are tested, and a budding romance emerges. The subdued jewel-toned palette and delightful, expressive character renderings energize narrative interludes between more scientifically informative scenes, as Emma is frequently at the ready with her tablet to display in-depth articles about the various issues introduced. Emma, her father, and Silas appear light-skinned in the illustrations, Fadila is brown-skinned, and Lily is darker-skinned.

Readers will be drawn in by bright, approachable illustrations and stay for the determination of these young eco-warriors.