We Are All Greta: Be Inspired to Save the World

Gr 6 Up–Author Giannella’s mixture of conversational and technical lingo and artist Marazzi’s style contextualize climate change. The author briefly talks about Thunberg’s personal story. The illustrations are as bleak and severe as Thunberg’s message, yet contain a glimmer of hope. In one image, a man smokes a cigarette over a huge gasoline spillage. In another, Thunberg rides her bicycle with her groceries. Readers may interpret this scene as symbolic of a sustainable diet. Most of the text is divided into short sections, covering a wide range of subjects: the greenhouse effect, rising climate temperature, preparedness, preservation of world resources, fossil fuels, plastics, diet, and sustainable resources. The text dismisses nuclear energy solutions, citing the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant reactor meltdown as a negative example. The significant role that reforestation and plant life have in reducing carbon emissions is not acknowledged. Although references are cited, the documentation still does not meet the requirements set for junior high and high school students. Sources are alphabetically listed but are never connected to the quotes.