Our Library Display: Kids Take Action!

Wisconsin Water Library > Water Library Blog > Our Library Display: Kids Take Action!

book display
2019 was a big news year in regards to the climate crisis. With scientists warning the public about the potentially devastating effects of climate change on Earth and its inhabitants, young people in particular have really felt called to action.  According to a poll by the Washington Post and the Kaiser Family Foundation, over 70% of children and young adults believe that climate change will cause a moderate or great deal of harm to people in their generation. And young activists are trying to do something about it.

Almost 25% of teenagers (ages 13-17) have participated in a school walk-out, participated in a protest, rally, or other event, or written a letter, emailed or phoned a government official in an effort to combat the climate crisis and make their voices heard. There has been an increase in participation worldwide in school climate strikes, with over 6 million students participating in September 2019.

While Greta Thunberg became the face of the youth climate change movement, there are many other activists worldwide who are doing incredible work. Jamie Margolin, a queer, Jewish, Latina climate activist, co-founded Zero Hour, an organization dedicated to helping youth activists who are wanting to take concrete action against climate change and environmental injustice. Xiye Bastida actively participates in “Fridays for Future” to protest at the United Nations in New York City, and actively works to bring indigenous voices and knowledge into the conversations surrounding the climate crisis. Irsa Hirsi is the co-founder and co-executive of the US Youth Climate Strike and is part of a youth coalition titled, MN Can’t Wait. Vox, NPR, and EarthDay.org have all highlighted these activists and more in their publications, and we are inspired just reading about them!

It is because of students like them that we decided to make a book display devoted to kids stepping up and taking action on behalf of the Earth. “The Science of Climate Change: A Hands On Course” come from our curriculum collection, and has 18 activities you can do to teach students about the environmental crisis. “Kenya’s Art” follows the story of a young girl as she upcycles and reuses some of her old or broken possessions to create new art. “10 Things I Can Do To Help My World” offers simple examples of ways that kids can start to become more conscious of their own energy usage. We encourage you to check out one of these books or something else from our display to help inspire the kids in your life!

Suggested readings

10 Things I Can Do to Help My World by Melanie Walsh
All the Way to the Ocean by Joel Harper, illustrated by Marq Spusta
Earth Book for Kids: Activities to Help Heal the Environment by Linda Schwartz
Follow the Moon Home: A Tale of One Idea, Twenty Kids, and a Hundred Sea Turtles Book by Deborah Hopkinson and Philippe Cousteau Jr.
George Saves the World by Lunchtime by Jo Readman
Heroes of the Environment by Harriet Rohmer
Kenya’s Art by Linda Trice
Recycling Is Fun (My Little Planet) by Charles Ghigna
The Science of Climate Change by Blair Lee, illustrated by Alina Bachmann
This Is Our World: A Story about Taking Care of the Earth (Little Green Books) by Emily Sollinger
The Tantrum that Saved the World, by Megan Herbert and Michael E. Mann
What a Waste: Trash, Recycling, and Protecting Our Planet by Jess French
What Milly Did: The Remarkable Pioneer of Plastics Recycling by Elisa Moser
The World without Fish: How Kids Can Help Save the Oceans by Mark Kurlansky

Books by and about Greta Thunberg

Greta and the Giants by Zoe Tucker, illustrated by Zoe Persico.
Greta’s story: the schoolgirl who went on strike to save the planet by Valentina Camerini
Our House Is On Fire: Greta Thunberg’s Call to Save the Planet by Jeanette Winter.
No One Is Too Small to Make a Difference by Greta Thunberg
We are all Greta: be inspired to save the world by Valentina Camerini