Change Is in the Air: Carbon, Climate, Earth, and Us
by Debbie Levy; illus. by Alex Boersma
Primary    Bloomsbury    40 pp.
3/24    9781547612062    $18.99
e-book ed.  9781547612079    $13.29

Levy and Boersma’s gentle and accessible introduction to climate change centers on carbon and its ubiquitous presence in Earth’s living and nonliving systems. Brief definitions of key chemistry terms and concepts precede the title page, and statements in the first few pages lay out the crisis we face with global warming: “After hundreds of years and billions of people burning fuels, there’s too much carbon in the air!” The remainder of the book is hopeful, showing how kelp forests, mangroves, and even dirt can “soak up” the excess carbon. Boersma’s illustrations represent carbon as delicate white dots swirling in the air over sunny city scenes and landscapes or crowded into the clouds of darker emissions from power plants. The book ends with a call to action: “For the Earth to keep helping us, we must help the Earth.” The meaningful solutions presented include alternative energies, public transportation, and scientific innovation. Additional information about global warming and things readers can do to help are included in the back matter.

From the January/February 2024 issue of The Horn Book Magazine.