Change Is in the Air: Carbon, Climate, Earth, and Us

by Debbie Levy, Alex Boersma (Illustrator)

Overview

The Nature Generation's Green Earth Book Award Winner 2025

NSTA Outstanding Science Trade Book 2025

Chicago Public Library's Best of the Best Books of 2024

New York Public Library Best Books of 2024

A Bank Street College School of Education Best Book of the Year 2025

A nonfiction picture book about amazing ways that the Earth removes carbon from the air, and amazing ways people can help, offering a fresh and hopeful perspective on climate change.

The Earth has a problem: there's too much carbon in the air.

Luckily, the Earth also has amazing powers to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere-like the power of kelp, mangroves, and dirt. Although these powers alone cannot get us out of the climate crisis we're facing, the Earth has another important power: the power of people! People have the power to change, protect, innovate, and invent.

In this informational picture book, Debbie Levy and Alex Boersma paint an encouraging yet honest picture of the problems at hand and some of the ways that we can address them. Thanks to the power of nature and the ingenuity of people, change is in the air!

The perfect book if you're looking for:

-a hopeful, accessible, and science-packed book about climate change for kids

-the perfect read for Earth Day

-fascinating facts about cool and surprising ways that Earth heals itself

-a STEM picture book that explains the science of carbon and its roles in our world

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781547612062
Publisher:	Bloomsbury USA
Publication date:	03/05/2024
Pages:	40
Product dimensions:	9.20(w) x 11.00(h) x 0.50(d)
Age Range:	5 - 8 Years

About the Author

Alex Boersma is a Canadian scientific illustrator. Her work runs the gamut of science media, from figures for scientific journals to children's book illustrations. Her clients have included the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, Stanford University's Hopkins Marine Station, and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, and her illustrations can be found in The New York Times, National Geographic, and Nature Journal. Her picture books include The Whale Who Swam Through Time, which she also co-wrote with Nick Pyenson.

Editorial Reviews

[A] straightforward, kid-friendly look at climate change . . . hopeful and instructive.” —BCCB

“In this wonderfully encouraging primer on the power of determination and ingenuity to save our planet, Levy jumps right in, offering quick facts on carbon, carbon dioxide, fossil fuels, photosynthesis, and the greenhouse effect . . . With its realistic yet hopeful message, helpful facts, clear details on ways children can help the environment, and beautiful artwork, this will be a great addition to science shelves.” —Booklist

“Boersma's digitally colored drawings are attractive and detailed, showcasing city scenes, an underwater kelp forest, a mangrove swamp, a temperate woodland, and more, with a diverse human population. Levy's poetic text describes the carbon problem and ways to address it . . . A valuable introduction and, with its pleasing repetitions, a satisfying read-aloud.” —Kirkus Review

“[A] gentle and accessible introduction to climate change.” —Horn Book Magazine

“Powerful storytelling of a not-so-distant past.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review, on THIS PROMISE OF CHANGE

“[An] evocatively told, carefully researched memoir-in-verse.” —School Library Journal, starred review, on THIS PROMISE OF CHANGE

“[A] lively, inviting, and informative biography.” —Booklist, starred review, on I DISSENT

“Narrative nonfiction at its best, helping readers understand the impact of global warming or even simply wildlife from a unique perspective.” —School Library Journal on THE WHALE WHO SWAM THROUGH TIME

From the Publisher

2024-01-05
Earth and its human inhabitants have the power to remove the excess carbon in the air that leads to climate change.

This premise underlies a hopeful explanation of the climate crisis and possible mitigation tools. Even before the title page, capable readers will find brief definitions of terms such as carbon, carbon dioxide, photosynthesis, fossil fuels, and the greenhouse effect. The pages that follow are designed for younger readers and listeners. Boersma’s digitally colored drawings are attractive and detailed, showcasing city scenes, an underwater kelp forest, a mangrove swamp, a temperate woodland, and more, with a diverse human population. Levy’s poetic text describes the carbon problem and ways to address it. Sea kelp, mangroves, and dirt all trap carbon in different ways. People can help, too, by switching to more environmentally friendly power sources, farming methods, and transportation. This versatile writer’s published titles include picture books, fiction, and biographies for young people. Most have been historically themed; science is a new direction for her. While scientists may find some of Levy’s explanations oversimplified, she takes a positive approach to explaining the causes and challenges of climate change—something encouraged by climate educators. There’s no question that this is a valuable introduction and, with its pleasing repetitions, a satisfying read-aloud.

An attractively simple explanation of a pressing problem. (author’s note, selected sources, information on how people are helping the planet) (Informational picture book. 5-8)

Kirkus Reviews