Under the Weather: Stories About Climate Change

Eight stories by different authors take the reader into many different parts of the world and explore many of the well publicised aspects of climate change. There is a lot of information about the writers themselves and what inspired their particular story, which takes the whole enterprise close to the edge of heavy on message and light on entertainment. It cannot be denied, however, that young readers will be challenged to do some thinking about the issues and what they can do to play their part in saving the planet – which is worthy.

The decline of bees, the death of corals, depleting fish stocks and the plight of beluga whales, deaths caused by malaria, beleaguered reindeer; it all sounds rather negative and hopeless. However, most of the young people in these stories care enough to want to make a personal contribution now and in the future to prevent disaster for succeeding generations. If they don’t the world will be as depicted by Linda Newbery in the last futuristic item, where hope is symbolised by a determination to re-introduce bluebells. The cover is brown paper dull, but don’t let that deter promotion.