Fossil fuels heat our homes. They power cars, trucks, and planes. But every use of these fuels adds to rising temperatures on Earth. And they are nonrenewable. Someday, they will run out.
Since the 1800s, people have studied the effects of burning fossil fuels. This process puts gases in the air that contribute to climate change. Examine how fossil fuels have been used and the effect they have on our planet’s climate.
SLJ Review of The Climate Crisis
This detailed overview of the climate crisis is presented in graphic format. Though the format is not conventional, the content is typical for the subject matter. The series touches on deforestation and its causes and impacts, human causes of animal extinction, and fossil fuels vs. renewable energy sources. Vivid cartoon graphics depict a world in crisis. While some of the content is delivered through character conversations, it reads more like a traditional nonfiction book dropped into a graphic novel, missing some potential advantages of the format. Nevertheless, the comic book style may attract reluctant readers. VERDICT While it falls short of its potential, the graphic format may appeal to some readers, making it an additional selection.
Booklist Review of The Climate Crisis
The Climate Crisis series (6 titles) packs a lot of information on environmental awareness and activism into eye-pleasing graphic guides. Each title concentrates on one area of the climate crisis and covers accessible history and background, recognizable consequences, predicted future impact, and ways to mitigate problems through everyday activities, letter-writing campaigns, and grassroots movements. While there is some overlap in volumes’ contents, the repetition serves well as reinforcement. The series makes good use of the graphic format, employing various techniques to convey information. In addition to standard text boxes, Animal Extinctions includes zoo signage and narration from a documentary on Adélie penguins. All the titles move along at a good pace and should keep readers’ interest. Each concludes with a glossary, source notes, and brief bibliography. These serve as great supplementary material, and their important messages go down nice and easy.