Climate Action: What Happened and What We Can Do: How Kids Are Making a Difference in the Fight Against Climate Change

by Seymour Simon

Meet the young activists who are using their voices and minds to fight climate change.
Did you know that the past five years have been the hottest ever recorded? Or that over seven million people participated in the global Climate Strike? We’re facing a very real problem, but there’s hope. Everyone is affected by climate change. Reading Climate Action : What Happened and What We Can Do is the perfect introduction not only to the dramatic effects of climate change, but to the solutions. Learn how our behavior and actions have led us to this point, hear from kids around the world dealing with extreme storms, wildfires, and sea level rise, and discover what scientists, youth activists, and ordinary citizens are doing to protect their communities. Divided into eight sections for easy browsing and with over fifty photographs, captions, charts, and graphs, this nonfiction book is an excellent choice to share in the classroom and for homeschooling for kids ages 6 and up.  Also includes a glossary to supplement the text, author’s note, and index. Climate Action is the latest of Seymour Simon’s nonfiction science books. His books are regularly honored by the National Science Teacher's Association. 

Genres: Nonfiction, Science, Environment, Picture Books, Activism, Nature, Childrens

48 pages, Paperback

Published February 23, 2021

About the author

Seymour Simon, whom the NY Times called "the dean of [children's science:] writers," is the author of more than 250 highly acclaimed science books (many of which have been named Outstanding Science Trade Books for Children by the National Science Teachers Association).

Seymour Simon uses his website, SeymourSimon.com, to provide free downloads of a wealth of materials for educators, homeschoolers and parents to use with his books, including 4-page Teacher Guides for all 26 of his Collins/Smithsonian photo essay books. The site provides multiple resources for kids writing book reports or wanting to explore the online Science Dictionary, and also features the Seymour Science blog highlighting current science news. Educators and families are encouraged to sign up to receive the monthly newsletter from SeymourSimon.com to stay abreast of the latest materials that Seymour Simon is introducing to enrich the reading experience.

He taught science and creative writing in elementary and secondary schools and was chair of the science department at a junior high school in the New York City public school system before leaving to become a full-time writer. "I haven't really given up teaching," he says, "and I suppose I never will, not as long as I keep writing and talking to kids around the country and the world."

Seymour Simon is also a creator and the author of a series of 3D books and a series of Glow-in-the-Dark Books for Scholastic Book Clubs, a series of leveled SEEMORE READERS for Chronicle Books, and the EINSTEIN ANDERSON, SCIENCE DETECTIVE series of fiction books. His books encourage children to enjoy the world around them through learning and discovery, and by making science fun. He has introduced tens of millions of children to a staggering array of subjects; one prominent science education specialist described Simon's books as "extraordinary examples of expository prose."

Seymour Simon has been honored with many awards for his work, including the American Association for the Advancement of Science/Subaru Lifetime Achievement Award for his lasting contribution to children's science literature; the New York State Knickerbocker Award for Juvenile Literature; the Hope S. Dean Memorial Award from the Boston Public Library for his contribution to children's science literature; The Washington Post/Children's Book Guild Award for Non-fiction; the Jeremiah Ludington Award for his outstanding contribution to children's nonfiction; the Empire State Award for excellence in literature for young people; and the Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Forum on Children's Science Books.

In a recent interview Simon was asked if he ever thinks of retiring. "I seem to be working faster and harder than ever. I absolutely don't feel any urge to sit back and look at what I've done. The only things that I'm thinking about are things I'd like to do in the future. I'm planning and doing and continuing to write. It's what I love to do. I remember a story about an anthropologist going to talk to a tribe and he asked them what was their word for "work." Their response was they have no word for work. Everybody does the things that they do in their life. I love that response. I don't differentiate between work and play. Everything I do is something that I enjoy doing - the writing, the research and everything else."

Seymour Simon writes and photographs nature from his hilltop home in Columbia County in upstate New York, where he lives with his wife Liz Nealon.

You can follow Seymour on Facebook and on Twitter, as well as on his website, which offers free, downloadable Teacher Guides to his books for educators, parents and homeschoolers, as well as the popular Seymour Science Daily Blo

Reviews

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Author Seymour Simon always cuts to the chase when writing about science topics. He explains the issues clearly and presents his information in an easy-to-digest fashion. Readers, whether they are young or old, always finish his books feeling better informed and a lot smarter. In this particular book, he highlights some of the young activists who are trying to tackle climate change and raise the awareness of those in power who have seemed to ignore the growing problem. Not only does he clarify the difference between climate change and global warming as well as the difference between climate and weather, but he also describes the effects of climate change while providing examples of how temperatures are consistently rising in recent years. Greenhouse gas emissions, droughts, wildfires, deforestation, extreme weather, rising sea levels, and ocean acidification are all explained thoughtfully but with concern. Finally, Simon offers suggestions for what young people can do, taking simple steps such as reducing how much meat they consume, and trying to conserve the existing natural resources on the planet. But he acknowledges that change is the result of numbers, urging young activists to ally themselves with others in order to have more of an impact. The book's information is accompanied by stock photographs that lend the topic even more urgency than the text. It's clear that humans have caused these problems, and that they can also be the ones to resolve them. The only thing I wish he had covered more thoroughly is the responsibility of oil and coal companies and industry and how much of this has been known by scientists for decades. As I read the book, I wondered to myself just how much time we have left and how close to the tipping point we are. Perhaps we've passed it, and what then?

[Peacegal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nicely presented, educational, and readable, this appealing book informs young readers of the facts of climate change and the ways it is impacting communities around the world. Inspiringly, each section also highlights a young climate activist who is standing up, speaking out, and urging the adult world to take their children's and grandchildren's future into consideration.

We also get a variety of ideas for improvements in our own lives we can pick and choose from. While some of the eco-tips will be well familiar to anyone who's read this sort of content (turn off the lights and faucet when not in use), other information will likely be new to readers as it is so often overlooked.

I was thrilled to see the paragraph suggesting eating a plant-based diet, along with the discussion of intensive animal farming's contribution to deforestation. Despite being a major contributor to climate change, as well the issue over which most of us have the most everyday control, most environmental groups and materials continue to tiptoe around the meat question. It's time to stop tiptoeing and face this huge and important problem. Thank you, Mr. Simon, for showing bravery where so many others do not.

[Shaye Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just when I think I already have a good handle on climate change and what we can or cannot do to impact it, I learn loads of new information. For example, I learned about an impending megadrought expected in the midwest by 2050 (that could last for 50 years!). And when trees die, they release harmful greenhouse gases that had been stored in their trunks for years. But mostly, I was surprised and humbled by the sheer number of teens involved in environmental politics, today. What happens to our planet will impact their future the most, even though they can’t yet vote. This book discusses changes in the number of forest fires, heavier rains, ghost forests (from salt water damage), building seawalls, ocean acidification, wildlife destruction, biodiversity, honeybee destruction, and more. The back matter includes a glossary of terms and an important Author’s Note is found at the beginning of the book. The book published February 23, 2021 by HarperCollins.

For more children's literature, middle grade literature, and YA literature reviews, feel free to visit my personal blog at The Miller Memo!!

[Erin Buhr · Rating 5 out of 5]

Seymour Simon has long been known for writing thorough, fact based, interesting nonfiction books for kids. We own several of them in our house, but this is my favorite. This is an excellent book about climate change and what we can do about it, cover to cover. It starts with the title: Climate Action. I love that we're not just explaining climate change anymore. This isn't just what happened and how that's devastating and gosh, we should do something. This is what happened and the action steps we know we need to take. That children can help take to save our planet. This is as informative as it is inspiring.

[Daphne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent overview of current climate situation, with a strong balance of climate change explanations and predicaments and steps we can take for climate action. As a parent, this is the topic that scares the badoobies out of me and keeps me up at night. Books like this both terrify and educate me, and I like how this book focuses both on activists and big-scale actions as well as lists of smaller actions that my family and I can do right now, at home.

[Heidi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good introduction to upper elementary/middle school age about climate change, environmental changes and action needed.