Greta Thunberg: Climate Activist

Gr 6 Up–This title is both a biography of Swedish activist Greta Thunberg and a primer on climate change politics. When she was 11 years old, Thunberg was shown a video in school about the devastating effects of climate change. She was deeply affected by the upsetting footage in the video and became depressed and stopped eating. Her parents took her to see a doctor, who diagnosed her with Asperger syndrome. As Thunberg grew older, her interest in climate change intensified. She was frustrated with the lack of action she saw in the world around her. She started an Instagram account and posted about climate change. Later, inspired by the student walkouts over gun control and the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida, Thunberg began skipping school to protest in front of Sweden’s government buildings. Eventually, her one-person movement made headlines. She began to get speaking invitations from around the world to share her views on climate change, culminating in her address to the United Nations Climate Action Summit and the World Economic Forum. She was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2019. In addition to chronicling Thunberg’s rise to prominence, Marcovitz provides a thorough explanation of the corporate and political pushback against the teen advocate and the science behind climate change. Young readers will come away from this text with knowledge about Thunberg, the major issues of climate change, and the incredible movement and activism she has inspired.