Lying, Stealing, and Other Ways to Save the Planet

Gr 9 Up–This witty YA novel follows 16-year-old John O’Neil, a ­self-described “full fat” gay man, who channels his profound climate anxiety and grief over his ­activist grandfather’s legacy into vengeance, becoming a blackmailer. John teams up with a motley crew of young environmentalists, including Rachel Miller, Mason Central High School’s only “pint-sized, Black ­lesbian reporter,” to expose the eco-crimes of the local country club. The narrative explores the pressures of coming of age in the shadow of climate change and the feeling of entering an adult world that is growing darker and hotter by the minute. Campbell delivers a fresh, hilarious take on overcoming cynicism and the power of collaboration. The story structure finds John navigating complex personal turmoil, while confronting themes of greenwashing, corporate ­corruption, and the emotional toll of constant ­existential worry. The author adeptly balances humor with investigating deep teen anxiety, hitting a definite current demographic in our s­ociety right now. John is cued white.