Under the Weather

Gr 4—7—Eight stories by a variety of authors attempt to make the facts about climate change and its global ramifications relevant to today's children. The majority of the selections are about youngsters enacting change and working toward solutions in tangible ways. For example, "How to Build the Perfect Sandcastle" is about a Philippino boy who works to rebuild the coral reefs, which are dying due to the rise in ocean temperature. Particularly heart-wrenching is "Moonlight," in which Amanthi, a tea picker in Sri Lanka, dies of malaria, leaving her young brothers to fend for themselves. "Climate [Short] Change" is a highly nuanced tale describing the tenuous relationship between the European scientists researching climate change and the native Siberians struggling to survive in an ever-changing environment. A few stories veer toward the didactic and might not be as well received. Overall, though, this is a worthwhile effort that will appeal to children wanting to make a difference in their world as well as to teachers trying to make the scientific reality of climate change real to their students.—Ragan O'Malley, Saint Ann's School, Brooklyn, NY