An Inconvenient Truth: The Crisis of Global Warming
Common Sense Note
Parents need to know that this book on global warming contains almost exactly the same information as the documentary An Inconvenient Truth. A few images -- like those from the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina -- are disturbing, but the really upsetting part for kids will be that they get 166 pages of dire scientific evidence followed by just one brief chapter (#15) of ways people can impact the earth for the better. Parents may want to tackle this important subject with tweens more carefully than how it's presented here -- perhaps referring to chapter 15 every two or three chapters.
Families can talk about where they stand on this issue and their concerns for the planet. Does this book and its warnings worry you? If so, what's the best way to deal with that worry? Why do you think Al Gore presents more evidence than solutions in this book? Why does he need to "sell" this idea to get people to act? Do you think his political training helps him more effectively speak up for this cause? Do you think Republicans are less likely to listen to him because he's a Democrat? Do you think people are biased for or against Gore and his cause because of his party affiliation?
Common Sense Review
Reviewed By: Carrie R. Wheadon
If you saw the documentary An Inconvenient Truth and were left feeling overwhelmed by what could be in store for our fragile planet and our fellow humans, now you can pass that feeling on to your kids. The content here is basically the same, generously illustrated with Gore's slides.
What the publisher failed to grasp in the repurposing process was that kids need a different approach. You don't have to dumb the message down, but you don't have to spend all your time trying to convince them with graph after graph, either -- they're already much greener than the older generations.
Chapter 14 -- on denial -- is by far the worst example of this approach. It presents a leaked government memo hiding evidence from the New York Times and a chart of the career arc of Philip Cooney (from petroleum lobbyist to the White House environmental office to Exxon employee). Even for adults, this is a harsh lesson in politics.
After wading through floods, famines, tornadoes, hurricanes, drowning polar bears, widespread disease, bleached coral reefs, and government mistrust ... you get to chapter 15. Blink and you'll miss the brief mentions of alternative forms of power, fluorescent lightbulbs, green roofs, hybrid cars, and hydrogen fuel-cell buses. After that, a two-page spread (out of 190 total pages) encourages everyone to take action. Ride your bike, recycle, turn off lights, spread the word.
If this book is presented by parents in a hopeful tone and followed up with green family practices, kids will be positive and proactive, too. But left to read this book alone, kids will probably find it alarming and overwhelming.
From The Book
When crops fail, things fall apart. In Malawi five million people faced starvation in 2005 when farmers planted crops on schedule but rains failed to come. Five million people! That's over a million more than the entire population of Los Angeles.
Plot Summary:
Al Gore offers evidence of global warming, calling it a "climate crisis" and detailing how it will affect the planet and its inhabitants.
Related Books:
Global Warming for Younger Kids:
Why Are the Ice Caps Melting? The Dangers of Global Warming by Anne Rockwell
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ViolenceA few disturbing images of Hurricane Katrina. Some dramatic text on the shape of the planet (such as "It's a spiraling cycle of destruction"). |
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Social BehaviorEncourages greener practices. |
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