Kids Fight Climate Change

Written by: Martin Dorey and Tim Wesson

First line: Calling all future superheroes.

Why you should read this book: Despite the cartoony illustrations and accessible language, this book is not messing around in its mission to convince kids to become true environmental activists in the battle against climate change. It carefully lays out the case for the detrimental impact that human activity has had on the planet and why kids should make behavioral changes to protect their own legacy (and encourage adults around them to do the same). The bulk of the book lays out dozens of "two minute missions" suggesting multiple ways the kids can act now to fight climate change.

Why you shouldn't read this book: If you are opposed to being lectured by a child about climate change and environmental activism, you should not give this book to children.

If the World Were a Village

Written by: David J Smith and Shelagh Armstrong

First line: Earth is a crowded place, and it is getting more crowded all the time.

Why you should read this book: This is an introduction to world-mindedness for children, which explains diversity and creates the narrative that we on planet Earth are all in this together, although we are not all the same. The theoretical world village thought experiment reduces the world's 7.2 billion citizens down to 100 people, each representing 72,000 individuals, and explains the breakdown of religions, ethnicity, food security, and other basic concepts based on this much smaller, more manageable number of humans. Interesting and eye-opening, even for adults, with eye-catching images that encourage interaction with the text, along with useful appendices at the end to help further interpret the data.

Why you shouldn't read this book: You're already working for the UN.