SLJ Review of Climate Change: Need to Know

Clearly organized text, fact boxes, and colorful images with informative captions support young readers in understanding a variety of aspects of climate change in this series. Although paragraphs look longer, they are written at a second grade reading level, and the font was chosen with readability in mind. Infographic maps break down how the climate has changed over time.

The text uses past and present examples for readers to connect how long climate change has been happening: “The average temperature on Earth has gone up about 2 degrees Fahrenheit since 1880,” (The Greenhouse ­Effect,). The back matter includes learning and retention tips, a glossary and an index, and additional resources. While this topic can be overwhelming, each title has a section about action readers can take to slow climate change.

VERDICT: Extremely timely series for young readers.