Inspiring Climate Solutions for Young Readers

I spent the first five years of my career as a school librarian in two completely different places, Hawaii’s Big Island and Dubai. Although these two locations are seemingly opposite in landscape and culture, I have found that kids across the world are mostly the same, especially when it comes to books. 

As a school librarian, it was my goal to find books that got kids excited about reading. I noticed plenty of children’s books on recycling and “saving the planet,” but few that conveyed the urgency of climate change or explained modern climate science in a way young readers could grasp. While there were plenty of books about polar bears and Greta Thunberg, very few explored modern climate technology. Another common trope: many climate books focus on the Arctic, despite climate change being a global crisis impacting every corner of the planet.

More importantly, I struggled to find books that kids could read independently.  I saw the way early readers reacted to books they could read on their own, stories that made them feel proud for finishing the whole book without help. That was missing from climate literature.

Rethinking Climate Education for Real Impact

During my post in Dubai in the months leading up to the annual UN Climate Conference (COP), companies and schools scrambled to greenwash their marketing to match the city’s push to appear sustainable. My school followed suit and arranged a field trip of elementary students to a five-star resort to clean up trash on the beach.

As I supervised students cleaning rubbish amongst lounging hotel guests, I realized how deeply flawed the message we were sending to students was. These students weren’t learning about climate solutions, clean energy, or how systems change works. They were being taught that picking up litter = saving the planet. It was oversimplified, tokenistic, and missing the bigger picture.

That was the moment I realized: that climate education needed a massive overhaul. 

In September 2023, Wally Saves the Ice, a book designed to teach kids about climate change from the perspective of modern climate technology was self-published on Amazon. For my second book, The ABCs of Climate Solutions, I wanted to go beyond storytelling and actually introduce kids to real-world companies solving climate change.

Unlike traditional kids’ climate books that focus on “kids saving the planet”, I wanted to create something that focused on the latest climate tech and unconventional sustainability actions. I thought that highlighting real and lesser-known climate solutions, ones that were already making a difference, could help readers see that solutions aren’t just futuristic ideas, they’re already happening all around the world. 

My process for this book entailed:

• Researched one company for each letter of the alphabet that was doing meaningful climate work.
• Reached out to those companies for approval to feature them in the book.
• Made sure that every example felt tangible and hopeful, so kids wouldn’t just learn about problems but see real solutions in action.

Moving Beyond Feel-Good Climate Narratives

Librarians play a key role in shaping how kids understand climate change, not just as an individual responsibility, but as a systems-level challenge. Encourage critical thinking by asking: Who has the most power to make change? Whose voices are missing from this story? Help kids recognize greenwashing and misinformation by questioning whether a book centers on real impact or just feel-good actions. 

Instead of reinforcing “kids can save the planet” narratives, guide discussions on how collective action and systemic solutions drive change. Libraries are one of the few places where young readers can engage deeply with complex topics, let’s make climate education one of them.

We need more climate storytelling that empowers kids, not the recycle and everything will be okay messaging of my youth. Because if we tell kids the right stories today, they’ll grow up knowing they can be part of the solution.

Our guest blogger today is Maggie Benson. Maggie Benson is a former teacher and librarian who has worked in Hawaii, Chicago, the UAE, and Thailand, inspiring young learners across diverse cultures. Recognizing a gap in climate-focused children’s literature, she became the author of Wally Saves the Ice and The ABCs of Climate Solutions, combining storytelling and education to empower the next generation of climate champions. Maggie is passionate about creating inclusive, impactful resources that equip children with the knowledge and tools to build a sustainable future.

Please note that as a guest post, the views expressed here do not represent the official position of ALA or ALSC.

If you are interested in submitting a guest post, please read and fill out our Guest Blogging Interest Form. We would love to hear from you!

The post Inspiring Climate Solutions for Young Readers appeared first on ALSC Blog.

 I spent the first five years of my career as a school librarian in two completely different places, Hawaii’s Big Island and Dubai. Although these two locations are seemingly opposite in landscape and culture, I have found that kids across the world are mostly the same, especially when it comes to books.  As a school librarian, it was my goal to find books that got kids excited about reading. I noticed plenty of children’s books on recycling and “saving the planet,” but few that conveyed the urgency of climate change or explained modern climate science in a way young readers could grasp. While there were plenty of books about polar bears and Greta Thunberg, very few explored modern climate technology. Another common trope: many climate books focus on the Arctic, despite climate change being a global crisis impacting every corner of the planet. More importantly, I struggled to find books…
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