The State of the Planet

John Nicholson (author)

Allen & Unwin, Australia: 2000; 48pp

ISBN: 186508160

Genres: ecology, factual text, information text, non-fiction, science

Issues: conservation, environmental awareness, global warming, sustainability

Winner: Wilderness Society Environment Award for Children's Literature.

‘Dear Reader: I've written this book because I'm concerned about the mess we adults have made of the world - of your world. Long after we're all dead, you will still be facing up to the problems we've created and then stubbornly ignored for so long.'

Thus begins the author's introduction to this disturbing and yet encouraging book for older readers. It is divided into four sections - Earth, Water, Air, Energy - that clearly lay out the facts of human use and abuse of our beleaguered planet.

Although the text-dominated layout may be off-putting for highly visual readers, The State of the Planet is designed for use in the high school classroom. (Teaching notes are available at the Allen & Unwin website). Subheadings, font variations and coloured boxes with key points provide visual relief, assisted by Nicholson's pencil drawings, graphs and diagrams. Pertinent and thought-provoking quotes edge some pages, providing useful discussion points.

Sustainability and global warming are troubling issues for young people - it is obvious from the media that this is something that will dominate their entire lives, probably in a negative way. Although Nicholson makes the problems very clear, he is also keen to show the reader what is being done, what could and should be done, and how they can make a difference.

Highly recommended.