Today is Earth Day, and yes, there’s a queer-inclusive kids’ book for that! Brand-new this month, this middle grade book showcases the work of 25 young female and nonbinary activists from around the world, all on the front lines of fighting for our planet.
Young people are among the most active and ardent activists pushing for the world to address climate change. Most of us have heard of Swedish activist Greta Thunberg—but she’s not alone. In Girl Warriors: How 25 Young Activists Are Saving the Earth (Chicago Review Press), author Rachel Sarah here profiles 25 other activists from 16 different countries, many inspired by Thunberg.
Unsurprisingly, there are queer people among those interviewed, including Jamie Margolin of Seattle, Washington, who says she is “trying to be an LGBT Latina role model for others”; Haven Coleman of Denver, Colorado, who came out as gay in 2019 and was profiled by magazines like Out and the Advocate; and nonbinary activist Saoi O’Connor, one of the first climate strikers in Ireland.
Sarah writes with an intersectional lens, reminded by her interviewees that “there can be no climate justice without racial justice” and that people with disabilities and of fewer economic means can be disproportionately affected by climate change. She also notes that she flouted usual journalistic practice and “sent the stories to every activist before publication,” so that she was sure to get their stories right. “I’m grateful for their corrections, and for the times they pointed out places where I needed to say more,” she says. (Sarah also told me Saoi initially used she/her pronouns when first contacted about the book, and later switched to they/them—but they did not object to being included in a book titled Girl Warriors.)
This is a powerful collection of biographies about a diverse group of young people that should inspire others in their turn.