Greta and the Giants: Inspired by Greta Thunberg's Stand to Save the World

by Zoë Tucker (Author) Zoe Persico (Illustrator)

Reading Level: 2nd − 3rd Grade

* 2021 Atlanta Public School Social and Emotional Learning Book of the Month

* 2020 Green Earth Book Awards Recommended Reading

This inspiring picture book retells the story of Nobel Peace Prize nominee Greta Thunberg--the Swedish teenager who has led a global movement to raise awareness about the world's climate crisis--using allegory to make this important topic accessible to young children.

Greta is a little girl who lives in a beautiful forest threatened by Giants. When the Giants first came to the forest, they chopped down trees to make houses. Then they chopped down more trees and made even bigger homes. The houses grew into towns and the towns grew into cities, until now there is hardly any forest left. Greta knows she has to help the animals who live in the forest, but how? Luckily, Greta has an idea...

A section at the back explains that, in reality, the fight against the "giants" isn't over and explains how you can help Greta in her fight.

This book has been printed sustainably in the US on 100% recycled paper. By buying a copy of this book, you are making a donation of 3% of the cover price to 350.org.

Select format:
Hardcover
$19.99

School Library Journal

Gr 1-4--Climate change is a very real, very scary situation taking place around the world. Human behavior has rapidly increased the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, causing the global temperature to rise by a full degree Celsius. Greta lives in the heart of a beautiful forest and observes this destruction firsthand. She and her animal friends are suffering at the hands of the giants who are cutting down the forest to build their homes and cities. Finally, Greta has had enough. She begins a movement that ripples through her community, affecting great change along the way. Though the climate change crisis is significant in the world at present, this book offers a hopeful resolution as inspired by the actions of a young girl named Greta Thunberg. A robust cover and beautifully detailed illustrations capture the attention of readers of all ages. Each page is saturated with color and emotion, the images reminiscent of a fairy tale. The faces of the giants are generic until the final moments of the book as they become less scary and more "human." At the end of the book, a description of Thunberg's brave actions and a list of ways even young children can make a difference are shared to provide context for the story and its message. VERDICT Children and adults alike will be inspired to make changes in their own lives to combat climate change after reading this poignant tale.--Mary Lanni, formerly at Denver Public Library

Copyright 2020 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Review quotes

"Children and adults alike will be inspired to make changes in their own lives to combat climate change after reading this poignant tale."
- School Library Journal
Zoë Tucker

Zoë Tucker is passionate about picture books. In her day job as a picture-book art director and designer, she has worked with bestselling artists including Waterstones-prize winner Lizzy Stewart, Axel Scheffler, Nick Sharratt, and Helen Stephens. She is the author of Greta and the Giants, and books in the Friends Change the World series.

Salini Perera is a Canadian Illustrator, born in Sri Lanka, raised in Scarborough, who has been making art for as long as she can remember. She lives in Toronto with her husband, Michael, and two cats, Victoria and Albert.

Classification
Fiction
ISBN-13
9780711253773
Lexile Measure
-
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Frances Lincoln Ltd
Publication date
November 20, 2019
Series
-
BISAC categories
JUV039140 - Juvenile Fiction | Social Themes | Self-Esteem & Self-Reliance
JUV039220 - Juvenile Fiction | Social Themes | Values & Virtues
JUV014000 - Juvenile Fiction | Girls & Women
JUV029010 - Juvenile Fiction | Nature & the Natural World | Environment
Library of Congress categories
Forest animals
Environmental protection
Giants
Deforestation
Thunberg, Greta

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