Our world out of balance by Andrea Minoglio and Laura Fanelli

Climate change continues to be highly topical in newly released non-fiction texts for middle grade and early YA readers. These savvy young readers are becoming increasingly passionate about the changing environment and the need for immediate action. Our World Out of Balance is another well written and easy to understand book presenting the facts about the issues and how positive change can be achieved. The contents page includes headings such as, When the World Gets Warmer, Melting Ice, Corals in Crisis, Fire!, Too Much Trash, Feeding the World plus many more. While the information may appear complex, it is written for children which allows it to be readable and easy to comprehend. The author has cleverly used recognizable examples to explain the more complicated aspects of each topic. The text is broken into clear segments which appeals to younger readers and is surrounded by colourful and detailed illustrations. There are highlighted words such as cryosphere, xeriscaping and permafrost which are explained further in the glossary at the end of the book. Each chapter contains introductory information, before and after segments as well as ‘How You Can Help?’ and ‘How People are Helping’. The final pages include a ‘Spread the Word’ section as well as ‘You can Be a Part of the Solution’ with a list of online organisations. There is also a detailed index.

Another great addition to a school or public library.

Themes: Climate Change, The World, Children, Global Environmental Issues, Global Warming.

Kathryn Beilby