The Tantrum That Saved The World teaches kids about climate change

Talking to children about climate change is a conversation that benefits from external aids, whether that’s reports on the news, natural-history shows like the upcoming Blue Planet II, or accessible books. The latest example of the latter is called The Tantrum That Saved The World.

Written by Megan Herbert and Michael E. Mann, the book is due to be published in December, having successfully reached its €20,000 target on crowdfunding website Kickstarter. At the time of writing, it’s past €24,600 with 17 days still to go.

Herbert and Mann – an author and climate-change scientist respectively – explained the thinking behind the book on their campaign page:

“As parents, we want to talk to our kids about what’s happening to our planet, but we don’t want to scare them senseless at bedtime. Or bore them into apathy by reading them dry academic material. Or give them reason to be angry, without also giving them the tools to manage their strong emotions. We looked for a kids’ book to help us discuss the issue of climate change and discovered… there wasn’t one. We realised we’d have to make one ourselves.”

The book focuses on a girl who faces up to some of the effects of climate change, before segueing into an explanation of the real science, and an “action plan” showing children what they can do to help tackle the problem.

The authors are doing their own bit too: “This book will be printed on 100% recycled materials, using soy inks, in a printing facility run on renewable energy, with no waste going to landfill, and carbon offset shipping,” they explain.

“It’s carbon neutral. It’s a story book, a science book, and an action plan. It gives kids practical advice, empowering them. The protagonist struggles through adversity and solves her own problems. It teaches kids that there is strength in numbers and power in cooperative effort.”

With the crowdfunding campaign having reached its goal already, The Tantrum That Saved The World is due to go into production early in 2018, then ship to backers in March. An e-book version will be sent out to backers in December, meanwhile.

A pledge of €12 will get you the e-book and €18 the hardback, while the highest tier – €150 – will let you have a name of your choice printed on a special tribute page in the book for ‘World Saving Heroes’. Check the Kickstarter out here.