It's easy to feel anxious and overwhelmed about the accelerating impacts of climate change. Parents face even more angst about what kind of Anthropocene apocalypse lies ahead for their children. Harriet Shugarman's How to Talk to Your Kids about Climate Change addresses these concerns with thoughtful ideas for channeling feelings into positive activism.

Clear and persuasive, the book communicates complex issues and the urgency of acting with a mix of passion, diplomacy, and steel-eyed determination. Shugarman is the executive director of Climate Mama, and the organization's three core axioms are present in her work, underscoring the need to acknowledge, but then push through, fears about climate chaos, armed with resiliency. The book expresses hope that there is still time to mitigate environmental damage and to transition to more socially just and sustainable economies.

Specific, age-appropriate ideas for reassuring and educating children about climate issues are delineated. These are followed up with an extensive resource list of books, climate action groups, websites, and news sources. There is a useful range of suggested projects that parents can undertake with their children as they move toward direct action, from organizing student strikes and plastics collections at schools to having family discussions about rethinking savings and financial investments.

Sidebars quoting other climate change activists and historic figures result in different perspectives about teaching children about the natural world and the importance of environmental action. The book notes that children's honesty makes them trusted messengers and activists, and it is quick to laud Greta Thunberg and other young environmental leaders for their impressive roles in affecting public awareness and change.

How to Talk to Your Kids About Climate Change is an inspiring toolkit for helping families, communities, and the planet.

Global warming is a topic on many lips today, and the thought of a climate crisis may cause fear in many children. How do we discuss these crucial topics in a way that's informational but without reinforcing anxieties? What can we do to help our children live their best future in a catastrophic world? Shugarman (executive director, Climate Mama) believes it is crucial to tell our children the truth. Grief and fear are normal in both ourselves and our children, but we must motivate ourselves to action and here she provides suggestions to do just that, advocating leading by example and supporting activism. Many parents may feel they lack the knowledge to speak in a scientific and informed way, and this book provides the facts parents need to have these conversations as well as tips for conversing with children on this crucial topic. VERDICT A helpful tome on a crucial topic filled with scientific facts, this volume will be useful to both parents and teachers.