by Susan Corapi, Trinity International University, Deerfield, IL and Annette Y. Goldsmith, Kent State University, Kent, OH

As storms become more frequent and violent, attention to the environment and global warming is increasing. Each title here has a distinct call to action that invites readers of all ages to “rethink, refuse, reduce, repair, reuse, recycle, and revolutionize” (Pêgo, 118-121). Some are biographies of everyday citizens who stood up for protecting our natural resources, others are examples of ingenuity, and several describe the ways animal and marine life can recover when given the space and time to adapt or regain habitats. What follows is a selection from an in-process paper about environmentally-focused books, fiction and nonfiction, discussed through the double lens of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Diverse BookFinder BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) descriptors. We included the original place of publication because we want to explore what other countries are saying about environmental issues.

WOW Dozen features a list of 12 global books for children and adolescents around a theme, topic, issue or personal favorites. Each Dozen consists of ten newly-published titles with two older “must have” books. Please share or recommend additional books that fit the theme in the comments section or on social media using #WOWDozen. Use the printer icon in the upper left corner of this post to print or save this list as a PDF.​

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• Themes: ada's violin, Aileen Won, Allan Drummond, Ana Pego, Annette Y. Goldsmith, Annika Siems, Aurelia Fronty, Bernardo P. Carvalho, Carole Lindstrom, Christy Mihaly, Chungyon Won, Daniel Egnéus, Dominique Clément, Ducks Overboard, Elizabeth Rusch, Franck Prévot, Isabel Minhós Martins, Isabel Thomas, Jane Springer, Laura Carlin, Leonora Todaro, Mario and the Hole In the Sky, Mariona Cabassa, Markus Motum, Michaela Goade, Moth: An Evolution Story, Nicola Davies, Ŏk-pae Yi, Plasticus Maritimus, Sally Wern Comport, Sea Lions In the Parking Lot, Susan Corapi, susan hood, Teresa Martínez, The Promise, Wangari Maathai, Water: A Deep Dive of Discovery, We Are Water Protectors, When Spring Comes to the DMZ, Zero Waste
• Descriptors: WOW Dozen