Anuradha Rao

I really appreciated the accessibility of this book as well as the diversity of ideas and backgrounds represented in the short, approachable chapters. The book is divided into themed sections based on area of focus, with short chapters within each section giving a personal history of each activist. The chapters do an excellent job of outlining the background of each person, where and how they grew up, and what triggered their interest in the fields they ended up pursuing. The variety of show more cultural backgrounds is incredibly varied, as well as the age of each activist and where their interests came from. I loved that some of these were young adults just coming into their activism, some were mature adults who have been activists for years, and some were adults who only found their calling late in life. The message is clear - you can find a way to something you care strongly about, no matter where you come from or what you've done before.

For a young adult audience, this book is practically perfect. It's easy to see yourself in these chapters and realize that you can find your own way to making a difference in the world. It also does an excellent job of showing that even the smallest difference is important - you don't need to aim for saving the earth; you can focus on one small piece that means something to you, and your impact will still make the world better.

As somewhat of an aside, I also really appreciated that each activist presented themselves at the beginning of each chapter, telling the reader exactly how they identify themselves. It gives a strong personal feel to each chapter and allows the reader to feel like they are meeting these people as they would want to introduce themselves. Personal identity is important, and most books interpret for themselves rather than explicitly ask their subjects to offer their identities. It's an excellent way to show how much Rao cares about the people she's introducing. show less

I had a hard time reviewing this one. Nature is diverse, and so are the people protecting them, so a book discussing POC environmentalists definitely does a service. And it's inspiring to hear about all these different activists working with their communities and integrating tradition and science into their approaches. I just wish the writing had been equally inspiring. I know this is for younger readers, but I feel like they could handle more complex prose. If it's an issue of wanting to show more keep the book a certain length, then I'd drop a few of the photos (maybe it's because they were in black and white, but some are very difficult to read and others seem repetitive), and even some of the more generic quotes could be omitted. Still, a worthy effort. show less

This book is an Advance Reading Copy from the publisher Orca Books. As such the illustrations and photographs are in black and white but there is a statement on the back cover that the final book will be in color. Since the intended audience for this book are young adults ages 12+ that should make it very attractive.

The author, Anuradha Rao, is a conservation biologist raised in Ontario but now living in Vancouver. She is the daughter of immigrants from India and has taken lessons from the show more Indian culture but also from indigenous peoples with whom she has worked and interacted. She noticed that very few people of colour worked in the forefront of environmental fields but they are everywhere saving animals, stopping destruction of habitats, researching solutions, and many other actions. She writes about 20 people from around the world and each of them has words of wisdom to share with young people.

In one of those instances of synchronicity that happen often when I read I was watching a PBS program called the Age of Nature which is exploring ways habitats around the world are being restored. One of the areas they highlighted was the fynbos region outside of Cape Town in South Africa. I had never heard of this region until I read the chapter devoted to Ismail Ebrahim, a horticulturist working in the fynbos region to find and save rare plants. And then within a few days the fynbos was mentioned again in The Age of Nature. I love when that happens.

If you know of a young person interested in the environment and nature this would be a great gift for them. show less

As someone who considers herself an environmentalist, I knew I had to read this inspirational book. Inside I found real-life stories of people who have made it their life's work to save the environment. The author interviewed a variety of people who focused their lives on different environmental areas to be stewards and leaders, encouraging others to also follow their passions to preserve our planet. I read about different pathways and areas I never knew existed to helping plants, animals, show more soil, water, and even our food supply.

I think readers will find the "Did you know" sections included very helpful and will use these as takeaways for new knowledge. I enjoyed the highlighted quotes, photos, and diversity within this important book. Maybe it will inspire readers of all ages to pursue more active roles in stewardship. show less