10/02/2023
Following the groundbreaking case of Juliana v. the United States, Rusch (All About Nothing) highlights the actions of the 21 passionate teens and tweens who sued the U.S. government over climate change. Rusch employs rigorously researched, plainspoken prose to break down the case into four parts that chronicle it from its initial filing in 2015 to its current status as unresolved in the court system. Quotations from legal experts throughout provide contextualizing information. The group is represented by Julia Olson, founder of Our Children’s Trust, who presented the straightforward argument that the U.S. government “knew disasters would happen... knew the planet was warming from the burning of fossil fuels,” yet continued to grant leases for drilling oil and coal, resulting in irreparable harm to the plaintiffs as well as future generations. Though the youngest plaintiff, eight-year-old Levi Draheim from Satellite Beach, Fla., worried that people might not take the youths seriously because “we were just a bunch of kids,” the case—which has lasted through three presidencies—could force the U.S. government to move immediately on climate change. A list of individuals addressed, timeline, source notes, and extensive back matter conclude. Ages 13–up. (Sept.)
In Juliana v. United States, 21 plaintiffs ages 8 to 19 sued the federal government for undermining their constitutional rights to a safe and healthy environment. . . . This taut, quick-moving story told in short, lively chapters employs novelistic suspense and focuses effectively on people and their experiences as much as on principles. . . . Rusch acknowledges the distinct roles of individuals, the impact of economic systems, and the overarching power of government. . . . Rigorously researched, this work offers a clear summary of a complex and critically important lawsuit.” — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
“An account of twenty-one kids who, with the help of nonprofit law firm Our Children's Trust and lawyer Julia Olson, sued the U.S. government over its lack of response to climate change. . . . Clarifications from lawyers and judges help make the dizzying processes of how the federal legal system works accessible. Meanwhile, vivid descriptions of wild storms, heat waves, and devastating forest fires emphasize the mounting urgency. . . . The groundbreaking accomplishments of the Twenty-One are celebrated, as is the work of young climate control activists around the world. . . . Inspiring.” — Booklist (starred review)
“Legal buffs and climate activists will appreciate this complex and detailed journey through the U.S. court system. . . . Ranging in age from eight to nineteen, the plaintiffs’ argument was based on the fact that they had suffered numerous problems due to climate change, and since they were too young to vote, had no other legal recourse but to sue. . . . The passion and determination of the plaintiffs and their lawyer are awe-inspiring. . . . With its legal focus, this makes a compelling and important addition to the growing body of climate change literature for teens.” — School Library Journal
“Following the groundbreaking case of Juliana v. the United States, Rusch highlights the actions of the twenty-one passionate teens and tweens who sued the U.S. government over climate change. Rusch employs rigorously researched, plainspoken prose to break down the case into four parts that chronicle it from its initial filing in 2015 to its current status as unresolved in the court system. . . . The case—which has lasted through three presidencies—could force the U.S. government to move immediately on climate change.” — Publishers Weekly
“Rusch does a marvelous job of weaving together multiple strands into a compelling and timely narrative: an inspiring and empowering story of youth activism, a primer on the role of the judicial branch in our democracy, and a cautionary tale about the mounting dangers of climate change.” — Horn Book Magazine
10/01/2023
Gr 8 Up—Legal buffs and climate activists will appreciate this complex and detailed journey through the U.S. court system. In 2015, lawyer Julia Olson filed a lawsuit against the U.S. government on behalf of 21 youths on the grounds that government actions contributed to climate change, depriving them of their right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Ranging in age from eight to 19, the plaintiffs' argument was based on the fact that they had suffered numerous problems due to climate change, and since they were too young to vote, had no other legal recourse but to sue. Over the next eight years and three administrations, the Justice Department hit the plaintiffs with endless motions, arguing that dealing with climate change is the purview of the legislature, not the courts. The extensive legal proceedings read like a tennis match as the suit gets bounced from one federal court to another with the many motions, appeals, denials, hearings, and briefs. Most recently, in June 2023, they received a historic ruling putting them back on the path to a trial. Rusch smartly adds human interest into the narrative with quotes and personal stories from the lives of several of the 21. The passion and determination of the plaintiffs and their lawyer are awe-inspiring. Also included is a summary of other climate-based lawsuits, the science of climate change, a plan to help fix the climate, along with extensive and useful back matter. VERDICT With its legal focus, this makes a compelling and important addition to the growing body of climate change literature for teens. Recommended.—Karen T. Bilton
★ 2023-06-08
A nail-biting account of a still-unresolved landmark case.
In Juliana v. United States, 21 plaintiffs ages 8 to 19 sued the federal government for undermining their constitutional rights to a safe and healthy environment. These young people were helped by Our Children’s Trust, a nonprofit founded by Julia Olson, the attorney whose passion for the environment led her to dream up this initiative in 2010 and seek out young people willing to be plaintiffs. They sought acknowledgment of the kids’ Fifth Amendment rights and that the government cease its “active support of the fossil fuel system.” This taut, quick-moving story told in short, lively chapters employs novelistic suspense and focuses effectively on people and their experiences as much as on principles. Vivid details and the plaintiffs’ own words convey their personalities and passions; the author’s admiration for the kids and their attorneys is clear. Rusch acknowledges the distinct roles of individuals, the impact of economic systems, and the overarching power of government. The young people come from a range of ethnic, geographical, and socioeconomic backgrounds. Quotations from legal experts expand readers’ understanding. Government lawyers did not speak with Rusch, who used court documents to convey the defendants’ perspectives. Extensive backmatter covers scientific and legal information, resources for young activists, and an update on the plaintiffs. Rigorously researched, this work offers a clear summary of a complex and critically important lawsuit.
A moving and absorbing account of an urgent case. (list of individuals, timeline, research process, source notes, index) (Nonfiction. 13-18)
