This book is printed on ancient forest-friendly paper, just like YES Mag! And it should be, considering what the book is about — global warming. Author Jan Thornhill tries to answer basic questions: is global warming really happening? Why is it a problem? Can we stop it? And how will it affect you? Along the way, she fills readers in on how the planet works. Thornhill also leaves readers with something everyone should remember: life will go on, humans are resilient and adaptable.

When you flip through This Is My Planet, it really grabs your attention. It has bold, colourful pictures and diagrams on every page. It looks like a fun read. If you are interested in global warming, you won’t have any trouble diving into this book.

The book covers many issues, like rising oceans and shifting wildlife habitats. There are some crazy ideas that scientists are coming up with, like pumping carbon dioxide out to space, or putting up giant mirrors to reflect sunlight and heat away from the Earth.

This Is My Planet is easy to understand and has lots of interesting facts. I think it’s really neat that trees in the Amazon rainforest actually create their own rain. The trees only use a small amount of the water they take in, and the rest is released into the air, creating a mist that forms rain clouds. When the forest is cut down, the rain disappears, and there is little chance for the forest to grow back without rain.

Overall, I thought this book was interesting, but many of the concepts were overly simplified. To improve the book, I would include more detail, instead of just listing facts. For example, instead of telling us “hurricanes are getting stronger”, the book could explain why it’s happening.

I would give this book 8 out of 10. I think it will appeal more to younger readers. The book finishes with ways to take action. In one word, this book is inspiring. It shows that we have the power to make our planet a beautiful place.

(Originally published in the March/April 2008 issue of YES Mag.)