Severn Cullis-Suzuki’s speech at the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio caught the attention of the world. As the daughter of environmentalists David Suzuki and Tara Cullis, Severn's concern for the environment was fueled by a trip to the Amazon rainforest at age nine. Back home in Vancouver, she and her friends started ECO, the Environmental Children’s Organization, combining their efforts to raise enough money to travel to Rio. They couldn't have imagined the effect they would have on the adults gathered there. More than twenty years later, Severn's speech continues to receive thousands of hits on YouTube. Severn’s story is about the power that children have to create change when they work together, and how their voices can stand out above the politics and cynicism of adults.
[Severn and the Day She Silenced the World] communicates a vital message: not only that kids can accomplish a great deal when they work together, but that it's important for kids to be passionate about the Earth and social justice for the sake of their own futures.
This title is perfect for sharing with jaded middle graders who no longer think they can make a difference in the world and feel powerless.
I adored this book both as an educator and as a former child activist... I would highly recommend this book as part of a biographical collection or for an environmental issues unit.
An award-winning author, Wilson has written another powerful work of creative nonfiction with an environmental focus.