Synopsis
Setting out to find food in a melting Arctic landscape, Captain Polo finds himself back on the ocean waves in his trusty sailing boat, falling into one crazy adventure after another. Except this time, he is sailing on the secret agenda of a hidden stowaway!
Book 4 of this series of climate change books for kids takes Captain Polo on another rollicking, funny global journey that uncovers ever more important aspects of global warming, and importantly, also the many ways we can all become part of the solution.
The book explores current climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies in different countries; facts interweave with fiction in an action-packed storyline. In this way readers as young as age 9 will be introduced to:
climate change and biodiversity
climate change and agriculture
climate change economics
climate change justice
impact of climate change on environment
how climate change affects animals
Last but not least, Captain Polo books always include climate change solutions. Book 4 in the series is no exception, ending with a detailed glossary explaining the main technical terms and concepts used in the book and as heard increasingly frequently in the media.
Continue collecting Captain Polo's adventures: get Book 4 now!
Having a special interest in reading material aimed at kids; both as a parent and as a children's author, I was intrigued to be asked to review a pre-release copy of this graphic novel. Together as a family, we have enjoyed looking at well known titles including Asterix and Maus at bedtime recently, and so I understand a little about what engages young minds in terms of the genre.
I am delighted to say that Pole to Pole, Book 4 in the Captain Polo series, is every bit as enjoyable as other contemporary and classic graphic novels and, in my view, is an essential story to share with youngsters.
The illustrations are fun and the story is really clever in that we follow Captain Polo and his sidekick penguin (who is actually from the south pole) journey across the sea from the North Pole, southwards. Climate change is kicking in and we learn that polar bears are being driven out of their natural habitat in search of food as icebergs melt and other impacts such as the search for fossil fuels destructs these ever fragile and remote landscapes.
As the pair travel, we discover some of the knock on effects that this has in other parts of the globe and also on us humans. For example, one of the first pit-stops is in Lapland in northern Finland. The ice has melted unseasonably which has an impact on reindeer populations where the moss they eat is not available in the quantities needed. This also has a knock on affect on tourism - no snow and no reindeers means no Santa Clause themed parks.
Throughout the journey, the comrades manage to help, escape and conquer the challenges that face them in various intrepid and ingenious ways, whilst also being pursued by their nemesis Conor O'Conor who is on a mission to get back his grandfather's cap from Captain Polo at all costs!
I really liked that the easy to follow storyline created excitement and suspense, whilst also introducing the proper terminology from time time around climate change (words highlighted are found in a handy glossary at the back), along with some very interesting facts to back up the storyline just to show us that all these things are actually happening in real life.
I would highly recommend this graphic novel, I can't emphasise enough how important reads like this can be in educating our children. I must confess, I also learnt an awful lot when I read it too. I'm now off to purchase books 1-3! Happy reading!!
'%20fill='%23000000'%3e%3cg%20id='facebook'%20transform='translate(176.000000,%20176.000000)'%3e%3cpath%20d='M15.1169849,16.0001242%20C15.6045895,16.0001242%2016,15.6047137%2016,15.1169849%20L16,0.883077174%20C16,0.395286302%2015.6046516,0%2015.1169849,0%20L0.883077174,0%20C0.395286302,0%200,0.395286302%200,0.883077174%20L0,15.1169849%20C0,15.6046516%200.395224219,16.0001242%200.883077174,16.0001242%20L15.1169849,16.0001242%20L15.1169849,16.0001242%20Z%20M10.9850811,16.0001242%20L10.9850811,9.83468787%20L13.0545174,9.83468787%20L13.3643861,7.43190795%20L10.9850811,7.43190795%20L10.9850811,5.89788478%20C10.9850811,5.20222455%2011.1782548,4.72815506%2012.1758147,4.72815506%20L13.4481544,4.72759907%20L13.4481544,2.57853343%20C13.2281081,2.54925158%2012.472834,2.48383073%2011.5941313,2.48383073%20C9.75969112,2.48383073%208.50378378,3.60358363%208.50378378,5.6599234%20L8.50378378,7.43190795%20L6.42903475,7.43190795%20L6.42903475,9.83468787%20L8.50378378,9.83468787%20L8.50378378,16.0001242%20L10.9850811,16.0001242%20L10.9850811,16.0001242%20Z'%20id='icon'%20style='fill:%20rgb(255,%20255,%20255);'/%3e%3c/g%3e%3c/g%3e%3c/g%3e%3c/svg%3e){kind=small}
%20-%20http://www.bohemiancoding.com/sketch%20--%3e%3ctitle%3egoogle%20logo%3c/title%3e%3cdesc%3eCreated%20with%20Sketch.%3c/desc%3e%3cg%20id='🔓-Sign-up-/-Log-in'%20stroke='none'%20stroke-width='1'%20fill='none'%20fill-rule='evenodd'%3e%3cg%20id='Sign-up'%20transform='translate(-597.000000,%20-186.000000)'%3e%3cg%20id='google-logo'%20transform='translate(597.000000,%20186.000000)'%3e%3cpath%20d='M1.36199975,18.7602168%20C0.489400966,17.0264668%20-2.84217094e-14,15.0717981%20-2.84217094e-14,13%20C-2.84217094e-14,10.9282019%200.489400966,8.97353317%201.36199975,7.23978324%20L5.83600955,10.583328%20C5.58019074,11.3426754%205.44186047,12.1550221%205.44186047,13%20C5.44186047,13.8449779%205.58019074,14.6573246%205.83600955,15.416672%20L1.36199975,18.7602168%20Z'%20id='Combined-Shape'%20fill='%23EBB000'%3e%3c/path%3e%3cpath%20d='M1.36199975,7.23978324%20C3.52572192,2.9407248%208.04556084,0%2013.3023256,0%20C16.6883721,0%2019.7116279,1.24090909%2022.0697674,3.25%20L18.2,7.03181818%20C16.8697674,5.96818182%2015.1767442,5.31818182%2013.3023256,5.31818182%20C9.81346575,5.31818182%206.86826318,7.51928768%205.83600955,10.583328%20L1.36199975,7.23978324%20Z'%20id='Combined-Shape'%20fill='%23DD3D29'%3e%3c/path%3e%3cpath%20d='M1.36019947,18.7566384%20L5.83238528,15.4058871%20C6.86135513,18.475546%209.8093737,20.6818182%2013.3023256,20.6818182%20C16.9906977,20.6818182%2019.772093,18.85%2020.4372093,15.6590909%20L13.3023256,15.6590909%20L13.3023256,10.6363636%20L25.6976744,10.6363636%20C25.8790698,11.4045455%2026,12.2318182%2026,13%20C26,21.2727273%2019.9534884,26%2013.3023256,26%20C8.04410247,26%203.52321412,23.0576433%201.36019947,18.7566384%20Z'%20id='Combined-Shape'%20fill='%232B9D4B'%3e%3c/path%3e%3cpath%20d='M21.9726923,22.7623303%20L17.7252923,19.5487548%20C19.1140559,18.6922251%2020.0803097,17.371324%2020.4372093,15.6590909%20L13.3023256,15.6590909%20L13.3023256,10.6363636%20L25.6976744,10.6363636%20C25.8790698,11.4045455%2026,12.2318182%2026,13%20C26,17.2371012%2024.4138467,20.5441398%2021.9726923,22.7623303%20Z'%20id='Combined-Shape'%20fill='%233879E7'%3e%3c/path%3e%3c/g%3e%3c/g%3e%3c/g%3e%3c/svg%3e){kind=small}