Saving the planet and stuff by Gail Gauthier (New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons, 2003.)
16 year old under-motivated and underachieving Michael, takes advantage of an offer from his grandparents friends to work as an intern at their ecologically oriented magazine during the summer holidays. Without much thought, Michael accepts the offer of living away from home with Walt and Nora, with their pro-environment beliefs and finds himself 'freaked out' by the composting toilets, lack of air conditioning and piles of junk in his bedroom that Walt and Nora refuse to take to the overflowing rubbish tip. Whilst answering e-mails at the magazine, he stumbles across a plot to take over the magazine, and a refusal by the managing director to expose a well-known company for knowingly producing defective material.
Set in the here and now in the US, this story is funny, nice and pacy with lots of reference to appealing themes for teens, such as mass consumerism and ecological issues. There are lots of references to pop culture and even a romance on the side for Michael. Will appeal to ages 10 and up.
This hilarious action packed read features Noah and his sister Abbey, trying to vindicate their Dad's actions that have led to him being arrested. Dad has sunk a floating casino boat that has been illegally dumping raw sewage into local waters. Noah and Abbey, together with a colourful cast of characters including Lice, a drunken lout and his girlfriend Shelly and the children's long lost grandfather, have all kinds of adventures and misadventures whiltst 'flushing' out the truth. Children and teens will both love the fast pace, humour and attention grabbing style of Hiaasens writing, where the environmental issue of dumping sewage is centre stage.
Book 1 of the Rosie Black Chronicles sees Rosie and her friend on the run from a mysterious organisation who will kill to get their hands on an unusual box Rosie has found. Set five hundred years in the future, the Western Australian city of Perth (now called Newperth) is a vastly different place. 'The Melt' has sunk many coastal cities and Rosie's Mum has succumbed to MalX, a cruel mosquito borne disease that ravages the body but leaves the mind intact leaving victims to die a slow and painful death. This fast paced thriller leaves no doubt that our current efforts towards the effects of global warming and climate change have not worked. The resulting devastating economic, ecological and sociological effects are harshly felt by Rosie and her family who are societies 'have nots', as opposed to the 'haves' who live in gleaming skyscrapers, making progress in medicine, technology and the colonisation of Mars. A gripping sci fi/dystopia thriller that will appeal to a young adult readership.
