Climate Change Reads

Climate change is the continuing transformation of the weather and climate on Earth, and the earliest references to this concept date back to Ancient Greece. From the 19th-century origins of the Greenhouse Effect to 20th-century research projects on carbon emissions, climate change has developed into a controversial and politicized issue in the 21st century. We created this study guide collection, from Marc Reisner’s Cadillac Desert (1986) to David Wallace-Wells’s The Uninhabitable Earth (2019), to help you chart the past, present, and future of climate change, including its environmental consequences and recommendations for making positive changes.

Publication year 2009

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Natural World: Environment, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Natural World: Place, Natural World: Climate, Natural World: Objects, Life/Time: The Future

Tags Allegory / Fable / Parable, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Climate Change, Science / Nature, Finance / Money / Wealth


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Natural World: Environment, Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Identity: Indigenous, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Teams, Relationships: Mothers, Natural World: Animals, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Flora/plants, Natural World: Place, Society: Politics & Government, Society: Community

Tags Action / Adventure, Survival Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Children's Literature, Natural Disaster, Climate Change, Modern Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction


Publication year 2021

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Natural World: Climate, Natural World: Environment, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology

Tags Climate Change, Science / Nature, Technology, History: World, Politics / Government


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Future, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Fantasy, Climate Change, Politics / Government, Technology


Publication year 2019

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Natural World: Climate, Natural World: Food, Life/Time: The Future, Natural World: Environment

Tags Science / Nature, Climate Change, Food, Politics / Government