FlumeAward – The Carbon Diaries 2015 Discussion page for The Carbon Diaries 2015.
Great Britain decided to be one of the first in the world to dramatically address global warming by cutting carbon emissions by 60 percent.
This has a woeful impact on all of Great Britain’s society and teen Laura Brown’s diary gives us a scary look at what that impact looks like. A drought, an epidemic and flooding makes life even more difficult and yet the book is believable because of what she writes in her diary about every day life. In spite of everything she has a crush on a boy and fights with her sister. Perhaps not in the top ten, but a keeper. Sharon Taylor Weeks Public Library Greenland, NH
I think this book is cool, and the students who have read it like it, but I haven’t had as many takers as I had hoped.
– Kelly Budd, KHS
This book has been really hot–all the librarians are reading it. Given the rising popularity of teen dystopian literature, I suspect it will be quite popular when it hits the shelves. Despite the ecological disasters around her, Laura still has to deal with everyday teen woes. Lloyd has certainly hit upon some hot environmental issues that have already occurred. I think kids may be more inclined to create change after reading this book, I say add it to the list!
Lisa Melone, Rochester
It hasn’t gone out much here at all. I think students are overloaded on the climate warnings/dire predictions about their future. Some of the book is plodding and the parents aren’t very believable, but the flooding scenes are interesting (though they warn against rabid rats, which is very unlikely). The Leaders are rather stiff characters with cockney accents that seem almost a parody of themselves. It has some web addresses about climate change in the back. I don’t think I would put it in the final list. Beth Strauss, Pelham
What more can be said? A definite short-list book. Teens love it. Its strength lies in the authentic teen voice, and in the fact that girls and boys will enjoy reading it. Sally Nelson, Leach Library.