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Children For Change: Inspiring Kids to Protect the Planet
Climate change is one of the biggest threats future generations face today. 70% of children worry about the world they will inherit, with some 60% of children thinking climate change and inequality are affecting their generation’s mental health in the UK. (Source: Save the Children survey 2022.)
We need to find ways to educate them about the causes, effects, and solutions without generating eco-anxiety while giving them ways to help change and protect the planet.
Children For Change is the children’s book world’s response. It is a new ebook collection of exclusive new stories, poems, illustrations, and features, inspiring young readers to ‘take action’ – big or small, local or global – to protect our environments. Launching on November 4th, 2024, this amazing ebook anthology will be FREE to download for EVERY primary school and available to every child in the UK.
Pop Up Projects partnered with The Week Junior on the Children For Change Young Writers Competition, a national search for ten lucky young writers aged 8-12, who will have their stories and poems published in the ebook. Children For Change also debuts 13 illustrators from Pop Up’s Pathways Into Children’s Publishing programme for artists from under-represented backgrounds.
Climate change topics integrated into KS2 national curriculum are covered too, including: the causes, impacts, and effects of climate change on the environment; weather patterns and heatwaves; biodiversity; renewable energy and sustainable practices. The aim is to give children an understanding of the causes and effects of climate change while providing engaging and inspiring ways to help mitigate it in their everyday lives.
Children For Change’s editor, the broadcaster and passionate environmentalist Konnie Huq, says:
“I really believe that children are the key to changing the future. Armed with the right values, goals, and mindsets, they can make a difference. This book is full of inspiring stories of hope and action that can help them start to make positive changes and decisions to build a greener and healthier future for our planet.”
Writer of the Young Bond series, Charlie Higson, comments:
“What I love about the idea behind this book is that it’s not all doom and gloom – it’s about letting kids know there are things they can do to safeguard their futures, encouraging them to get involved and helping them enjoy their lives – plus, there are some cracking little stories in there.”
Children For Change is being published by Pop Up Projects CIC, a non-profit national children’s literature agency. Dylan Calder, Director of Pop Up Projects, comments:
“The UK children’s author community has come together to create something truly extraordinary in Children For Change, a remarkable tapestry of children’s stories for every type of reader. It’s our collective gift to the children of the UK, given in the hope it will inspire a generation to look around them at the damage we’ve done, to take up the tools they need to make changes in their worlds, to have agency around their future.”
To access Children For Change, teachers, librarians, and parents can sign-up now at pop-up.org.uk/childrenforchange.
The ebook will be available to download FREE from 4 November 2024.
This groundbreaking anthology features over 80 of the UK’s greatest creators and illustrators, plus emerging illustrators and young writers, including:
• Tom Gates creator, Liz Pichon
• Young Bond author, Charlie Higson
• Multi-award-winning author of Boy Everywhere, A.M. Dassu
• The Gruffalo illustrator, Axel Scheffler
• Bestselling authors of the Dragon Realm series, Katie & Kevin Tsang
• Draw with Rob creator, Rob Biddulph
• Former Waterstones Children’s Laureate, Joseph Coelho
• Bestselling author and comedian, David Baddiel
• The anthology is edited by former Blue Peter presenter and author of the Cookie series, Konnie Huq.
Children For Change also features a star collection of leading environmentalists, award-winning campaigners, and industry experts:
• Author, leading naturalist and TV presenter, Chris Packham
• Chef, food campaigner, and author, Jamie Oliver
• Retail expert and TV broadcaster, Mary Portas
Among many others, these contributors have written pieces to inspire young people to make different choices and take actions to help protect our environment.
Children For Change will empower, motivate, and mobilise children with stories that inspire action. From love letters to Planet Earth, passionate appeals on behalf of endangered species, to day-to-day actions on energy consumption, transport options, food miles, and sustainability. This collection is packed full of actionable messages and eco-tips to help children take small steps that make a big impact.
Image credit: David Roberts