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More children are becoming interested in reading books about the environment, and publishers are crediting it to the ‘Greta Effect’.
16-year-old Greta Thunberg has become increasingly prolific over the last year, for encouraging students globally to attend demonstrations demanding political action on climate change while ‘on strike’ from school. She has been nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize, as well as becoming the first recipient of the prestigious Prix Liberté.
Now publishers say her growing profile has led to the number of new kid’s books looking at environmental issues doubling over the last year, according to data from Nielsen Book Research. In addition, sales have also doubled.
Greta Thunberg effect
“I absolutely would say there has been a Greta Thunberg effect,” Rachel Kellehar, head of nonfiction at children’s publishers Nosy Crow, told The Guardian. “She has galvanized the appetite of young people for change, and that has galvanized our appetite, as publishers, for stories that empower our readers to make those changes.
“We feel it’s important to get that message out as soon as possible, and that is partly driven by the Greta effect. Whether or not she wins the Nobel peace prize, October will be a key moment to reach out and say Greta’s doing this amazing thing, but also lots of other people you’ve never heard of all around the world are doing amazing things.
“From young girls in Indonesia who have got plastic bags banned, to an engineer in India who is creating artificial glaciers, this is a book about people who are finding different ways to confront climate change head-on, wherever it is affecting them.”
