Haven Jacobs Saves the Planet
Aladdin/Simon & Schuster, Hardcover
Hardcover ISBN: 978-153-448-9837
Paperback ISBN: 978-1534489844
Also available in audio editions
2022
Ages 9-13, Grades 4-8
About the Book:
Seventh grader Haven is obsessed with climate change—so obsessed that she has what’s called “eco-anxiety.” Not only is Haven doom-scrolling compulsively, she’s also inattentive in class, not sleeping, biting her nails to nubs as she worries about catastrophic weather events and the worldwide disappearance of honeybees and frogs. An empathetic social studies teacher suggests that Haven focus on something local and specific where she can make a difference. So when Haven’s science class begins a study of a local river, she channels her eco-anxiety into a mission to save the water from pollution she believes is being caused by the town’s new glass factory—where her own dad works. Can Haven save the river–and maybe even make a difference to the planet too?
From the acclaimed author of MAYBE HE JUST LIKES YOU and VIOLETS ARE BLUE comes an engaging and hopeful novel about the most challenging issue of our lifetime.
Honors and Lists:
- School Library Journal’s Best Middle Grade Books 2022
- Mighty Girls Go Green: 30 Girl-Empowering Books for Earth Month
- Recommended for New York City Middle Schools by schools.nyc.gov
- Recommended at the University of Southern Mississippi’s Fay B. Kaigler Children’s Book Festival 2024 “Books as Lifesavers in an Anxious World: Fostering Children’s Social-Emotional Wellness with the Right Book at the Right Time”
- Recommended Reading List for Middle School Climate Education by Earthday.org
Press:
- Nerdy Book Club: Cover Reveal for Haven Jacobs Saves the Planet
- School Library Journal: 2 Middle Grade Novels That Explore Climate Change in Different Ways
- One of SLJ’s 24 Audiobooks to Encourage Ongoing Activism and Social Justice
- Kirkus’s Five Books to Help Kids Face Our Frightening World
- Read my guest post (The Toughest “Tough Topic” of All) on SLJ.com’s Teen Librarian Toolbox
- Read my guest post (The Sound of Middle Grade: Getting the Voice) in Cynsations
- School Library Journal: Honoring H2O: Resources to Teach About the Vital Importance of Clean Water
Reviews:
“Middle grade author and tough topics expert Dee returns with a thought-provoking look at the very prevalent, but little known, issue of eco-anxiety and how it is affecting our youth. …Dee has deftly brought the important topic of eco-anxiety to the fore, while developing a wonderful story.”—School Library Journal
“A powerful depiction of the impact of climate change on a young activist’s mental health.”—Kirkus Reviews
“Haven’s endeavors are earnestly wrought, and her compassionate heart and interpersonal conflicts balance the book’s environmental thrust.”—Publisher’s Weekly
“A thoughtful and potentially eye-opening read about one of the most significant issues we’re facing.”—SLJ’s Teen Librarian Toolbox
“Especially and unreservedly recommended.”—Midwest Book Review
“A powerful story about anxiety, environmental issues, and the power of community action.”–amightygirl.com
Aladdin/Simon & Schuster, Hardcover
Hardcover ISBN: 978-153-448-9837
Paperback ISBN: 978-1534489844
Also available in audio editions
2022
Ages 9-13, Grades 4-8