Gore, A. (2007). An
inconvenient truth: the crisis of global warming. New York: Viking.
Reading Level: 1070L
Interest Level: Grades 10 – 12
I read this book as a companion to Seymour Simon’s
“Global Warming,” which is written for a younger age group. I have to admit, I
wonder how great Al Gore works as a “brand” for the YA set – I mean, I like Gore,
but the average 14 year old probably doesn’t care much for his endorsement of
action about global warming. You have to wonder whether this is an effective
package for teenagers, especially when it somewhat reinforces a scientific
topic as political. That said, this glossy nonfiction work is attractively
presented and written plainly enough that a teen could both enjoy and
understand it. In comparison to Simon’s “Global Warming,” Gore’s longer book
obviously goes into greater detail. Particularly effective was Gore’s citing of
Carl Sagan’s metaphor for the Earth’s atmosphere (a layer of varnish on a
globe). This increases the understanding of the topic, since the vulnerability
of the atmosphere is a major factor in global warming; Simon doesn’t mention this
point at all. This book would make a good companion to Seymore’s, where you can
compare and contrast the delivery of information as well as which facts are
included and omitted.
