Two contrasting stories combine in this graphic novel. On one hand is the child of a fishing family in India, whose parents both died in a storm, and who thinks he can take his granddad's boat out to find the luck he needs for their life to change; it's resting at the bottom of the swollen ocean, in his mind. The other concerns an Inuit child, adamant he can help protect the grolar bears – the weird combination of polar and grizzly that the climate crisis allowed to happen.

Clearly both tales show young innocents in peril due to rising ocean levels, but for a long time the connection between the two is very much missing. Throughout we see the results of this problem – ecological migrants, a lack of solid ice – but things are too far separated for this to feel like it works. And a further problem is that both scenarios feature a stupid level of risk, meaning neither character really gets to feel all that deserving of our sympathy. Even if the Inuit child knows far too much than seems realistic about methane as a greenhouse gas.

Another sin, unfortunately, is that the art is nowhere near good enough to convey what is happening when a bear attacks, as it is bound to do, meaning not one but two large action scenes are really not done as well as needed. (And elsewhere, what is up with the image made to think he'd lost the boat, when it turns out he has the boat but is just afraid of a bit of lightning?!) All told, this is lively enough to appeal, but lacking in the execution, both in the ultimate contrivance and in the visuals, and for all its many good intentions I can't see this as much over three stars.

This is a serious book with lot more to learn from on climate change. This is an amazing work on eye-opening theme for conservation of nature and saving Earth for real. Those who knew it already can get it soon, for rest, this is a way to let them learn with story.

It is a story of a girl, Suki and boy, Sami from two exotic places experiencing two varied topographies. One with ice-stocked Arctic and another is a village (probably India) in an Indian ocean, respectively. At one place ice is on melting resulting less habitat for bears and increase in danger for ozone layer sustainability and at another ocean level is on rise resulting nearby habitat went down under water, sunken for loss of land affecting food chain and resources.

Life on earth is all about maintaining the balance in natural resources that have been gifted to us from our almighty God. We do not need to do anything else but keep our actions in check to sustain what is good for nature. However, what we actually doing is depleting each and every single gift of god and consistently exploiting the resources which nature provided us for free. Moreover, we're showing-off for status-quo that it is us, creating resources, ironically, rather than saving it. We’re just custodian not owner of nature. Increase in usages of fossil fuels and increase in luxurious life lead us to the brink of extinction soon enough.

One thing that I literally like to point out that just blabbering names of few illiterate child activists doesn't give us better future conservationists. 'Greta' for say, is none other than a person I mentioned in previous sentence. With her and other few like her, we're setting very wrong examples for our future generations who in spite of working on real ground to save the nature will stop learning by restricting themselves from schools and in the name of getting fame will know nothing on how this whole natural system of flora and fauna works. We need to make our future children educate on the subject and let them learn more and contribute much more to give way to better life here, instead of writing 'idiotically' on paper "Save Trees" to show that they are saving nature. I would like to cut one mark for this non-serious guidance.

For rest, there is nothing that I say wasn't appropriate. It was good for all to read, learn and act of ground level to make our Earth a better place to live-in.

Yes, this is a graphic novel about the effects of climate change - about the way the lives of people and animals everywhere are impacted by rising waters and sinking glaciers. And yet, it’s also a great thriller, with two parallel adventures surprisingly linked together.

In the north, a girl tries to save the famishing bears whose food is becoming scarcer and scarcer as the ice melts - little does she know that sneaking into the woods for a quick photographical expedition would turn into a long fight for survival.
In the south, a boy tries to become a fisherman like his grandfather - but fishes are harder and harder to find, and the Indian Ocean destroys their village over and over again.
Kids versus nature, then, in a tense book that I couldn’t stop reading until the end. The art is great, the writing is crystal clear, and the message of the book is one that everybody should listen to - after all, we have only one Earth.

I decided to read this on a whim, but I really liked it, even though I’m way off its intended audience (middle grade kids). Well done, gentlemen. Now I HAVE to look up “Illegal”... :)

Disclaimer: I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for a fair review. This didn't influence my opinion in any way.

I really liked this graphic novel, and the two parallel stories. The illustrations are beautiful, and I think this book will be enjoyed by multiple age groups. Thank you to Netgalley for the advanced copy of this book for review!

**Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for providing me with an ARC of Global**

Global by Eoin Colfer and Andrew Donkin
⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

Global follows two different, alternating stories. In the first story, Sami, a 12 year old boy, lives in a village off the Indian Ocean with his grandpa. The pair are constantly struggling with rising ocean levels, which makes fish scarce and also causes them to have to constantly move their ramshackled hut. In the second story, Yuki, a 14 year old girl, lives in northern Canada. There, she sets off on a journey with her loyal dog to save the Grolar Bear, a hybrid Grizzly/Polar Bear caused by climate change.

This was a great graphic novel discussing climate change while also offering an enticing and gripping story. I was able to read this in under an hour, but it was a great little read. Both stories were great, but I would say I preferred Yuki's story a little more. I attached some pictures from her story that gave me a laugh. Things like melting ice, rising ocean levels, methane, and loss of animal habitat and more were discussed throughout the story, without it seeking like it was shoving it down your throat. Then at the end of the book, there were a few educational pages with beautifully illustrated panels discussing climate change in a more serious manner. Global is perfect for any age and has a great message that anyone could learn from. If you're a graphic novel lover, you care about climate change and saving the environment, definitely give this book a read!

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I really enjoyed my read of Global by Eoin Colfer, Andrew Donkkin and Giovanni Rigano. The illustrations are really dynamic and the layout is really well done. The story itself is a bit basic. We get that it's a climate change narrative, but I'm not sure if it ever elevates beyond that. The story follows two children as they embark on separate adventures that are made harrowing by the climate crisis. Unfortunately, I didn't think there was enough connective tissue or story dynamic to make these two stories feel like they needed to be in the same narrative (other than "look climate change is happening everywhere" which I don't think is a good enough narrative)

I will mention the fact that every time we switched perspectives (which happens a lot) we got the location told to us. This got annoying. Quick.

I think if we had focused on just one of the two stories and developed the characters of that story a little more, I could have seen this getting a way higher score, because I did enjoy the action.

I wasn’t sure how I felt about the book from the start, but it soon became a compelling, alternating and parallel story of adventure. It was horrifying to think about the effects of climate change on these young people’s lives, but it was even more so when reading the note at the end that talked about how this is not just a cautionary tale about the future, but it is a reality that people are already living. The brief explanation of climate change at the end was also really effective to provide context for the story, and while it is stressful to think about these effects, it is also good to remember that people are finding and will continue to find ways to work together to survive, to build community, and hopefully to work toward solutions.

Excellent storytelling and illustrations. Loved the dual perspectives regarding climate change and how it affected each character.

3.5 ✨

I enjoyed the dual perspective, the overall message, and the artwork. The format was a bit wonky and often distracted me from the storyline. A great short read for Earth Day!

This was a middle grade graphic novel, super quick read, fiction but based on global warming issues currently happening right now.

I felt like this makes climate change accessible to younger readers, and near the end there was a whole section explaining global warming and what it is.

The novel follows two different characters in different parts of the world experiencing climate change in different ways.

The artwork was beautiful, and I thought the story was well done. Not the most amazing middle grade graphic novel I’ve read, but I enjoyed it and appreciated how it tied together current events with fictional characters.

I’d recommend this for the kiddos, or anyone who enjoys graphic novels ☺️. 📚

📍Thank you @NetGalley and Sourcebook Young Readers for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

In "Global," authors Eoin Colfer and Andrew Donkin weave together the stories of two young protagonists from different corners of the world, both grappling with the effects of climate change. Set in coastal Bangladesh and the far north of Canada, the narrative explores the contrast between the characters lives and their shared determination to make a difference.

Sami, living in a simple shack with his grandfather along the Indian Ocean, witnesses the devastation caused by the rising ocean and the dwindling fish population. He embarks on a quest to retrieve their lost family knife, believing it will bring them good fortune.

Yuki, residing in northern Canada and enjoying modern conveniences, is deeply concerned about the melting ice and its impact on polar bears. She sets out to photograph a hybrid polar/brown bear, convinced that proving their existence will save them from being hunted.

Colfer and Donkin have crafted a compelling story, showcasing the contrast between Sami's and Yuki's lives while emphasizing their common struggle. The characters are well-written, and their solo adventures have lasting consequences for them and their communities. While the ending may be somewhat improbable, it provides a heartwarming connection between their stories.

Giovanni Rigano's illustrations deserve special mention, as they truly bring the characters to life and immerse readers in the action. His captivating visuals complement the narrative, making "Global" a thoroughly engaging read.

"Global" is a powerful and timely story that sheds light on the pressing issue of climate change, offering readers a glimpse into the lives of those most affected. With its engaging narrative, well-developed characters, and stunning illustrations, this book is a must-read for anyone seeking to understand the human side of this global crisis. Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for a free eARC copy for an honest review.

The overall message of this graphic novel is important. As it states at the end, children are the least responsible for yet are, unfortunately, the most impacted by climate change. Having books geared toward children about environmental issues, especially when they are on a global scale and feature characters from places with which the readers may not be personally familiar, is so valuable. However, I did find this graphic novel to be a bit hard to follow. I almost wish the two perspectives of Sami (Bay of Bengal, Indian Ocean) and Yuki (Northern Canada, Inside the Arctic Circle) were companion texts and not alternating within the same one. The environmental impacts of climate change have effects that go hand in hand with each other on these two children who live different yet similar lives across the globe. I really appreciated that that was highlighted but I just felt a bit of reading whiplash with the way this one switched back and forth. The art style was beautiful but I had a harder than expected time with the text formatting. Once again, I did love the message and hope that younger audiences can benefit from this graphic novel. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

I really enjoyed this story, it brought an innocent set of faces to the mounting global catastrophe that is climate change. I really connected with the character Yukon who had a husky that was discarded (I have one, too) that shows a different side of our culture and how we waste and discard of things that should be treasured. I received this book for free as an advanced reader and am giving a review voluntarily.

This should be a required reading book in schools for anywhere between 4th to 8th grade and all members of Congress.

Global alternates between the stories of Sami and Yuki, two children in two extremely different environments, both struggling to overcome problems caused by climate change.

As someone who feels overwhelmed by climate anxiety every time I think of the bigness of the crisis, I liked how the main conflicts in these stories were on a smaller scale although the stakes were still life or death. It's not a Captain Planet type of tale where the kids are off to save the whole world. Sami and Yuki are only looking to affect change in their immediate communities by doing what they can to survive and protect the survival of other creatures. Global presents real-world environmental ramifications in a way that is much more engaging and emotional than a scientist rambling statistics at you. It makes it easier for the reader to visualize and fully understand just a fraction of the effects climate change has on human society. The informational debrief at the end of the book also helps ground the story and remind the reader that this is based on real current events and isn't theoretical catastrophizing.

This middle grade graphic novel follows two young people and their communities as they deal with a few specific effects of climate change.

Sami lives with his grandpa in a shoreline village in the Bay of Bengal near Bangladesh. His community of fishers live in small shacks and improvised shelters, frequently relocating due to storms and rising seas. Sami's parents were lost to a typhoon a few years ago. He and his grandpa try to catch fish most days, to eat and barter, but struggle to find success in the face of pirates and industrial overfishing. There's also conflict in the village from an influx of refugees from Myanmar and the constant stress of living at the mercy of the storms. Sami just wants to find some good luck so his grandpa can rest a little more.

Yuki lives in the Baffin Island area of northern Canada, inside the Arctic Circle, with her parents and her dog Locky, whom she rescued from a river when he was a puppy. The population of her small town is dwindling as people move to distant cities seeking opportunity. Due to habitat loss, grizzly bears moving north and polar bears moving south have interbred, creating "grolar bears" who lack the ancient hunting skills of either of their ancestral species, and thus are more likely to seek food in human settlements. A bear has come to Yuki's town and the town council intends to have it killed, but Yuki believes it's a grolar that would be protected by conservation regulations. She and Locky sneak out on a dangerous quest to get photo evidence.

CRITICISM:
I had two clarity or accuracy concerns while reading GLOBAL. The first was about the protection status of grolar bears. Yuki says, "One good picture is all I need for the Conservation Center to prove the bears are grolars and maybe -- I hope -- save them," but it was never stated *why* that would save them. I assumed there was a conservation regulation in place, but it would have been better to state that outright.

The second was about the plausibility of Yuki's umbrella reaching Sami. I asked my resident expert (my spouse is an ocean currents scientist) and it would be basically impossible for the umbrella to travel from Baffin Island to Bangladesh in the timeframe of less than a year as indicated in the story. The object could make that trip but it would probably take at least a couple years.

FAVORITE THINGS:
I particularly liked the parallel between Yuki being told she couldn't do anything to help the puppy then doing it anyway, and Yuki being told she couldn't do anything to help the bear then doing it anyway. This is a good allusion to the way young people are often at the forefront of effective movements for social change of all types.

I also really liked the way Sami's fixation on finding an external source of good luck was contrasted with his grandpa's quiet insistence on creating his own good luck by deescalating conflict and building community. The importance of working together and sharing resources (physical and intellectual) cannot be overstated in the efforts to lessen the severity of climate change effects.

The story is fast-paced and full of peril, with a satisfying happy ending for our characters and a short educational afterword. The artwork is evocative and dramatic.

Sami and Yuki are fictional, but all the climate change effects in their communities are already happening in our world today. This book does a great job making that feel personal through the eyes of these young teens. I enjoyed reading GLOBAL and would recommend everyone read it with the young people in their lives.

This graphic novel is weaves two adventure stories (one in the Arctic Circle and the other in the Bay of Bengal) that demonstrate the effects of global warming. Emphasis on adventure. It is not the work of didactic pedants but storytellers who know how to grab an audience and hold on. The detailed illustrations are integral in understanding the environments and connecting the stories together. Readers will enjoy the adventures and come away with new knowledge.

This amazig team who previously authored Illegal, comes together again to bring us this eye opening story that focuses on how Global Warming affects real communities across the globe.

This Graphic Novel is a must read. It does a fantastic job woth it’s vivid and colorful illustrations. The story alternating between two young kids growing up in opposite sides of the world, but both facing the problem of global warming and rising sea levels. One is set in a village on the shores of the Indian Ocean, as sea levels rise, Sami’s home gets floded over and over again, and they see thir livelihood affected by overfishing. On the other side we meet Yuki, in far Northern Canada, as temperatures rise, the polar ice melts making wildlife struggle to survive.

4.5/5 stars!

Thank you to Netgalley, Sourcebooks Kids, and the authors (Eoin Colter & Andrew Tonkin) and illustrator (Giovanni Rigano) for an advanced copy of this book! All opinions are my own. Available as of April 11, 2023.

In this graphic novel, we see how climate change impacts the world and how the lives of children will be drastically altered. Yuki lives in Northern Canada where she is tracking a “grolar” bear, a grizzly-polar bear hybrid, across the Article circle. Sami lives near the Bay of Bengal where he works with his grandfather to find food and protect their home. In both perspectives, we see how communities have been impacted with many being forced to move for opportunities and resources. This highlighted climate refugees and migration, which is one of many topics this book opens for discussion.

I loved that this was in the form of a graphic novel. The storytelling and artwork were excellent vehicles for telling this story. I also appreciated the dual perspective, and how Yuki and Sami are ultimately connected to one another. Finally, I appreciated the informational section on global warming included towards the end which discussed both the social and biological impacts. I believe this would be a great read for all ages because everyone would benefit from this story and learn from the topics discussed. This would be a great addition to any collection, library, or classroom!

This graphic novel does a wonderful job of capturing your interest and keeping you entertained as it informs. It offered up characters that I could feel deeply for as their stories unfolded. All in all, I found this book very thought provoking and if that can help inspire change that is a wonderful thing.

Global highlights impact the choices we make today are having in our present and will continue to have in our future. No one will deal with those consequences more than children trying to live through the challenges climate change will present. This book focuses on two such children, both trying the best they can with what they have on completely different sides of the world, but whose problems are rooted in the same source.

Language: None
Violence: Mild (nature-related)
Drugs: None
Sex: None