This Sweet Earth: Walking with Our Children in the Age of Climate Collapse

The first tip Wylie-Kellerman (editor, The Sandbox Revolution) offers in this book is to read it slowly, countering a world that demands speed at all costs. The activist and mother grew up in southwest Detroit, formerly inhabited by the Wendat people. In Detroit, she once scooped up animals in the lake. Now there are no clams, leeches, or tadpoles for her children to find; cherries are harvested earlier each year; and battles stir over privatization of water. She calls parents “justice warriors” and encourages them to view the climate change crisis as an opportunity for effective change. She wants parents to live as though their visions for the future are realities, instead of adopting a strong sense of hope or giving in to discouragement. She discusses finding the sacred within nature and the power of prayer. With poetry and blessings scattered across the text, the book includes ideas for enjoying nature with children. Emphasizing that people aren’t inclined to save something that they don’t love, the book calls for communities to protect nature and the planet from despair and involve youths in resistance work.