Inspired by Greta Thunberg, a teen living in Grenoble, France, starts a club to raise awareness about the perils facing the environment.In this graphic novel translated from French, 13-year-old Emma and her friends Fadila and Lily, having dubbed themselves the Green Girls (with classmate Silas tagging along, too), plan to shine a spotlight on issues such as the pollution caused by container ships, the need to reduce our carbon footprints, and the dangers of insecticides used to kill mosquitoes. Though Emma's father's position as the minister of industry and trade complicates matters (to say nothing of his absenteeism in Emma's life), the girls act on their dedication, taking part in a series of stunts with varying levels of destructiveness and danger (livestreamed spray-painting, interrupting a speech with a bungee-jumping demonstration). Plans go predictably awry, the bonds of family and friendship are tested, and a budding romance emerges. The subdued jewel-toned palette and delightful, expressive character renderings energize narrative interludes between more scientifically informative scenes, as Emma is frequently at the ready with her tablet to display in-depth articles about the various issues introduced. Emma, her father, and Silas appear light-skinned in the illustrations, Fadila is brown-skinned, and Lily is darker-skinned.Readers will be drawn in by bright, approachable illustrations and stay for the determination of these young eco-warriors. (Graphic novel. 9-14)

Gr 5 Up— When Emma, Lily, and Fadila show off the organic vegetable garden they created at their school, nobody seems to care. It isn't cool or important enough for the other students to pay attention. That's when the three friends name themselves the Green Girls and try to think of ways to save the planet and also make a difference in the world of social media. The Green Girls (plus their friend Silas) stage a number of high-profile protests, all while raising awareness of different kinds of pollution. They learn about the power of protesting in front of a camera, and their livestreams get lots of attention, both positive and negative. This graphic novel is filled with plenty of action-packed scenes, including major events like a protest on a gigantic container ship and more intimate events such as arguments between friends. Some pages are filled with more densely packed information, as readers see articles or other sources that the girls are reading. The story is set in France, which will help to raise readers' awareness about how these forms of pollution are truly worldwide issues and not just American problems. The artwork is eye-catching and colorful and brings even more energy to this already exciting story. VERDICT For readers looking for stories ripped from the headlines or anyone who cares about saving the Earth.— Andrea Lipinski