The Twenty-One: The True Story of the Youth Who Sued the U.S. Government Over Climate Change

Following the groundbreaking case of Juliana v. the United States, Rusch (All About Nothing) highlights the actions of the 21 passionate teens and tweens who sued the U.S. government over climate change. Rusch employs rigorously researched, plainspoken prose to break down the case into four parts that chronicle it from its initial filing in 2015 to its current status as unresolved in the court system. Quotations from legal experts throughout provide contextualizing information. The group is represented by Julia Olson, founder of Our Children’s Trust, who presented the straightforward argument that the U.S. government “knew disasters would happen... knew the planet was warming from the burning of fossil fuels,” yet continued to grant leases for drilling oil and coal, resulting in irreparable harm to the plaintiffs as well as future generations. Though the youngest plaintiff, eight-year-old Levi Draheim from Satellite Beach, Fla., worried that people might not take the youths seriously because “we were just a bunch of kids,” the case—which has lasted through three presidencies—could force the U.S. government to move immediately on climate change. A list of individuals addressed, timeline, source notes, and extensive back matter conclude. Ages 13–up. (Sept.)