Who Will Save the Planet is the story of Jason, a 14 year old avid computer game fan with ambitions of becoming a life saver, but he's also a young and passionate environmentalist. After a lucky turn which resulted in Jason rescuing the Prime Minister, Jason becomes the topic of media speculation and government policy problems when he asks the PM to introduce emission controls.
Sure of his belief in scientific evidence and the need to protect the future of the world, Jason must contend with criticisms from locals, including his father, who believe that emission controls will badly affect the local economy. He soon discovers that nothing is black and white, but not before he suffers repeated attempts at manipulation from government members, and multiple run-ins with the media.
While I strongly believe that fiction is an excellent educative tool, I was a little unsure how McLennan would handle this difficult topic. In particular, I was unsure whether such a message would be hard to write in a story that remained appealing to young readers. As such, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that the story was well paced and very enjoyable. The story flowed well, with no decline in plot appeal, had a light youthful voice and well defined, quite irresistible characters.
I particularly enjoyed Jason's family dynamic, and found Jason's character to be relatable and appealing. His cynical sense of humour was also very amusing.
[spoiler alert]
I was a little disappointed that Jason backed down in his request from the PM, despite winning out in the end. I understood that this was part of his lesson in seeing the world in its entirety with shades of grey, but felt disappointed that he did not stick to his guns over something he was so passionate about - particularly when his doubts resulted significantly from manipulation.
All in all this was a lovely read with a good message. I think most children would enjoy this book, and I look forward to a sequel.
(reviewed 2 days after purchase)