06:30, 24 June 2024
Words by Abi Scaife, Staff Writer, London
This amazing children’s book is helping to save our planet.
The Whale Who Disappeared, written by Emma Oldham and illustrated by William Monteiro, is a children’s storybook about an inspirational young girl who fights to save her oceans. Smiley Movement was able to interview Emma Oldham, conservationist, climate activist and now children’s author, about how she is inspiring children to save their planet.
“I've never met a single child who isn’t absolutely fascinated with nature,” says Emma. “I think it's something that's completely intrinsic in us. I think the question is not ‘Where does this love come from?’ It's ‘When do we stop feeling that connection?’.”
“I've never, ever lost that love.”
Emma was inspired to write The Whale Who Disappeared by her own experiences with nature, as well as watching the children in her family. She also drew ideas from the story of the Arran Coast, a community-led organisation instrumental in securing a Marine Protected Area (MPA).
Nature is something that humans have a very primal connection with, but at times, as we move into adulthood, it can feel as though it has been lost.
“I grew up suffering from a lot of eco-anxiety,” admits Emma. “I wanted to become a conservation biologist because I felt like there weren't enough people in the world finding solutions and actions.”
And Emma wasn’t an outlier: a third of young people in the UK are seeking counselling and medical help for 'eco-anxiety', while 75% of adults in Great Britain said they were worried about the impact of climate change, according to the Office for National Statistics’ (ONS’) Opinions and Lifestyle Survey (OPN).
It was grassroots organisations that came to Emma’s rescue - normal people with a devotion to their planet who banded together to make a difference. It is proof that you don’t need to be a Prime Minister, a billionaire or a celebrity to be able to have an impact; and that, ultimately, power comes from passion.
“It was through community campaigning, that I started to realise everybody has a role. You don't have to be a conservation biologist, go to university or get a degree to do great things for the planet.”
This eco-anxiety is something that followed Emma throughout her life - even when she was in university. The fear of wanting to make a difference, but not feeling big enough, or powerful enough plagued her, and she didn’t want that to be passed on to the next generation.
“There are a lot of books out there that educate children about the threats to our planet; we're quite fortunate that a lot of people know there's a problem,” says Emma. “But what I didn't want was to leave children in that sense of doom and gloom, like I was growing up.”
“I wanted to write a children's book where they could see themselves as the hero of the story, being the future leaders, decision-makers, influencers and protectors of the sea.”
The book isn’t just working to inspire children to make a difference; it is actively helping make a difference, even before it is read. Emma donates a percentage of the profits of her book to Rewilding Britain, an incredible charity that is helping to restore Britain and its natural life.
“[I want] to normalise that there are other children out there that care about the environment, that care about the state of our seas,” says Emma. “For them to know that they have a voice and not be afraid to use it.”
You can find Emma’s book by following this link. A percentage of every purchase goes towards supporting Rewilding Britain.
At Smiley Movement, we like to elevate the work of charities across the world. Here are three charities whose causes align with the themes in this article.
Blue Marine Foundation. A charity dedicated to restoring the ocean to health by addressing overfishing, one of the world's biggest environmental problems. Support them here.
The Climate Coalition. This is the UK's largest group of people dedicated to action against climate change. Find out more and support them here.
Climate Reframe. Climate Reframe is committed to supporting the climate and environment movement in its transformation towards greater justice, equity, diversity and inclusion (JEDI). Find out more.
This article aligns with the UN SDGs Climate Action and Life Below Water.
