From severe flooding in Louisiana to wildfires in the Pacific Northwest to melting permafrost in Alaska, catastrophic climate events are occurring more frequently--and severely--than ever. And these events are having a direct impact on the lives (and futures) of young people and their families. In the ongoing landmark case Juliana vs. United States, twenty-one young plaintiffs claim that the government's support of the fossil-fuel industry is actively contributing to climate change, and that all citizens have a constitutional right to a stable climate--especially children and young adults, because they cannot vote and will inherit the problems of the future. Elizabeth Rusch's The Twenty-One is a gripping legal and environmental thriller that tells the story of twenty-one young people and their ongoing case against the U.S. government for denying their constitutional right to life and liberty. A rich, informative, and multifaceted read, The Twenty-One stars the young plaintiffs and their attorneys; illuminates the workings of the United States's judicial system and the relationship between government, citizens' rights, and the environment; and asks readers to think deeply about the future of our planet.

Can a lawsuit alter the course of climate change? -- Will the youth get a trial? -- Can the youth resurrect their case -- and save the planet? -- Do young people have a constitutional right to a stable climate? -- The science of climate change -- We can fix it: a =plan to end teh climate crisis -- Meet the 21 -- Legal language explained -- Dig deeper, be inspired, get involved.