Greenwild

Ecocriticism is a field of literary theory that assesses how nature-themed texts address ecological issues and inform people’s understanding of these real-world problems. Ecocriticism is an interdisciplinary study that draws from environmental and cultural studies to examine the ways in which social attitudes can either support conservationism or contribute to ecological destruction. Some ecocritics hold that literature can act as a valuable conduit for ecological activism, particularly through its incorporation of various subfields such as environmental justice, ecofeminism, and the overlap between ecological justice and racial justice.

Themes of eco-fiction commonly appear in middle-grade novels as the industry responds to the activist attention that many young people give to the environment; this trend is notably spearheaded by figures such as Greta Thunberg, who began working as an activist when she was still a child and who has, as an adult, written The Climate Book, which seeks to educate readers on climate change. Within this social framework, middle-grade eco-fiction often places child protagonists at the head of conservation efforts, collectively suggesting that children may be better poised to safeguard the environment because they have a keener understanding of the importance of safeguarding the natural world rather than working for personal financial gain.