The phrase "the tide is rising" has a double meaning in this book, inspired by a climate-movement anthem. It refers to the unprecedented rise in global sea levels resulting from melting glacial ice and from thermal expansion of warming waters. At the same time, it celebrates the swell of action to protect our planet.
Rabbi Shoshana Meira Friedman and Yotam Schachter's "The Tide Is Rising" anthem has been sung across at least three continents, at protests, religious conferences, and community gatherings. The book expands on the song to give a more complete scope to the climate movement's sacred story.
Illustrations by Kiki Kita bring alive the interfaith nature of the climate movement. On the page that proclaims:
"The land is holy,
so are we!
And this is where we're called to be."
... we see a candlelight gathering that includes a rabbi, Christian clergy, an orange-robed nun, an imam, a woman whose feather necklace and drum suggest an affinity with Earth-based traditions, and a wide variety of others, including many children.
Written for readers ages four through seven, the book is not only about celebration and unity. A grim picture of a wildfire accompanies words about making better choices, and across from "the storm is raging" we see children raging, too, furious at the harm being done to nature. The pictures also show actions that children can take, from getting out the vote to writing to officials to growing an urban garden.
Even defeat is acknowledged and lamented:
"The fights are hard; our odds are slim.
Sometimes we lose; sometimes we win.
The hero is the one who tries:
Our hearts may break -- but still we rise."
Here, the picture is indeed heart-wrenching, as backhoes dig a pipeline trench while protestors with signs like "Honor Treaty Rights" and "Water Is Life" stand witness.
Rabbi Shoshana's Author's Note concludes with this exquisite paragraph:
"I still have a lot of feelings about climate change, but I don't feel alone anymore. I cry like the rain. I rage like the storm. I tremble like the trees. I shine like the sun. If you are feeling any of these strong emotions, you are not alone either. Millions of people are feeling them with you and me. Our grief, anger, fear, and joy link us together, to the Earth, and to everyone who cares."
Rabbi Shoshana encourages readers, with an adult's help, to visit her website: rabbishoshana.com/tide. There they can download her Climate Activist Handbook, filled with tips for getting involved. Her website also allows children to share their stories, ideas, and questions about climate activism with her.
May the book and the song inspire you as well as the children in your life!
