What accounts for the persuasive impact of young climate activists like Greta Thunberg? Laura McGrath identifies dimensions of "youth rhetorical power" in environmental discourse by tracing the historical evolution of environmental campaigns featuring young people going back to the turn of the 20th Century. From bird conservation groups to 4-H Clubs and Scouts to school-based education to grass-roots organization to popular culture creation and consumption, young people have served as both effective advocates and activated audiences. McGrath highlights a "rhetorical throughline" shared by Thunberg and her predecessors that includes findings that youth are both reachable and teachable, they have a unique ability to educate and persuade peers and parents, they are inheritors of the earth and thus are uniquely positioned as victims of environmental degradation, and they provide heroic role models for others. The book is a great example of the value of historical perspective as a way of understanding contemporary persuasive contexts.

Stephen P. Depoe, Founding Chair, International Environmental Communication Association and Professor Emeritus, University of Cincinnati, USA

Laura McGrath offers a compelling rhetorical history of concerted campaigns to connect young people with nature, develop an environmental ethic, and encourage environmental activism. This book confirms the importance of environmental and civic education and affirms the rhetorical power of young people to make a difference.

Anne Marie Todd, Dean, College of Social Sciences, and Professor of Communication Studies, San José State University, USA