Luz Makes a Splash

An award-winning eco-focused graphic novel series gets an update and a new look!

Residents of the city of Petroville are suffering through the hottest and driest summer on record. Desperate for a way to cool off, Luz and her friends head out to Spring Pond to go swimming. But when they arrive, they’re shocked to discover that the pond has virtually disappeared! As it turns out, a multinational company has purchased the nearby land and is using the water to make their soda. Meanwhile, the community vegetable gardens in Friendship Park are withering – at risk of dying because of the lack of rain – and the city has imposed water restrictions. Luz and her friends are just kids, but is there anything they can do to help save two of Luz’s favorite places?

This award-winning graphic novel by Claudia Dávila is part of the Luz Goes Green series, about a girl who helps the environment one small step at a time. It’s an engaging read that also presents the serious issues of climate change and water scarcity in a way that’s relatable to preteens. Luz offers a locally oriented model of how children can make a difference, such as awareness of their own water usage, hands-on ideas for projects that prevent wasting water, including a gray water filtration system, and ways to protect a community’s water supply. This book makes a useful resource for environmental science lessons, with an emphasis on living sustainably. There’s a DIY plan for creating a water-wise garden with xeriscaping at the back of the book. Originally published in 2012, this revised edition includes updated art and content to reflect current climate issues.