Today, all over the world, more than 1,600 groups of children will strike to protest climate change. It’s all because of 16 year old climate change activist (and Nobel Peace Prize nominee!) Greta Thunberg, who began striking on her own last year … and started the most amazing movement

When you’re a child, adults spend a lot of time telling you what to do. Sometimes they’re right (like when they tell you to eat more vegetables), but sometimes they’re completely wrong. And any adult today who tells children to stop protesting and go to school is wrong. School is obviously very important and useful, and you shouldn’t miss it unless you’ve got an excellent reason – but helping draw attention to the dangers of climate change and asking your government to change their environmetal policy is a really excellent reason.

So, if you’re protesting today, I support you absolutely. You’re brilliant! Don’t let anyone tell you that you aren’t allowed to strike (and if they do, please remind them that leaving without being allowed to is the *definition of striking*), and don’t listen to anyone who tries to say that just because you’re young you can’t make a difference. Greta, and Dara McAnulty, and Isra Hirsi, and so many other children and teenagers are proving what nonsense that is. We’ll only be able to fight climate change if we all do everything we can, even if it seems small. After all, Greta’s protests were very small at first …

Oh, and if you want to hear from some other adults who support you, check out kidlit4climate. Authors and illustrators are getting involved to show that they’re behind the school strikes. So, good luck today! I hope this is just the beginning of the movement.