Stanley Johnson endorses 'exhilerating' science story for kids
Stanley Johnson has praised an "exhilerating" and "exciting" new children's book which tackles environmental concerns.
Stanley Johnson has praised an "exhilerating" new children's book which tackles environmental concerns.
The former I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! contestant - who is the father of ex-Prime Minister Boris Johnson - has written the foreword to Ellie Ment and the Material Matter, an adventure story from the Clean Planet Foundation, which tackles microplastics, citizen science and youth action.
He said of the book: “Nothing short of exhilarating… This book pulls off something quite remarkable. It makes science genuinely exciting, the problems facing our world accessible, and environmental responsibility fun. Not through lectures, but through story.”
The story sees an 11-year-old girl stumble across a secret science society before discovering an environmental cover-up and using her scientific knowledge to challege the adult world.
Stanley wrote in his foreword: “These themes – so central to environmental action – shine here through the eyes of young characters who must navigate what is right, what is possible, and what is simply necessary...
“In my years working on environmental protection – whether drafting the original EU Habitats Directive or helping establish the European Commission’s first Environmental Action Programme – I’ve learned that solutions rarely come from the top down. They often begin with curiosity. With a question. Sometimes, with a young person who simply refuses to accept “that’s just the way it is.”
The book combines real-world issues such as microplastic pollution with accessible STEM learning within a clever plot.
Author Bertie Stephens, who is also a founder of the Clean Planet Foundation, said: “Children’s fantasy always looks to magic; magic isn’t science, but we know that science is magic. The real magic in this story is the kind young people should be talking and learning about. Stanley Johnson’s endorsement gives weight to that — this isn’t just fiction, it’s a spark.”
Ellie Ment and the Material Matter is now available in hardcover alongside paperback and Kindle editions at major retailers such as Amazon, Waterstones, Foyles and Browns Books. Educational resources for schools and libraries are also available at EllieMent.com
