Award-Winning Santa Monica-Based Author Writes Novel on Climate Change 

In her network news career, and in her home life, Susan Cope experienced up close the extremes of wildfires, extreme storms, and raging surf. Today, as a grandmother, this Santa Monican is bringing her experience to bear to create climate conversation across generations. 

Susan has written an award-winning, young adult novel, What on Earth. It’s the story of siblings who travel to the future and are challenged to understand how Earth, their friends, and their own neighborhood have been affected by a changed climate. With smarts, curiosity, and a touch of magic, they adventure into action. What will they do?

Susan Cope and What on Earth received the Green Stories Writing Novel Prize and The Prism Prize for Climate Literature. Find the award-winning novel in your local bookstore, or online by clicking here. Young and old readers alike are encouraged to find this book and talk about it. It is eye-opening!

After being asked what her favorite climate action is, Susan quotes, “I believe it will take everything all of us can do to avert climate disaster. Marching with students when Greta Thunberg visited, and showing up for SM Climate Action Corps and other climate events in Santa Monica, are public ways I show my climate concerns. Finding new ways to conserve energy is a quieter way. I advised an ecology club for many years, and have shared my thoughts with generations of students. Writing What on Earth? is my most important climate action so far. There is still soooo much to be done!”