Two Degrees is a young adult fiction novel written by bestselling American author Alan Gratz. It was published by Scholastic Inc. in October of 2022. Gratz tackles issues curbing humanity in our current times and historically. He focuses on climate change. The title refers to the projected rise in global temperature that will cause adverse climate changes in the future.
The novel contains three narratives set in different parts of North America that focus on the climate crisis on Earth. The first story occurs in California and follows Akira Kristiansen and her mother who are visiting Mountain Home Grove. There, they encounter a raging wildfire that is growing very fast. The next story focuses on young boys who are part of a tour to see polar bears in Churchill, Manitoba. They observe polar bears appearing more frequently than usual as the bears begin stalking and attacking them. The final narrative takes place in Miami, where a category five hurricane has hit the home of the young protagonist, Natalie Torres.
Eventually, the three protagonists as avid climate activists proceed to speak on their narrow escapes during the incidents. As such, the novel delves into critical issues of global warming that humanity has to solve as soon as possible to save the future. Kirkus Reviews wrote, “Gratz plunges his middle schoolers into desperate, life-threatening straits in three wildly dangerous scenarios…delivered with wrenching, dramatic urgency.”
