In this story Dad has an accident and bangs his head, he then thinks he is an eco earth warrior who is ready to take o a large energy tycoon!
It's a funny story that will make you laugh but it has a serious side and makes you think about the problems Earth has. I really like the style of writing with small illustrations and highlighted text.

This book was entered in The Wishing Shelf Book Awards.
Star Rating: 5 Stars
Number of Readers: 21

Readers’ Comments
‘This is a fantastic book for introducing the environment and how important it is to protect it to school children. It’s accessible, it’s funny and it’s a good adventure.’ Primary Teacher, aged 47
‘This reminded me of a Roald Dahl book but with a message about how important nature is and how we should try to protect it. I loved the plot and the dad was funny. Hero (cool name) is also a good character. He’s brave and funny.’ Boy, aged 12
‘This author is so imaginative. I loved how he put flooding and climate change into a story but kept it as an exciting adventure too. The writing style is pacey and he’s excellent at describing what’s happening and even the settings.’ Girl, aged 13
‘The relationship between the dad and the boy is so lovely. It’s hilarious too. He sort of puts up with his odd dad but then warms to him over the story.’ Girl, aged 12
‘Best book I read this year!!!’ Boy, aged 11

To Sum It Up:
‘A gripping adventure with a strong environmental message. A GOLD MEDAL WINNER and highly recommended.’ The Wishing Shelf Book Awards

Can one boy and his batty Dad save the Earth?

Gary Haq, a human ecologist who has spent over twenty years supporting the development and implementation of environmental policy in in Africa, Asia and Europe, is on a mission to save our planet and his delightfully inventive debut children’s book is guaranteed to inspire a new generation of eco-warriors.

This sparkling, green-coloured adventure – with a big heart and a big message – is brimming with laughter, love and crazy mishaps as a boy called Hero and his dad are forced to reassess their troubled relationship and set out on a joint mission to save Mother Earth from the ravages of climate change.

Hero Trough is an ordinary boy who wants nothing more than to have a normal dad. But life was turned upside down when his Mum died and Dad’s only interest became reading books and filling his head with useless facts and figures. Hero describes it as Dad entering ‘Download Knowledge Mode’ and sometimes he would give anything to close his ears and block out Dad’s endless babble.

Then one day everything changes when an earthquake, caused by a blistering heatwave, leaves Dad buried and unconscious under a pile of his own encyclopaedias. Gran fears he has been ‘killed by knowledge’ but Dad eventually comes to, claiming to be an Earth Warrior sent to protect the land from a ruthless energy tycoon.

The long-suffering Hero is forced to go along with Dad’s new personality but when globetrotting Gran mysteriously disappears, Hero and Dad embark on a dangerous adventure. Can Hero save Gran and get his old dad back before it’s too late?

Haq’s work as a researcher at a global environmental think-tank provided the inspiration for this enchanting children’s book which speaks loudly and powerfully about the environment and climate change but still delivers a funny, entertaining and heartwarming adventure perfectly pitched at middle grade readers.

Heatwaves, flooding and the need for urgent action are all addressed in the most imaginative and engaging way, and there are emotional messages too about growing up and understanding the sacrifices and compromises which play an important role in family relationships.

Fun, adventure and learning with an eco-message…

Ever since his mum died two years ago, Hero Trough has clung to the idea of attending the World Cup. The thought of seeing his hometown’s star striker play in the football championship has been “a flicker of colour in his grey life” [14], but the game is only weeks away and Dad still hasn’t purchased tickets. When an accident causes Dad to suffer a calamitous concussion, he transforms from a book-obsessed reciter of encyclopedic facts to a loincloth-wearing Earth Warrior determined to save the neighborhood recreation area from a ruthless energy company called Tyranox. Dad’s actions draw the attention of local news outlets and the wrath of Mr. Barnabus Vump, president of Tyranox. Hero’s only hope of saving what’s left of his family lies in recalling facts quoted by his father, facts he thought were too embarrassing to warrant remembrance.    

Tackling death, grief, and global warming in one book may sound like a recipe for doom and gloom, but HAQ skillfully infuses every chapter with humor. Dad’s antics are a hoot, and more laughs are gleaned from Hero’s beloved Gran – a world travelling, motorcycle riding activist who delivers one humorous anecdote after another. Though Hero’s relationship with Gran is one of the highlights of the book, his perception of his two best friends is somewhat troubling. Hero has little appreciation for his “techno-geek” friend Mitzy, describing her as “bossy” and “annoyingly unhelpful.” And he has no sympathy for his friend Partha, who laments his dad’s proclivity to fart after eating dhal curry, because “having a dad who stinks is nothing compared to one who’s always got a book in front of his face” [23]. But it’s Hero’s ability to adapt and to see others in a new light that makes him a redeeming character. Cartoon lettering throughout enhances the playfulness of this quirky tale, and supplemental material on fracking and climate change at the back of the book make this an optimal choice for readers who enjoy learning in a lighthearted environment.  

Silly and fun, topical and timely, My Dad, the Earth Warrior is an approachable examination of climate change, interconnectedness, and the need for green energy conveyed through a heartening story of a boy and his dad working to understand and appreciate their differences.

I'm afraid I'm not much of an environmentalist or 'eco-warrior', most of what I know about the environment or things like fracking I've picked up 'in passing' from various news articles. However having now read My Dad the Earth Warrior I know a little more and have enjoyed a very funny story of family, friendship and love along the way. Hero's Mum passed away two years ago and he now lives with his Dad. Sadly, it seems that rather than bringing the two closer together, his mother's death has caused Hero's Dad to distance himself. Spending his days updating a set of encyclopedia, Hero's Dad is forever spouting obscure facts and information and now rarely spends time with his son. With the return of his Gran from her adventures in Nigeria, Hero hopes things will return to how they used to be but this is not to be... When Gran finds out that the same energy company that had caused so much upset in Nigeria is now buying up land in Hero's home town of Leaford, she is determined to make a stand. As if one eco-activist is not enough for Hero to deal with, following a knock on the head, Hero's Dad begins to think he is Chief Terra Firma, an eco-warrior out to save Mother Earth himself. Between his Dad's near-naked rain dancing, Gran's strong minded beliefs and a nosey neighbour, Mr Bugwell, Hero finds himself caught up in fight to save the green spaces of Leaford and rescuing his Gran from the evil clutches of the energy company's thugs, all while trying to find some way to help his Dad recover his memory and return to his old self. I really enjoyed this book and am sure any child in KS2 would do too. It is an eco-adventure story written in such a way that you cannot help but laugh at the antics of Chief Terra Firma, his son Hero and Gran as they try to save their town from a ruthless energy tycoon. While at the same time you find yourself feeling rather sorry for poor old Hero, he still misses his Mum and now it seems like he's lost his Dad too. For a teacher hoping to do any sort of environmental topic, this would be the class reader for you.