Book Review of The Adventures of Captain Polo: Polo in Brazil
The Children’s Book Review
The Adventures of Captain Polo: Polo in Brazil
Written and Illustrated by Alan J. Hesse
Ages: 8+ | 61 Pages
Publisher: Alan J. Hesse (2025) | ISBN: 978-9942489579
Join an intrepid polar bear and his penguin sidekick as they navigate the Amazon and Rio de Janeiro to confront environmental destruction and discover practical climate solutions.
In this fifth installment of the series, Captain Polo and Penguin find themselves off the coast of Brazil, following a greedy oil tycoon deep into the Amazon rainforest. Along the way, they witness the devastating effects of illegal logging, forest fires, and industrialized cattle ranching. From the dense jungle to the bustling streets of Rio de Janeiro, the duo meets conservationists and local communities working on innovative adaptation projects, such as solar-powered favelas and forest restoration.
Alan J. Hesse’s writing masterfully balances a humorous adventure with a “crash course” on complex environmental challenges. The dialogue is engaging, often using humor to drive the narrative while incorporating a wealth of educational facts through footnotes and a detailed “Climate Change Classroom” glossary at the end. Complex concepts like carbon sinks, agroforestry, and green hydrogen are distilled into accessible language for young readers.
Presented in an energetic graphic novel format with funny yet informative drawings, the illustrations effectively depict the lush biodiversity of the Amazon and the contrasting starkness of deforested areas. Detailed diagrams, such as those explaining the greenhouse effect and bio digesters, provide clear visual aids that complement the educational goals of the story.
Captain Polo in Brazil is an excellent resource for anyone looking to understand the climate crisis through an entertaining and hopeful lens. It is particularly well-suited for young readers, students, and educators who enjoy adventure stories that offer a direct call to action and a roadmap for becoming a “Climate Hero”.
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About the Author
Alan J. Hesse is an award-winning author-illustrator who merges professional expertise in nature conservation with storytelling and artistic skills. Alan’s 30-year career in conservation and status as a UN Champion for Climate Education gives him a unique edge as an author of children’s books with an environmental focus that is both engaging and educational.
He is the author of 11 children’s books, most of them graphic novels, that have been compared to the legendary Tintin collection. These include the growing and highly acclaimed Adventures of Captain Polo series about climate change. The Captain Polo character is the inspiration behind the Captain Polo Academy as a global brand promoting environmental and climate literacy.
To learn more, visit captainpoloacademy.com.
1 Comment
Many thanks to the The Children’s Book Review editorial team for this insightful review of Polo in Brazil. You have perfectly captured the essence not only of this book but of the whole series, which is to bring literacy on very serious and often highly complex issues in a way that is engaging and fun, and that also provides hope for a better future.