Uncle Marlow's Machine

Finally! A kids' book about climate change

It's time we talked about it. For real. 

What is this picture book about?

Join little Henry as he heads off on a journey to visit his wacky uncle at a farm far, far away. When Henry finally arrives, he discovers something incredible. Uncle Marlow’s been building a secret machine! But what is it? And why don’t the city people like it? 

Infused with a touch of satire and a lot of goodwill, this is the story you need to be reading to your little ones to protect our climate future. 

This beautiful book will be remembered in decades to come as the awakening we all needed.

We know this book is important. But do book reviewers agree?

“Uncle Marlow’s Machine is honest and clear, its writing style attributing a sense of responsibility to the reader. The illustrations in this story make a real impact. Beautiful green fields contrast with smoky skies and dirty power plants, and this helps to demonstrate the story’s theme.” Shannon A. Jade

From the author, Stuart French. This is a big topic, Stu. Why did you choose to tackle it in a kids' book? 

My eldest son was in the "why" stage - a phase parents and grandparents globally know all too well - while Australia was experiencing their worst ever season of bushfires. Our entire state was choked by smoke for weeks and we all lived in fear of what might come next. Yet my son’s persistent "whys" plagued me. How could I distill such an important issue down into a story and a concept he would understand? 

Like no generation before, I think the next generation will need to make critical choices about how we live our lives in the future. And I don’t think this choice will be easy: our entire livelihoods are currently fuelled by a resource which is crippling our future. 

So I think it’s so critical we plant the seed early. I think a lot of other authors and publishers out there are afraid to write a story about climate change; fearing it’s too “political". But climate change isn’t a political issue. 

My ultimate hope, honestly, is that in a few years this book won’t be needed. But until then, I want to educate the next generation on the climate challenges ahead, in the hope that they grow up wanting to solve them.

And finally, the big question. Why do we need a kids’ book about climate change?

Climate change is the preeminent issue of our time, and will likely define our children’s future. Already, the global average temperature has warmed more than 1.1 degrees celsius, and we’re already seeing the disastrous effects of this - from crippling floods, to dangerously long droughts, and of course, horrific bushfires. 

In encouraging news, though, a lot of the solutions we need to solve climate change already exist. From using wind farms and solar panels for our power, to harnessing regenerative agriculture and cultivating seaweed, we’ve got the methods and the resources to stop climate change right now - and even to reverse it. We just need a generation who believes in those solutions enough to bring them into everyday life. 

Let’s raise a generation of superheroes who want to take action on climate change, and continue to protect our beautiful planet.

An excerpt from the story

He’s in his barn when he hears our truck rumble to a stop, and he quickly pulls the barn doors closed.

“We’ve come to see your machine!” I yell, pointing at the big red barn with both hands, as Uncle Marlow walks outside.

Dad sighs. “You weren’t supposed to say anything, Henry…”

“What are you talking about, Squirt?” asks Uncle Marlow, yanking on my cheeks.

“Does it fly, or jump in the sky?” I ask. “Or does it swim in the ocean with its long propeller?”

ISBN: 9780648702429