Science and Storytelling
Interview with Writer Claire Datnow
“My books open the hearts and minds of young people and inspire a love for the natural world and diverse cultures.” 
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This month’s Breezer Making Waves is Claire Datnow, author of The Adventures of The Sizzling Six Series!
Let’s dig into how Claire interweaves science and storytelling to encourage readers to become good stewards of the Earth.
Hi Claire. What are we celebrating with you?
The publication of two new books in The Adventures of The Sizzling Six Series, by Star Bright Books.
Congratulations! What does this opportunity mean to you?
This opportunity provides an outstanding way to promote my books that open the hearts and minds of young people and inspire a love for the natural world and diverse cultures.
What do you feel led you to this place on your journey?
I was born and raised in Johannesburg, South Africa, which ignited my love for the natural world and diverse cultures. After earning an MA in Education for Gifted and Talented and a second MA in Public History, I taught creative writing and environmental studies in the Birmingham, Alabama, public schools. Together with my students, I created a nature trail, now named the Alabama Audubon-Datnow Nature Preserve. My students inspired me to begin writing environmental fiction with themes of mystery, adventure, and environmental action. I interweave science and storytelling, STEAM, to encourage readers to become wise and just stewards of the Earth. My eco mysteries are set in my home state of Alabama and across the globe and feature endangered species.
Do you have any advice for Breezers who want to achieve something similar?
Writers can learn the art and craft of how to apply the building blocks of compelling science-based stories that will resonate with tweens and teens and correlate with state standards across the curriculum.
More Teacher Resources
Weaving Joy into Climate and Dark fiction.
In climate fiction or any genres that explores darker themes, how can writers weave a compelling story without sugar coating the truth? Here are some powerful techniques:
Humor: Sprinkle humorous moments into the story. Carl Hiaasen inserts humor into troubling situations. For example:
The first rule of hurricane coverage is that every broadcast must begin with palm trees bending in the wind.”
― Carl Hiaasen
“Mickey Cray had been out of work ever since a dead iguana fell from a palm tree and hit him on the head.”
― Carl Hiaasen, Chomp
In climate fiction or other genres, how can writers weave a compelling story about climate change without sugar coating the truth? Here are some techniques:
The setting: The setting can be local or across the global. Describe the setting that pulls readers into the character’s’’ world. For example: “The town of Nahoon, on Chichagof Island, 30 miles from Juneau, Alaska: It is late spring on Chichagof Island, and the air and water are warming. The bears have woken from their long sleep. All eye are on the horizon for the oceans grateful giants, the gray whales.” The Gray Whale’s Lament by Claire Datnow
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In a review by Maragaret Amsler she highlights the setting of The Gray Whale’s Lament:
“First the reader travels to Sumatra, Indonesia and meets talented Aishya who has a special bond with a rescued orangutan Next Datnow takes the reader to western Australia where marathon runner Kirri has a similar special bond with a wallaby. The third vignette focuses on Californian Hector and an injured Swainson’s hawk he is dedicated to rehabilitating. These diverse teens share not only an uncommon Dr. Doolittle-like relationship with their rescued wild animal, but each teen also becomes trapped in a devastating wildfire. The hero in the vignettes are the orangutan, wallaby and the hawk – each leading the grievously injured teen to safety.
Joy: Introduce joyful moments, despite dire situations looming over the protagonist.
“Red Flag Warning: An Eco Adventure,” the first book in my Climate Fiction trilogy, a reviewer wrote, “With inspiring breadth and creativity the author explores pressing environmental issues . . . but doesn’t leave out moments of joy and delight. — Professor Sue Brannon Walker, selected to Alabama Writers Hall of Fame Class of 2025.
In “What If We Get It Right?: Visions of Climate Futures,” Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson puts forward other ways to weave joy into your narratives, which she illustrates with the overlapping circles of a Venn Diagram:
1) What are your characters good at/special gift?
2) what work needs to be done?
3) And what brings your characters joy?
Special Gifts: In the “The Gray Whale’s Lament,” Book two of the trilogy, three teenagers use their powerful gift—the ability to communicate with animals—to save them. In turn, their animals save them from certain death during a race to outrun the flames roaring toward them. Aisyah, a compassionate free spirit from Sumatra, bonds with Pongo an endangered orangutan. Kirri a competitive marathon runner from Australia, bonds with Rocky an endangered Rock wallaby. And then there’s Hector, a headstrong and gifted falconer from California, who bonds with Swain, a magnificent Swainson’s hawk. After their painful recovery from burns, the teens in return take on a new challenge, caring for animals injured in the fires (what they are good at and what brings them joy).
Despite dark themes, these techniques will lift your storie’s mood and inspire hope that positive action is possible.