SOLAR BEAR

A polar bear, infused with sunlight, describes its plight to young listeners.

How exactly the “solar” bear came to shine is never explained, but Wenzel’s luminescent beast does indeed glow against midnight blue backgrounds. Soon the bear is joined by similarly lit (all-white) orcas, chimpanzees, bees, and other creatures, gliding and floating across city streets, to “show you that our paths are linked— / as you expand, we go extinct. // We’ll shine so brightly that you’ll see / that change is a necessity.” At this moment, the scenes shift from night to day, and the illuminated animals blend in more with the light-drenched landscape—an indeterminate biome comprising beaches, forests, and cliffs. Children who are diverse in terms of skin tone and hairstyle—some of them have been observing the parade of wildlife throughout—are seen planting a garden, each becoming “a solar kid.” Ferry doesn’t explain how gardening and extinction are related. Wenzel has some eye-catching digital compositions that incorporate sequential panels and a diaphanous, curving blanket of snow at the conclusion, but they aren’t enough to rescue a singsong-y, message-heavy text that doesn’t add much to the topic of climate change.

The shelf on environmental activism is crowded; this one doesn’t stand out.