Earth Day: Picture Books for Early Childhood & Beyond

Celebrate Earth Day with picture books!

Updated April 5, 2024
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The last straw : kids vs. plastics
Hood, Susan
Paper Book
"Thoughtful and thought-provoking, this book will plant the seeds of environmental activism in young readers." --Kirkus (starred review) "I encourage everyone to read this book." --Dr. Jane Goodall There's no doubt about it--plastic is in almost...
Only one
Hopkinson, Deborah
Paper Book
This lyrical, environmentally focused picture book showcases the unique beauty of our one and only universe--its galaxies, stars, and planets--as well as our one and only Earth and the precious life it contains. Join one girl as she leads her friends to a tree-planting...
We are water protectors
Lindstrom, Carole
Paper Book
From author Carole Lindstrom and illustrator Michaela Goade comes a New York Times bestselling and Caldecott Medal winning picture book that honors Indigenous-led movements across the world. Powerfully written and gorgeously illustrated, We Are Water Protectors,...
The EARTH book
Parr, Todd.
Paper Book
This sweet homage to our beautiful planet from New York Times bestselling author Todd Parr is the perfect simple introduction to environmental protection and conservation. With his colorful illustrations, playful humor, and inclusive storytelling,...
Thank you, Earth : a love letter to our planet
Sayre, April Pulley
Paper Book
Winner of the Green Prize for Sustainable Literature "A splendid marriage of poetry and photography." --School Library Journal (starred review) Acclaimed children's book author and photographer April Pulley Sayre's love letter to Earth is a stunning exploration of the beauty and...
Compost stew : an A to Z recipe for the earth
Siddals, Mary McKenna.
Paper Book
Teach kids to compost and help them develop life-long habits to protect the Earth. From apple cores to zinnia heads, readers will discover the best ingredients for a successful compost pile in this fun picture book perfect for Earth Day! Kids everywhere are seeking knowledge...
The wind and the trees
Stewart, Todd (Illustrator)
Paper Book
A gentle meditation on the cycle of life, told by two trees One day, a tiny pine seedling strikes up a conversation with a nearby tree. As the seedling grows larger, the older pine shares what it has learned about the strong wind that blows through the forest...
Fatima's great outdoors
Tariq, Ambreen
Paper Book
An immigrant family embarks on their first camping trip in the Midwest in this lively picture book by Ambreen Tariq, outdoors activist and founder of @BrownPeopleCamping Fatima Khazi is excited for the weekend. Her family is headed to a local state park for their first camping...
Tree : a peek-through picture book
Teckentrup, Britta.
Paper Book
Watch the tree change with the seasons as each page is turned in this beautiful and educational children's book for curious young minds. New York Public Library's 100 Best Books for Kids 2016 Through a hole in the book's cover, an owl invites you...
Greta and the giants : inspired by Greta Thunberg's stand to save the world
Tucker, Zoe?
Paper Book
This inspiring picture book retells the story of Nobel Peace Prize nominee Greta Thunberg--the Swedish teenager who has led a global movement to raise awareness about the world's climate crisis--using allegory to make this important topic accessible to young children.  
All that grows
Wong, Jack
Paper Book
From Boston Globe-Horn Book Award winner Jack Wong, a story of a boy who discovers that the more he learns, the more there is to know! On their neighborhood walks together, a boy learns from his older sister all about the plants they see -- magnolias that smell like lemon cake, creeping...

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