Earth Day Book Lists for Kids Ages Birth - 17.

This book list includes boardbooks, picture books, easy readers, chapter books, novels and nonfiction books focusing on conservation, climate change, and nature appreciation. All the books are available through the Sussex County Library System.

Updated February 7, 2026
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Along the Tapajós
Vilela, Fernando
Paper Book
A USBBY Outstanding International Book An Amazon Best Book of 2019 in the Ages 6-8 category A Junior Library Guild Selection A Capitol Choices Book Cauã and Inaê are a brother and sister who live in a small community along the Tapajós River in...
The Aquanaut : a story
Santat, Dan
Paper Book
Dive in to this whimsically adventurous graphic novel from Caldecott Medalist and National Book Award Winner Dan Santat! Ever since her father was lost at sea, Sophia has been moping around Aqualand, the marine theme park her dad and uncle created. But Sophia's world is turned upside down when an...
Berry song
Goade, Michaela
Paper Book
A Caldecott Honor Book! An Indie Bestseller! Caldecott Medalist Michaela Goade's first self-authored picture book is a gorgeous celebration of the land she knows well and the powerful wisdom of elders. On...
The boy who harnessed the wind
Kamkwamba, William
Paper Book
Now a Netflix film starring and directed by Chiwetel Ejiofor, this is a gripping memoir of survival and perseverance about the heroic young inventor who brought electricity to his Malawian village. When a terrible drought struck William Kamkwamba's tiny village in Malawi, his...
Bruce saves the planet
Higgins, Ryan T.
Paper Book
From unwitting mother to unwitting . . . environmental activist? Save the planet with #1 New York Times best-selling author-illustrator Ryan T. Higgins's beloved Mother Bruce. Bruce was a bear who liked to be by himself. But that wasn't easy for him, as mother...
Can you hear the trees talking? : discovering the hidden life of the forest
Wohlleben, Peter
Paper Book
WINNER OF THE AAAS/SUBARU PRIZE FOR EXCELLENCE IN SCIENCE BOOKS BASED ON THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER THE HIDDEN LIFE OF TREES  This interactive and illustrated book for kids aged 8-10 introduces the wonderful science of the...
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...
Controlled burn
Downing, Erin Soderberg
Paper Book
A MIBA bestseller 2024-2025 Nebraska Golden Sower Award Nominee 2024-2025 South Carolina Book Award Nominee 2023 Northeastern Minnesota Book Award Winner From bestselling author, Erin Soderberg Downing, Controlled Burn is a story...
The curious garden
Brown, Peter
Paper Book
This New York Times bestselling modern classic explores the perennial topic of environmentalism in an urban world, from the creator of The Wild Robot and Mr. Tiger Goes Wild One boy's quest for a greener world... one garden at a time. While out...
The Earth gives more
Fliess, Sue
Paper Book
Enjoy nature in every season--and take care of it. From leaves falling to become fertilizer, to raindrops helping to bring plants to life in the spring, the cycle of every season has something to enjoy. While delighting in all nature has to offer, we need...
Fancy Nancy : every day is Earth Day
O'Connor, Jane
Paper Book
Nancy wants to celebrate Earth Day every day of the week, but she might take her enthusiasm for the environment a bit too far. Aligned to Common Core Standards and correlated to state standards. Leveled Readers is an imprint of Spotlight, a division of ABDO.
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...
The giving tree
Silverstein, Shel
Paper Book
Shel Silverstein's best-selling classic THE GIVING TREE has grown! Now available for the first time in an enlarged 7 1/2 x 10 edition that enhances the depth and beauty of this beloved tale. 'Once there was a tree...and she loved a little boy.' So begins a story of unforgettable...
El gran capoquero : un cuento de la selva Amazonica
Cherry, Lynne
Paper Book
The Spanish-language edition of The Great Kapok Tree.
The Great Lakes : our freshwater treasure
Rosenstock, Barb
Paper Book
A stunning picture book about the five largest lakes in North America - how they formed, the importance of their abundant freshwater, and how they've become a national treasure - in the latest book from the author of Caldecott Honor book The Noisy Paint Box. A SCHOOL...
Here we are : notes for living on planet Earth
Jeffers, Oliver
Paper Book
#1 New York Times bestseller A TIME Magazine Best Book of the Year A NPR Best Book of 2017 A Boston Globe Best Book of 2017 "Moments of human intimacy jostle with scenes that inspire cosmic awe, and the broad diversity of Jeffers's candy-colored...
Earth Day and the environment
Messner, Kate
Paper Book
Myths! Lies! Recycling scams? Discover the real story behind the first Earth Day celebration and some of the biggest US climate catastrophes--and their solutions! Don't miss the award-winning History Smashers series as they get to the truth on the biggest environmental fibs!
Step into reading: How to help the Earth
Rabe, Tish
Paper Book
The star of The Lorax by Dr. Seuss makes his Step into Reading debut in this rhymed Step 3 reader that offers kids easy suggestions for going green, a perfect real aloud for Earth Day! After explaining how the trash in a wastbasket ultimately ends up in a landfill or incinerator,...
If bees disappeared
Williams, Lily
Paper Book
What would happen if bees disappeared? Find out in this fourth book from Lily Williams in the award-winning If Animals Disappeared Series that imagines the consequences of a world without bees. The rolling hills and lush climate of Kent, England are home to many creatures.
If you find a fawn : a what-to-do for wild wanderers
Gillis, Kellie DuBay
Paper Book
When you wander in the wild, you might find . . . a baby animal. Would you know what to do? Perfect for nature lovers and curious kids, If You Find a Fawn pairs instructive text with lush illustrations for a beautiful picture book adventure. When we find...
Listen to the language of the trees : a story of how forests communicate underground
Kelley, Tera
Paper Book
This captivating book explores the real connection and communication that runs underground between trees in the forest. The well-researched details about trees' own social network will help readers see that the natural world's survival depends on staying connected and helping others-just like us!
Look for the Lorax /
Seuss,
Paper Book
Dr. Seuss's lovable Lorax guides beginning readers through a wonderland adventure in this Step 1-leveled story, part of the Step Into Reading program! Blue sky. Clouds fly. Bright trees sway. Cute suits! Bar-ba-loots play, play, play. Look out for...
The Lorax
Seuss, Dr.
Paper Book
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * Celebrate Earth Day with Dr. Seuss and the Lorax in this classic picture book about sustainability and protecting the environment! I am the Lorax. I speak for the trees. Dr. Seuss's beloved story teaches kids to treat the...
Love, the Earth
Stickley, Frances
Paper Book
With vibrant artwork and an affecting poetic text narrated by the Earth, this magnificent ode to our planet serves as a call to action. I am the Earth. All yours to share. The mountains and the Arctic air. . . . And now you're here, so...
Madre de los tiburones
Márquez, Melissa Cristina
Paper Book
La cientifica de tiburones galardonada como una de las 30 menores de 30 de Forbes en 2021 entre otros honores y mundialmente reconocida Melissa Cristina Marquez se une a la premiada ilustradora Devin Elle Kurtz para crear un impactante libro ilustrado que explora el viaje personal de Melissa...
Mother of sharks
Ma?rquez, Melissa Cristina
Paper Book
Forbes 30 Under 30 Honoree and globally renowned shark scientist Melissa Cristina Marquez teams up with award-winning illustrator Devin Elle Kurtz to create an informative, powerful picture book. With lyrical writing and gorgeous art, this moving story explores Melissa's personal journey...
The ocean calls : a haenyeo mermaid story
Cho, Tina M.
Paper Book
A breathtaking picture book featuring a Korean girl and her haenyeo (free diving) grandmother about intergenerational bonds, finding courage in the face of fear, and connecting with our natural world. Dayeon wants to be a haenyeo just like Grandma. The haenyeo dive off the coast...
Our planet! : there's no place like Earth
McAnulty, Stacy
Paper Book
From writer Stacy McAnulty and illustrator David Litchfield, Our Planet! There's No Place Like Earth is a nonfiction picture book about the Earth, told from the perspective of Earth herself. Meet Earth. Planet Awesome! And your awesome home! Actually, Earth is home to...
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...
The tree and the river
Becker, Aaron
Paper Book
A spectacular time-lapse portrait of humankind--and our impact on the natural world--from a Caldecott Honor-winning master of the wordless form In an alternate past--or possible future--a mighty tree stands on the banks of a winding river, bearing silent witness to the flow of...
The tree lady :
Hopkins, H. Joseph
Paper Book
Unearth the true story of green-thumbed pioneer and activist Kate Sessions, who helped San Diego grow from a dry desert town into a lush, leafy city known for its gorgeous parks and gardens. Katherine Olivia Sessions never thought she'd live in a place without trees. After all,...
Up in the garden and down in the dirt
Messner, Kate
Paper Book
In this exuberant and lyrical addition to the award-winning Over and Under series, emerging readers will delight in discovering the wonders that lie hidden between stalks, under the shade of leaves, and down in the dirt. From the author-illustrator team behind...
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,...
What to do when the news scares you : a kid's guide to understanding current events
Toner, Jacqueline B.
Paper Book
This latest installment in the bestselling What To Do series tackles children's feelings of anxiety around current events and what is portrayed in the news. Scary news is an inevitable part of life. This book can support and guide efforts to help scary news seem a bit more manageable for...
Wildoak
Harrington, C. C.
Paper Book
When the fates of a snow leopard, a child, and an ancient forest collide, the unimaginable can happen. Perfect for fans of Pax and The One and Only Ivan. A great gift for nature and animal lovers. **Winner of the 2023 Schneider Family Book Award!** *...
Wonder walkers
Archer, Micha
Paper Book
A Caldecott Honor winner! Micha Archer's gorgeous, detailed collages give readers a fresh outlook on the splendors of nature. When two curious kids embark on a "wonder walk," they let their imaginations soar as they look at the world in a whole new light. They have...

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