Earth Day: Books for Kids

Fiction and non-fiction titles for kids all about our planet, climate change, and the great outdoors!

Updated March 21, 2024
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Kids vs. plastic : ditch the straw and find the pollution solution to bottles, bags, and other single-use plastics : how you can be a waste warrior!
Beer, Julie (Children's author)
Paper Book
Jam-packed with surprising information about plastic's effect on the environment, plus loads of practical ways kids can cut down on their plastic footprint, this is the kids guide to being part of the pollution solution! It's in your toothbrush ... your clothes ... your...
The gentle genius of trees
Bunting, Philip
Paper Book
Let trees teach you everything from how to branch out to how to stay rooted in this delightful blend of nonfiction and inspirational humor by author-illustrator Philip Bunting! What could we clever humans ever learn from trees? Find out when you take a stroll through the woods...
The observologist
Clarkson, Giselle
Paper Book
A highly illustrated, playful field guide for budding natural scientists and curious observers of the world right under our noses. Observology is the study of looking. An observologist makes scientific expeditions, albeit very small ones, every day. They notice interesting details in the...
The wild world handbook : how adventurers, artists, scientists--and you--can protect earth's habitats
Debbink, Andrea
Paper Book
Packed with real-life tales of adventure, breathtaking illustrations, and hands-on STEAM activities, this handbook is an inspiring guide for the next generation of climate activists, conservationists, and nature lovers. The wonder of the natural world surrounds us-from the Amazon...
The world's wildest places : and the people protecting them
Dyu, Lily
Paper Book
Discover the wildest places on earth, and meet the amazing people dedicating their lives to conserving them. The World's Wildest Places engages adventurous and curious children with the action being taken to combat the human impact on Planet Earth. Young readers can embark...
The magic & mystery of trees
Green, Jen
Paper Book
Learn about the amazing natural science of trees in this illustrated nature and science book for kids aged 7-9. From the highest branch and leaf down to the complex "wood wide web" of roots, it's no wonder every part of a tree plays an important role in its own growth and the...
Earth hour : a lights-out event for our planet
Heffernan, Nanette
Paper Book
Click flashlights, light lanterns, and get ready to turn electric lights out to celebrate Earth Hour! Wherever you are, you can help our planet. Kids around the world use electric energy to do all kinds of things--adults do, too! From cleaning the clothes we play in, to lighting...
The wonders of nature
Hoare, Ben
Paper Book
Uncover awe-inspiring stories behind the natural world with this nature book for curious kids aged 6-8. The world is filled with curious objects such as amazing rocks and minerals, microscopic life, plants, animals and more. The wonders of wildlife are so much bigger than young...
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...
My big book of outdoors
Hopgood, Tim
Paper Book
Introduce little ones to the great outdoors with this beautifully illustrated treasury exploring the wonders of nature in four glorious seasons. From vibrant springtime flowers to sweet fruits on summer trees, from the falling of autumn leaves to snowdrops in winter, this ode to...
The way of the hive : a honey bee's story
Hosler, Jay
Paper Book
"A wonderful graphic novel."--Neil Gaiman Experience the life of a honeybee in this coming-of-age story about a bee named Nyuki, in this full-color graphic novel by Jay Hosler, perfect for curious kids who are fans of the Science Comics series. Nyuki is a brand-new...
Ocean atlas : a journey across the waves and into the deep
Jackson, Tom
Paper Book
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 Water Lady : how Darlene Arviso helps a thirsty Navajo Nation
McGinty, Alice B.
Paper Book
This inspiring picture book tells the true story of a woman who brings desperately needed water to families on the Navajo reservation every day. Underneath the New Mexico sky, a Navajo boy named Cody finds that his family's barrels of water are empty. He checks the chicken coop--...
The brilliant deep : rebuilding the world's coral reefs : the story of Ken Nedimyer and the Coral Restoration Foundation
Messner, Kate
Paper Book
The Brilliant Deep is the proud recipient of the ALA Notable Children's Books Award, the NSTA-CBC Best STEM Trade Books Award, the Junior Library Guild Selection and the ILA Teacher's Choices. All it takes is one: one coral gamete to start a colony in the ocean, one person...
Drawn to change the world : 16 youth climate activists, 16 artists
Reynolds, Emma
Paper Book
"A brilliant, powerful, must-read for anyone and everyone on planet earth." --Hannah Gold, author of The Last Bear The climate crisis is reaching a critical tipping point--and you might have heard of the countless amazing young people who are taking action and speaking up for...
Magic trash : a story of Tyree Guyton and his art
Shapiro, J. H.
Paper Book
"An inspiring, exciting introduction to avant-garde art and social commentary, this biography convinces young readers that art can exist, thrive and effect change outside in the real world. " --Kirkus Reviews This uplifting picture book biography about community-based Detroit...
Rebel Girls climate warriors : 25 tales of women who protect the Earth
Sher, Abby
Paper Book
A COMMON SENSE SELECTION (Common Sense Media) With fairytale-like stories about Greta Thunberg, Autumn Peltier, and Rachel Carson, Rebel Girls Climate Warriors- 25 Tales of Environmental Allies spotlights the world-changing work of women on the frontlines of the fight for climate...
The global ocean
Strauss, Rochelle
Paper Book
Though we think of Earth's five oceans as separate and distinct, they are actually a linked system of circulating water that is one single ocean - the global ocean. This comprehensive overview explores the global ocean's enormous influence on the planet, as well as humans' often-detrimental...
Be thankful for trees
Ziefert, Harriet
Paper Book
What gives you a seat, a floor for your feet?A place you can sit with your family to eat? The pum-pum of a drum, a guitar's twangy strum . . .Tree wood makes music zing, ping, and hum. Using lilting, rhyming couplets, this book...

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