Earth Day for Kids

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

Updated March 11, 2023
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The global ocean
Strauss, Rochelle
The global ocean is in trouble. This beautiful and important book explores the issues -- and what we can do to help. 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...
Where wonder grows
Gonza?lez, Xelena
Pura Belpré Illustrator Award, American Library Association (ALA) ALA/ALSC Notable Children's Books, American Library Association (ALA) Best Books, Kirkus Reviews Best Books of the Year, Center for the Study of Multicultural Children's Literature Skipping Stones Honor...
We are water protectors
Lindstrom, Carole
Winner of the 2021 Caldecott Medal #1 New York Times Bestseller Inspired by the many Indigenous-led movements across North America, We Are Water Protectors issues an urgent rallying cry to safeguard the Earth's water from harm and corruption--a bold and...
The Water Lady : how Darlene Arviso helps a thirsty Navajo Nation
McGinty, Alice B.
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--...
You can change the world : the kids' guide to a better planet
Bell, Lucy
Kids around the world are working together to make our planet a better, safer, happier place--and now you can join in with this practical guide! You Can Change the World empowers kids to make changes in their lives and communities with the powerful message that anyone can...
The biggest footprint
Sears, Rob
An illustrated, fact-filled book about climate change, by the bestselling author of The Beautiful Poetry of Donald Trump.
Beetles for Breakfast: And other weird & wonderful ways we could save the planet
Finlay, Madeleine
Old enough to save the planet
Kirby, Loll
Author Loll Kirby and illustrator Adelina Lirius's picture book Old Enough to Save the Planet is an inspiring look at young climate change activists who are changing the world. The world is facing a climate crisis like we've never seen before. And kids around...
The way of the hive : a honey bee's story
Hosler, Jay
"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...
The world's wildest places : and the people protecting them
Dyu, Lily
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 last straw
Matthiessen, Zoe
Meet Sippy the plastic straw! Once celebrated and loved by all, now Sippy is used up, discarded, and floating in a puddle. Sad and confused, Sippy is blown around on a long journey. Sippy, a plastic straw who was once so useful, one day gets thrown out and blown into the sea....
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)
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 magic & mystery of trees
Green, Jen
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...
The wild world handbook : how adventurers, artists, scientists--and you--can protect earth's habitats
Debbink, Andrea
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...
Be thankful for trees
Ziefert, Harriet
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 explores the many items that are...
The brilliant deep : rebuilding the world's coral reefs : the story of Ken Nedimyer and the Coral Restoration Foundation
Messner, Kate
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...
Earth hour : a lights-out event for our planet
Heffernan, Nanette
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...
Bathing in the forest
Uy©?, N©?vola
Winner at the 2020 Independent Publisher Book Awards. A heartening story about connecting to nature and its healing properties. The little girl of the forest embraces you, takes you by the hand, and invites you to immerse yourself in her magical world. The...
The Earth book
Litton, Jonathan
Explore the incredible place we call home! Marvel at the physical planet, learn how the weather works, meet some of the most influential people from the past and present, and much more. Examine every corner of the Earth, from outer space to underground and from the Maasai steppe to Manhattan.
Ocean atlas : a journey across the waves and into the deep
Jackson, Tom
The earth atlas
Van Rose, Susanna
Delve beneath the surface of Earth with this pictorial atlas and discover the secrets of our planet. How did planet Earth form? What's under the surface, and how can we see it? Why do volcanoes erupt? What do coasts and caves have in common? What's so important about rocks and...
The wonders of nature
Hoare, Ben
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 outdoor scientist : the wonder of observing the natural world
Grandin, Temple
From New York Times bestselling author and world-renowned scientist and autism spokesperson Temple Grandin comes a book about exploring the world around us, asking questions, and making sense of what we see--with 40 fun outdoor activities that promote independent thinking, which kids...
My big book of outdoors
Hopgood, Tim
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...
Only one
Hopkinson, Deborah
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...
Look what I found in the woods
Butterfield, Moira
Open your senses to a world of wonder by taking a walk through the woods! Set off on an outdoor adventure and find natural treasures, from prickly pine cones to swirly snails' shells, then learn more about the plants and creatures of the forest in this fact-filled guide to the outdoors.
The last straw : kids vs. plastics
Hood, Susan
"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 mindful walk with Grandma
Mabry, Sheri
STARRED REVIEW! "The illustrations, awash in green and somewhat nostalgic in styling, complement the narrative and successfully transport readers to a lush forest brimming with life. Clearly demonstrates the sense of connectedness--to nature, others, and self--that mindfulness practice...

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