Books are a great way to introduce and highlight so many topics for children without worksheets and tests. Our Spring Book List has plenty of book recommendations about nature and our planet, but this list is all about Earth Day, April 22nd.
Exposing children to books that discuss conservation, ecosystems, environmental change, notable environmentalists, and more is key in saving the planet and inspiring change for generations and generations.
The books listed can be found on Amazon and Bookshop. You can also check your local library. Bookshop, in particular, is an online bookstore “with a mission to financially support local, independent bookstores”. Customers are able to select which local bookstores they want support from their purchase to go to.
This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. See my full disclosure here.
Thank You, Earth by April Pulley Sayre: this non-fiction picture book is a great homeschool and classroom book celebrating Earth Day. Through amazing photography and poetry, the author touches on subjects from life cycles to weather, colors, shapes, and patterns.
The Tree Lady: The True Story of How One Tree Loving Woman Changed a City Forever by H. Joseph Hopkins: learn the true story of pioneer and activist Kate Sessions, who helped San Diego grow from a dry desert town into a lush, leafy city.
Earth Day Every Day by Lisa Bullard: Trina plants trees with her class and forms an Earth Day club. What can you do to make every day Earth Day? This is a nonfiction picture book, great for kids and makes learning fun.
Wangari Maathai: The Woman Who Planted Millions of Trees by Franck Prevot: Wangari Maathai changed the way the world thinks about nature, ecology, freedom, and democracy, inspiring radical efforts that continue to this day.
Earth Day books continued…
A Cool Drink of Water by Barbara Kerley: Barbara Kerley highlights the common need for water among people all around the world. By combining beautiful and educational photographs with poetic text, the author shows how people in various cultures use and conserve the world’s most vital resource.
The Water Princess by Susan Verde: based on the childhood of Georgie Badiel. As a child in Burkina Faso, Georgie and the other girls in her village had to walk for miles each day to collect water. This vibrant, engaging picture book sheds light on this struggle that continues all over the world today, instilling hope for a future when all children will have access to clean drinking water.
The Bee Book by Charlotte Milner: the perfect introduction to bee conservation for little ones. You’ll find out just how much bees matter, why they are declining, and what we can do to help in this adorable kids’ book.
DK also published The Bee Book: Discover the Wonder of Bees and How to Protect Them for Generations to Come; available on Amazon and Bookshop.
Don’t Throw That Away by Lara Bergen: follow an eco-conscious superhero as he teaches kids how to recycle and reuse common household items! From turning old clothes into fun costumes or an old box into a brand new car, kids will learn that saving the environment is super cool
Earth Day books continued…
One Plastic Bag: Isatou Ceesay and the Recycling Woman of Gambia by Miranda Paul: the inspiring true story of how one African woman began a movement to recycle the plastic bags that were polluting her community.
Compost Stew: An A to Z Recipe for the Earth by Mary McKenna Siddals: not only is composting becoming more common in households and residential gardens but schools too. This book helps readers discover the best ingredients for a successful compost pile.
Save the Scraps by Bethany Stahl: tells the story of two children who learn how to compost with the help of their wiggly worm friend.
Helping Our Planet by Usborne: a practical hands on guide filled with helpful checklists of actions and choices to make in your daily life.
Available: Usborne Books & More
Under Your Feet… Soil, Sand, and Everything Underground by Royal Horticultural Society: learn how one handful of ordinary soil contains more organisms than there are people on Earth, and carry out experiments using dirt from your own back garden.
The Earth Gives More by Albert Whitman & Company: from leaves falling and becoming fertilizer to raindrops bringing plants to life in the spring, the cycle of every season has something to enjoy. This sweet rhyming story illustrates how we can all be stewards of the Earth.
OTHER BLOG POST YOU MAY ENJOY
25 Spring Read Aloud Books (The Kids Will Love)
Tree Unit Study: One Book Curriculum
Nature: The Health Benefits of Green Spaces
Being Outside: Careers Kids Will Love
Natural and Open-Ended Toys: The Best Places to Shop
COMMENT
Share what your family is doing to celebrate Earth Day this year. Together we can inspire others and help save this planet.
PIN IT FOR LATER
Leave a Reply