Earth Day Books! Check out these inspiring books that will help kids understand the need to support environmental protection and help kids learn more about nature.
D is for Desert: A Desert ABC Primer
$8.99; Familius.us
With E for erosion, I for iguana, and P for prickly pear, going from A to Z has never been more fun in the sun. Take an alphabetized trip through the dunes and discover the plants, animals, and weather patterns that make the deserts of the world so amazing.
Better than New: A Recycle Tale/Mejor que Nuevo: Un Cuenta de Reciclaje by Robert Broder
$18.95; www.patagonia.com
Featuring vibrant illustrations and uniquely presented in English and Spanish, this book follows two Chilean kids who encounter a sea lion tangled in an abandoned fishing net. They free their ocean friend and consider what to do with the net. With the help of a bird, they recycle it into something useful again, something better than new. The book opens young readers' eyes to the issue of plastic pollution in the ocean and challenges them to help the planet by making good choices and taking action.
Gardens Are or Growing by Chelsea Tornetto
$17.99; Familius.us
In this tender poem, the love between a father and daughter blossoms alongside the seeds they plant together. As the garden grows, the daughter grows from a toddler to a teen and finally to a woman with a child of her own. The cottagecore illustrations beautifully connect the seasons of nature with the seasons of life, where new beginnings abound.
Acorn Was a Little Wild by Jen Arena
$17.99; SimonandSchuster.com
This charming picture book is about a young acorn’s grand adventure and the incredible transformation that follows.
If I Were a Tree by Andrea Zimmerman
$19.95; Amazon.com
Two siblings imagine life as a tree, and envision what they would hear, feel, and see. The sister has camped in the forest many times before. The brother is nervous for his first overnight trip. As the illustrations in this multifaceted picture book show the siblings discovering the woods, the text celebrates the strength and grace of the trees that surround them, through evocative verse that speaks to all five senses. Together, Andrea Zimmerman's wise poem and Jing Jing Tsong's kaleidoscopic art show how connections with the natural world can inspire us to live fully in the present and look hopefully to the future.
The Garden Project by Margaret McNamara
$17.99; SimonandSchuster.com
The Robin Hill School first graders plant a vegetable garden in this Level 1 Ready-to-Read in the Robin Hill School series.
Look After Us by Rod Campbell
$8.99; SimonandSchuster.com
A first board book about endangered animals by Rod Campbell, creator of the bestselling preschool classic Dear Zoo: lift the flaps to meet elephants, tigers, orangutans and more.
He Leads: Mountain Gorilla, the Gentle Giant by June Smalls
$17.99; Familius.us
The majestic mountain gorillas live in family groups, led by a powerful silverback. Juxtaposing the apes’ awesome strength and surprising gentleness, He Leads tells the story of family loyalty and love. With stunning, lifelike illustrations and facts on each page, this beautiful picture book is a monument to these endangered gentle giants.
Old Enough to Save the Planet
$14.99; Amazon.com
The world is facing a climate crisis like we’ve never seen before. And kids around the world are stepping up to raise awareness and try to save the planet. Meet 12 young activists from around the world who are speaking out and taking action against climate change. Learn about the work they do and the challenges they face, and discover how the future of our planet starts with each and every one of us.
Some Questions About Trees by Toni Yuly
$17.99; SimonandSchuster.com
An utterly charming picture book that celebrates a child’s sense of curiosity about the world with playful yet thoughtful questions about trees.
Little Seed by Benson Shum
$8.99; SimonandSchuster.com
Meet a little seed with a very big heart in this imaginative board book about how to hug and love our very big world.
The Flower Garden by Renée Kurilla
$12.99; AbramsBooks.com
After planting a seed packet in the backyard, things don’t go as expected for best friends Anna and Tess. They fall asleep in the sun and wake up to blooms as tall as buildings! Did the seeds really grow that fast? All is explained when Anna and Tess meet May, a little garden gnome whose magic is responsible for the transformation. The girls are May’s size now, and they follow her through the flower garden and into May’s underground gnome home—discovering new things about their world and themselves along the way.
Baby Bug by Wednesday Kirwan
$7.99; SimonandSchuster.com
Go on an exciting springtime adventure as Baby Bug explores the natural world and finds a garden full of adorable friends in this imaginative board book that’s perfect for new parents.
Earth by Marion Dane Bauer
$17.99; SimonandSchuster.com
Learn all about planet Earth in the third book in this nonfiction Level 1 Ready-to-Read series about the universe that’s perfect for kids who love science and space.
Discovering the Secret World of Nature Underground by Petra Bartikova
$9.99; FoxChapelPublishing.com
With each turn of the page, this book shows kids what it would be like to be an animal who lives underground. The rabbit, the mole, the badger, and more—all of them live underground! Some only in the winter, and some all year round. Dig down into the underground animal kingdom and see for yourself. This foldout picture book contains lots of dug-out chambers and tunnels to explore.
Here Comes Ocean by Meg Fleming
$17.99; SimonandSchuster.com
Grab a big bucket, your best pup pal, and a whole lot of imagination, and get ready for a day at the beach! There’s endless fun to be had chasing the waves and countless treasures waiting to be discovered—first a sand dollar, then a sandpiper feather, even a sneaky little crab. What surprises will the ocean reveal next? This sandy, salty, seek-and-find picture book is perfect for families who love the water, kids who love collecting, and ocean enthusiasts of all ages.
The Bug Girl by Sophia Spencer
$17.99; PenguinRandomHouse.com
Real-life 7-year-old Sophia Spencer was bullied for loving bugs until hundreds of women scientists rallied around her. Now Sophie tells her inspiring story in this picture book that celebrates women in science, bugs of all kinds, and the importance of staying true to yourself.
Harlem Grown
$17.99; SimonandSchuster.com
Harlem Grown tells the inspiring true story of how one man made a big difference in a neighborhood. After seeing how restless they were and their lack of healthy food options, Tony Hillery invited students from an underfunded school to turn a vacant lot into a beautiful and functional farm. By getting their hands dirty, these kids turned an abandoned space into something beautiful and useful while learning about healthy, sustainable eating and collaboration.
Hundred Feet Tall by Benjamin Scheuer
$17.99; SimonandSchuster.com
This book shows us that with just the right amount of care and support, even the smallest of seeds can grow to stand one hundred feet tall. A tender ode to the power of unconditional, immutable love. Because no matter how small you are now, with patience and persistence, with encouragement and devotion, you, too, will someday grow strong.
Green on Green by Dianne White
$17.99; SimonandSchuster.com
A child is on a colorful journey through the seasons, filled with yellow flowers and blue coral in spring and summer and orange pumpkins and green pine forests in fall and winter. All the while, there is another colorful change on the horizon—the birth of a new sibling. With gentle, rhyming text and vivid artwork, this book is a heartfelt celebration of family, nature, seasons, colors, and the wonder and magic of them all.
Thank You, Garden by Liz Garton Scanlon
$17.99; SimomandSchuster.com
A community garden unites children and neighbors in this celebration of all the things that grow there, from flowers and fruits to friendships. This ode to friendship, community, and working together for a better world will have young readers gathering their friends young and old to plant something together.
Grandma’s Gardens by Hillary & Chelsea Clinton
$18.99; Penguinrandomhouse.com
From mother-daughter team Hillary Clinton and Chelsea Clinton comes a celebration of family, tradition and discovery, and an ode to mothers, grandmothers and the children they love.
Trees by Verlie Hutchens
$17.99; SimonandSchuster.com
Every tree has its own story to tell in this evocative collection of poems celebrating the many varieties—from maple to willow to oak. There are so many different kinds of trees in the world, and each has special qualities that make it unique. This lyrical, fanciful collection of poems celebrates the singular beauty of each tree, from the gnarled old apple tree to the tall and graceful aspen.
Our House is on Fire by Jeanette Winter
$17.99; SimonandSchuster.com
Greta Thunberg is leading the conversation on climate change and sparking worldwide conversation on how to save our planet. She is showing everyone that even the smallest person can make a big difference, and this book informs and inspires young readers who are beginning to learn about the world around them.
Whose Track in That? By Stan Tekiela
$14.95; AdventurePublications.com
Spotting animals in the wild is tricky, but they leave plenty of clues behind―especially tracks. Examine the evidence. Study the animal tracks. See if you can guess “Whose track is that?” Then turn the page to discover the answer. This interactive and entertaining book features the full-color photography of Stan Tekiela, a professional naturalist and award-winning author. With every reading, children get more familiar with a variety of North American critters. They might soon start seeing animal tracks on every outing.
Being Frog by April Pulley Sayre
$17.99; SimonandSchuster.com
Frogs are amazing creatures, and this book offers an up-close and revealing peek at their everyday lives. Follow them from egg to tadpole to froglet crawling up onto land for the first time. Watch them resting on a favorite log, searching for food, and leaping through the air. And see how frogs are unique, individual beings with rich lives all their own in the wild.
Updated: May 2022
