Earth Day is next week, April 22nd. Teaching kids about the environment has never been more important or easy than now. Here are five children’s books that are a must read for Earth Day.
When two siblings go on a treasure hunt, they aren’t sure exactly what kind of treasure they are looking for. What they do know is that treasures are shiny, mysterious and precious. And that all the really good treasures are hidden! As they explore the forest, their curiosity pays off when they find the biggest, shiniest, most mysterious and precious treasure hidden just over a hill. Told exclusively in dialogue, this beautifully illustrated picture book exudes a sense of wonder at the natural world and emphasizes the magical qualities of looking through a child’s eye.
2. Little Turtle and the Changing Sea
A beautiful, lyrical story which explores the problem of plastic in the ocean, and the challenges facing marine life. Little Turtle loves the ocean with her whole heart. As the years pass, she repeats an incredible journey across the world to the beautiful coral reefs. But one day she finds that plastic has invaded her beloved ocean. Could Turtle’s journey be over forever?
3. Only a Tree Knows how to be a Tree
All living creatures have a special place in the world in this extraordinary exploration of the concept of self for very young readers.
Trees have leaves that turn sunshine into food. Amazing! Birds build nests, sing songs, hatch eggs, and fly. Dogs are our friends and can move their ears to tell us how they feel, while fish live in water, flashing like jewels. As for people, every person on Earth is different, each with their own thoughts and feelings. With a simple narrative and joyful, welcoming illustrations celebrating a world full of remarkable creatures, Mary Murphy reminds little ones that we are all unique, and that we are the only ones who know how to be us.
4. A Wild Child’s Guide to Endangered Animals
Take a trip through freshwaters, oceans, forests, mountains, tundras, deserts, grasslands, and wetlands while learning about rare and well-known animals and their habitats.
• Vivid illustrations bring caribous, axolotls, giraffes, agami herons, and many more to life on these rich and varied pages.
• Illuminating text relays the story of each species, from how they live and why they are endangered to what is being done about it.
• Complete with a map detailing where each species can still be found to enrich the reading experience further and inspire additional research.
5. Harlem Grown: How One Big Idea Transformed a Neighborhood
“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.
Five years later, the kids and their parents, with the support of the Harlem Grown staff, grow thousands of pounds of fruits and vegetables a year. All of it is given to the kids and their families. The incredible story is vividly brought to life with Jessie Hartland’s “charmingly busy art” (Booklist) that readers will pore over in search of new details as they revisit this poignant and uplifting tale over and over again.
Harlem Grown is an independent, not-for-profit organization. The author’s share of the proceeds from the sale of this book go directly to Harlem Grown.
