10 Amazing Books to Read to Your Kids on Earth Day!

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Earth Day is right around the corner! My kiddos are so excited to celebrate by heading to the beach to pick up some trash! In addition to helping clean up the beach, we will be reading a LOT of books! Whenever a holiday, special occasion, or celebration arises I feel the need to compile a collection of our favorite books on that subject!

Since my kiddos are so into learning about the Earth, recycling, and conservation, we have a long list of favorites already! I wanted to share the list with you! These are great books not only for Earth Day, but for any time you want to learn about how to take care of our planet and the creatures on it!

Our Top 10 Favorites for Earth Day

S is for Save the Planet

It will probably come as no surprise that my first book is a Sleeping Bear Press Alphabet Book. I have talked at length about my love for them! To read all about how we use them in our homeschool click here.

S if for Save The Planet: A How-to-be Green Alphabet is a must have in your home library! It is written by Brad Herzog and illustrated by Linda Holt Ayriss. Learn all about environmental issues from A to Z in this beautifully illustrated and informative book. Learn all about the 3 R’s…reduce, reuse, and recycle as well as many different ways we can help our environment! Don’t forget to head over to Sleeping Bear Press’s website to grab their free teacher guide to go along with the book. You can grab it here.

Wild World

Up next is  Wild World written by Angela McAllister and illustrated by Hvass and Hannibal. This is an absolutely breathtaking book that shares lovely poetry relating to 13 endangered habitats. The illustrations are stunning…you will feel like you are a part of each habitat that is mentioned. Not only is this a great book for Earth Day but it would be a wonderful addition to Poetry Teatime and a study on habitats! This is another gem from Wide Eyed Editions!

 The Wondrous Workings of Planet Earth

Next up is The Wondrous Workings of Planet Earth: Understanding Our World and it’s Ecosystems by Rachel Ignotofsky. This is a book that you will use over and over again. It is absolutely beautifully illustrated and stuffed full of amazing information about our planet, how it works, and how we can protect it. From the ecosystem of the Amazon Rainforest to the ecosystem of the Arctic Circle down to the smallest drop of water…this book covers it all!

Follow the Moon Home

The next book that would be a perfect read for Earth day is Follow the Moon Home. Follow the Moon Home is written by Philippe Cousteau and Deborah Hopkinson and illustrated by Meilo So. We originally got this book to go along with our lesson on Sea Turtles, but I quickly realized that this book was about so much more. This is the story Viv who moves to a new school on the coast and develops a passion for saving the baby turtles. This is such a powerful book that tells kids that it doesn’t matter how young they are, they can still make a difference if they work together and don’t give up.

Tree Lady

Tree Lady: The True Story of How One Tree-Loving Woman Changed a City Forever is next up on my list! This book has some of the most lovely illustrations I have seen. Beautifully written by H.Joseph Hopkins and illustrated by Jill McElmurry, it is the story of Katherine Olivia Sessions and how she created a movement to turn San Diego from a dry desert to a lush garden oasis. I have a not-so-secret obsession with biographical picture books…and this book is another gem! Another wonderful book that shows the power a single person can have! Definitely, a must read!

Wilderness: Earth’s Amazing Habitats

Wilderness: Earth’s Amazing Habitats is brand new…Just arrived in my mailbox TODAY. I pre-ordered it so that I would have it on its book birthday I didnt even have Earth Day on the brain when I ordered it…just thought it sounded amazing. The illustrations are absolutely insanely gorgeous. The book is all about some little known habitats around the world that are home to SO many plants and animal species. These habitats are in danger and need protecting. Kiddos will be drawn into the bold and beautiful illustrations…and will love learning about some animals and places that they may have never heard of. This is a must buy! Wilderness: Earth’s Amazing Habitats is written by Mia Cassany and illustrated by Marcos Navarro.

The Mangrove Tree: Planting Trees to Feed Families

The Mangrove Tree: Planting Trees to Feed Families is a beautiful book that shares a message that one person can make a huge difference. The people of Hargigo in the African country of Eritrea were so hungry. They didn’t have enough food for themselves or their animals. One day, a scientist named Dr. Gordon Sato came along and with the help of mangrove trees, turned their world around. Such amazing illustrations and a powerful story! We especially love this one because in Florida we are surrounded by mangrove trees…and they truly are so special! The Mangrove Tree is by Susan L. Roth and Cindy Trumbore.

Counting Birds

Next up is Counting Birds: The Idea That Helped Save our Feathered Friends. Oh my goodness is this book beautiful. So, we are a bunch of bird nerds at my house. Absolutely LOVE them. I come from a long line of bird nerds and have proudly raised 3 of them myself. Counting Birds teaches kids the importance of watching birds and counting birds. It teaches children how they are able to help the birds just by watching and counting. The book also teaches them about self-taught ornithologist Frank Chapman and how he began this bird-count. Such beautiful illustrations with tips on how we can help! Counting Birds is written by Heidi Stemple and illustrated by Clover Robin!

The Boy Who Grew A Forest

This next book is another newcomer. The Boy Who Grew A Forest: The True Story of Jadav Payeng is written by Sophia Gholz and illustrated by Kayla Harren. This gorgeous book tells the story of Jadav Payeng, a boy from India who became devastated at the deforestation and erosion that was happening in his small village in India. He began his journey to help by simply planting a small area of bamboo. That area grew and grew and helped his people and the animals around it survive. It is a lovely story of how one small person can make such a huge difference. Such a heartwarming and inspirational book.

The Story of Climate Change

Last but certainly not least is The Story of Climate Change: A First Book About How We Can Help Save Our Planet. This serves as an absolutely amazing introduction to climate change. It combines history with science and takes us all the way back to the beginnings of our planet and all the way up through. Not only will you learn about the causes of climate change but you will also learn about the steps YOU can take to make a difference. The Story of Climate Change is written by Catherine Barr and Steve Williams with illustrations by Amy Husband and Mike Love.

This is just the tip of the iceberg of amazing books to read on Earth Day. There are so many beautifully written and illustrated books that would be perfect to share with your children on Earth Day, or any day! Sharing beautiful books is such a fantastic way to share an important message with our kiddos. Even though these books are geared for children, I think all people, young and old, can benefit from reading them. I hope you found some new books to share with your family.

I would love to hear from YOU! What are some of your favorite reads for Earth Day?