Written by Lori Toney, English teacher, educational writer and mother of three school children

Celebrated every year on April 22^nd, Earth Day arrives at the peak of springtime beauty. It’s a wonderful moment to pause and reflect on the splendor of the world around us and the importance of saving it. It also offers parents a chance to teach their children how crucial it is to preserve the Earth’s resources and what actionable steps each one of us can take to make a difference.

This spring, we have curated a selection of six excellent books that teach kids about ecological awareness. They make great reading for a whole family and will help you foster your child’s love and appreciation for nature. All the stories below are age-appropriate for readers in preschool and elementary grades and can be read both at home and in classroom!

Books for Beginners

The following titles teach early learners how to take care of environment and make a difference through easy habits they can form.

1. The EARTH Book by Todd Parr

Author Todd Parr is known for his eye-catching books with simple messages geared towards the earliest readers. This New York Times bestselling title explores the idea of protecting the environment while giving examples of simple tasks readers can take in their everyday lives, such as bringing their own shopping bags to the grocery store or turning off the lights after leaving a room.

Vibrantly illustrated, The EARTH Book is a great first introduction to the concept of environmental responsibility. Read it with toddlers and preschoolers to build early Earth-saving habits.

2. Don’t Throw That Away! By Lara Bergen

Once kids understand why it’s so important to take action to save the planet, they can learn even more ways to help. Don’t Throw That Away! teaches young learners how to reuse common household items. This is an adorable board book that features lift-the-flap pages and a heroic character who explains how everyday objects can be reused to help the environment. The interactive format will inspire young readers to take real changes starting from within their own homes!

Teaching Older Kids to Appreciate Nature

Why is it so important to preserve our Earth, its resources and its beauty? The following titles answer this question in a manner that is both engaging and easy to understand for the early elementary grades.

3. The Lorax by Dr. Seuss

The Lorax is a classic book that was also adapted into major film that features several well-known actors and actresses! This title is Dr. Seuss’s beloved story that teaches about the dangers of taking our planet for granted and encourages them to take better care of it. The book uplifts readers by reminding them that even just one child can make a difference. 

After reading, the entire family can enjoy the movie version, available on streaming services. Produced in 2012, the film is available wherever you stream movies and TV.

Looking for an educational children’s video that explains the meaning of Earth Days in a fun and engaging manner? Check out our video lesson on this topic!

 4. We Are Water Protectors by Carole Lindstrom

This New York Times bestselling title and Caldecott Medal winning book rallies readers to protect the world’s water. Featuring indigenous characters who wage a battle against corruption, this is a story about safeguarding the Earth’s most important natural resource. Highly acclaimed by Kirkus Reviews and Publisher’s Weekly, this is a powerful story that inspires young readers to action. What’s more, is that children can watch an animated short produced by PBS and available on PBS.org.

5. Wonder Walkers by Micha Archer

Also a Caldecott Medal winning title, Wonder Walkers is a beautiful picture book about two curious kids who go on a “wonder walk” while letting their imaginations run wild. On their walks, they wonder about everything they can imagine about the world around them as they traverse the natural world from meadows to mountains.

This gorgeously illustrated book sparks readers’ own curiosity and may even motivate them to explore nature on their own! After reading, your child will want to take their own wonder walks, too! 

6. We Are All Connected: Caring for Each Other and the Earth by Gabi Garcia

When teaching children to appreciate nature and care for their world, it’s important to emphasize that one of the most important reasons we do so is to preserve the Earth for generations to come. This title gets to the heart of why we do our part to protect the earth: to show kindness and respect to each other.

Beautifully illustrated, this book celebrates the world’s diversity and teaches learners that to respect the Earth means that we also respect and love one another.

Even if your family or your child’s school doesn’t celebrate Earth Day, spring is the best time of the year to celebrate Earth’s beauty! In addition to activities like planting trees and making upcycled crafts, make sure to arrange some thematic reading time as it is a powerful tool in teaching the knowledge students need and inspiring them to act.

In between books and hands-on activities, don’t forget to check out Kids Academy’s resources about environmental protection, including this interactive lesson entirely dedicated to Earth Day! Also, check out our full collection of free online lessons about environment and natural resources!