I love the idea of encouraging children to read and become eco-conscious. When I was a child, I remember my imagination taking on a life of its own when I would read a book. There’s something really magical about reading and nothing makes me happier than seeing a child with a book in their hand.
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As children will be inheriting this planet from us, I believe it’s important in encouraging an early understanding of the environment and what we can do to protect it (and ourselves!). They need to be eco-conscious.
I’ve put together a list of environmental reads perfect for children. There’s no time like the present to starting learning about the environment.
What A Waste: Rubbish, Recycling, and Protecting our Planet by Jess French
Ideal for age 7+
A beautifully illustrated book is filled with facts about the environment; some good, some bad and some ugly. It explains the impact we have on the planet by the things we do; wasting water, renewable energy and examples of single-use plastics we consume everyday. There’s also a section on alternative eco-conscious swaps to reduce your waste.
Lift-the-Flap Questions and Answers About Plastic by Katie Daynes (author), Marie-Eve Tremblay (illustrator)
Ideal for age 3+
A great lift-the-flap book for teaching young children about plastic, how it affects the environment and recycling. The book is 14 pages with over 60 interactive flaps explaining how plastic ends up in the ocean and how it’s made. This is a colourful and informative book for little ones to learn about the environment.
Dear Greenpeace by Simon James
Ideal for age 3+
Dear Greenpeace by Simon James is such a sweet book about a little girl called Emily who finds a whale in her pond and is worried it is unhappy. She decides to seek advice from Greenpeace by writing to them. Emily clearly has a caring nature and wants the best for her whale.
Charlie and Lola: Look After Your Planet by Lauren Child
Ideal for age 3+
Charlie and Lola: Look After Your Planet by Lauren Child a lovely book, when Lola is cleaning up her room and Charlie explains to her that we have to keep using things again otherwise we will run out of everything. Lola decides to inspire her class and includes some ‘green promises’. A great read for young eco-conscious activists.
Can We Save the Tiger? by Martin Jenkins (author), Vicky White (illustrator)
Ideal for age 5+
A beautifully illustrated book will help children understand the threats animals face, how they become endangered by human behaviour and why it’s important for us to protect them.
Fantastically Great Women Who Saved the Planet by Kate Pankhurst
ideal for age 8+
Fantastically Great Women Who Saved the Planet by Kate Pankhurst is a book with strong female role models from diverse backgrounds, the reader is taken through aspects of recycling, tackling the plastic problem, the importance of shopping fair trade and cruelty-free. Full of hope and encouragement, this book shows everyone has a part to play regardless of how big or small. Any change is still change.
You Can Save The Planet 101 Ways You Can Make a Difference by J. A. Wines (author), Clive Gifford (author), Sarah Horne (author)
Ideas for age 9+
You Can Save The Planet 101 Ways You Can Make a Difference is a great step-up for young activists to gain a deeper understaning of the destruction of our plants, global warming and the effects of pollution. Explaining the huge problem faced by global warming, it gives children hope as it is packed full with practical and smart ways children can make a differnce in their community.
If you have any recommendations, please feel free to share 💚
For older children, I wrote a blog about a book called No One Is Too Small to Make a Difference by Greta Thunberg