Recommended children's booklists sorted by age or topic

Topic: Environmental Sustainability

Floodland

Chapter book

Focusing on events caused by global warming, this gripping book is relevant to current topics including climate change and environmental studies.

Told through the eyes of a 10-year-old girl, Zoe, the earth’s sea levels have risen and flooded coastal areas the world over, including Zoe‘s town in the Fens in England.

As her family is being evacuated, she is separated from them. Forced to set out on her own to find them, Zoe is faced with many challenges that threatened her survival.

This book is perfect for older primary and younger secondary children, who will see it as a massive adventure. It’s a brilliant premise.

The Story of Climate Change

Non-fiction

The Story of Climate Change introduces one of the most important issues facing our world today, and tells you what you can do to help make a change!

Combining history with science, this book charts the changes in our Earth’s climate, from the beginnings of the planet and its atmosphere, to the Industrial revolution and the dawn of machinery. You’ll learn all about the causes of climate change, such as factory farming and pollution, and the effects that climate change has on humans and animals across the world.

As well as discovering the effects of global warming, you’ll discover practical ways we can work together to solve it, from using renewable energy to swapping meat for vegetables in our diet.

With fact-packed text by Catherine Barr and vibrant illustrations by Amy Husband and Mike Love, The Story of Climate Change will give you all the information you need, and will inspire you to do your part to fight the climate emergency!

A Climate in Chaos

Neal Layton

Non-fiction, Picturebook

You’ve probably heard about climate change. At least I hope you have – because it’s REALLY IMPORTANT. It affects all of us living on Planet Earth right now, and everyone and everything that will live on our planet in the future.

Our world is warming up, and it’s a big problem. Award-winning author-illustrator Neal Layton is here to explain what climate change is, what’s causing it and why it’s dangerous for animals and humans alike. But he’s also FULL of ideas for how you can help! From eating lots more veggies to walking and cycling and thinking carefully about what we need to buy, A Climate in Chaos will get young readers excited about how they can make a difference to keep Planet Earth happy.

This brilliant non-fiction picture book, illustrated in Neal’s trademark collage style, is perfect for readers aged 5-7 who love nature and want to help the environment.

Also available in this series: A Planet Full of Plastic.

Environment

Best children’s books about caring for the environment

Caring for our planet and protecting the environment are important topics for today’s children to explore. In the face of difficult news about climate change, plastic pollution and deforestation, books about the environment can be a great tool for empowering children to understand their choices and to find hope in making a positive impact on our planet.

For this environment children’s booklist, we asked our community of primary teachers, TAs, children’s authors, librarians and book lovers to nominate their top recommended books about caring for the environment. From planting trees and recycling waste to eco-campaigns and the work of activists, our list of the best children’s books about the environment is here to help.

Jed’s Really Useful Poem

Ragnhild Scamell

Picturebook

Jed’s mission started off simply – to write a poem about trees. But Jed’s desire to help the environment spread beyond the message in the poem, prompting the Mayor to improve his carbon rating, more people to re-use paper, recycling of wood and everyone to be much more aware of their environment and their responsibility towards it. What more can you ask for? This easy read could be any child’s typical day to demonstrate just how easy it is to help save our environment by recycling all materials. In the Flying Foxes series, this book is aimed at emerging readers, so the text is short and to the point and the illustrations engaging as well as being a Really Useful Book.

The Story of Frog Belly Rat Bone

Timothy Basil Ering

Picturebook

Frog Belly Rat Bone is set in dull, grey, Cementland; a drab place filled with rubbish and piles of junk. Amongst all the detritus a young boy is in search of treasure and sure enough finds it – in the form of colourful packets of seeds. Although disappointed with the contents of the packets he sows them and builds a scarecrow to protect the plants – the titular Frog Belly Rat Bone. The boy brings to life the scarecrow, who encourages the boy in his endeavours to transform Cementland into a wondrous place. Reminiscent of The Tin Forest, this is a joyous take on the topic of environment and sustainability.

Leaf

Sandra Dieckmann

Picturebook

Leaf is a truly exceptional picture book. In very few words, Sandra Dieckmann is able to delicately touch upon several global issues. The story revolves around a polar bear who floats on an iceberg unwillingly (and unnaturally) to an island where he is not welcome by the inhabitants. The words tell half of the story, with, ‘the strange white creature carried upon the dark waves towards the shore.’ However, the illustrations manage to portray the significance of the situation, with the polar bear staring face down into the abyss as he floats further away from his natural home. The story doesn’t spell out why the polar bear is floating away from his home, but the message is poignant and delicately hits all of the right environmental notes. As a classroom practitioner, books like this are priceless as they open up conversations that may otherwise be too awkward or taboo.

The Vanishing Rainforest

Richard Platt & Rupert van Wyk

Picturebook

This is a thought-provoking book that challenges views on cutting down the rainforest. It tells the story of the Yanomami tribe and their views on the ‘nabe’ – white people – who come into the rainforest for different reasons. At first, the white people are perceived as the enemy, and they are only there to cut down trees and make money. As the story progresses, Jane, the scientist, is introduced and we learn how she wants to understand more about the rainforest and she is only there to help protect it. ‘The Vanishing Rainforest’ poses many questions about what is morally right about deforestation. The beautiful illustrations help to engage and encourage readers into understanding and discussing the issue.

Uno’s Garden

Graeme Base

Picturebook

When it comes to environmental sustainability, Uno’s Garden by Graeme Base not only tells us about it, but shows us in no uncertain terms. Through stunning illustrations, this picture book demonstrates the exponential impact of unchecked urbanisation, before restoring a more balanced equation. This is a book that plants the seeds of environmentalism for the youngest of readers, but it’s not only for the toddler set. In fact, any age group will dig it. It also doubles as a great resource for mathematical concepts and sparks the imagination with made-up plants, animals and buildings.

The Lumberjack’s Beard

Duncan Beedie

Picturebook

Jim Hickory lived in a little log cabin by a forest. Every day started the same – limbering up, hearty breakfast and then chop-choppety-chop! TIMBER! Then he headed back to his cabin. As Jim chopped down more and more trees, more and more animals came to live in his beard. The bird was soon joined by a porcupine and a beaver. After a particularly bad night’s sleep, Jim comes up with a plan which would make everyone happy. A fun picture book with an important environmental message about living sustainably and personal accountability. Jam-packed full of fantastic vocabulary, giggles and big bristly beards! Highly recommended.

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