Inspiring Earth Day Books For Kids, You’re Sure to Love!

There are so many things to love about our planet… and so many fantastic Earth Day books for kids too! Stunning scenery, remarkable creatures and shimmering waters always manage to leave us in awe of our earth. We adore Pangolins that scamper about their African grassland home, and Green Sea Turtles that swim along Hawaii’s tropical shores.

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Our families love to celebrate the beauty of our planet and make efforts to protect it throughout the year. There is never a shortage of new things to learn or great books to help!

Earth Day Books For Kids

We’ve put together a list of our favorite Earth Day books for kids that showcase our planet’s beauty, the man-made problems its facing, and what we all can do to help protect our earth. Perhaps, you too will celebrate Earth Day everyday by keeping some of these incredible books on your shelf year-round. Enjoy!

For the complete list, including some new additions, click here!

Hello Earth!

Earth Day: An Alphabet Book by Gary Kowalski. Younger listeners will enjoy a trip around the world to discover some interesting plants and animals that make our planet beautiful. An exciting book to teach the alphabet and celebrate the wonders of the earth.

Thank You, Earth: A Love Letter to Our Planet by April Pulley Sayre. A beautifully written poem accompanies the stunning photographs that show the detail and wonder of the world around us. Great to share with younger listeners. After reading it, you may want your family to write their own thank you to the earth.

Earth Day Birthday by Chad Wallace. This book is a poem which celebrates a variety of the earth’s unique creatures. Bald Eagles, bison, and salmon are some of the wildlife featured. With us, it didn’t stand a chance of staying on the shelf with those adorable sea turtle hatchlings on the cover! The poem was written to be sung to the tune of “The 12 Days of Christmas.” Earth Day Birthday is such a fun book for younger listeners and is a great addition to your Earth Day celebrations! There is also a brief history of Earth Day found in the back of the book.

Here We Are: Notes for Living on Planet Earth by Oliver Jeffers. This book was written to help answer some of the curiosities a young mind would wonder about the earth. It is a very sweet look at some of the amazing things on our planet and what a person may feel experiencing them for the first time. Here We Are was written by a father to his son during the first few months of his life. Great for younger listeners.

Earth! My First 4.54 Billion Years by Stacy McAnulty. A funny, light-hearted look at the story of planet earth… told by the earth! Come along, as Earth takes you from the very beginning to present day. You’ll learn all about her family (the other planets) and her closest friends, Moon (Moon! Earth’s Best Friend) and Sun (Sun! One in a Billion). The text is both funny and educational without being boring. It has quickly become a family favorite in our house.

Human Footprint on Earth

Our Footprint on Earth by Jeanne Sturm. This book gives you an understanding between the stuff we do, how it impacts the Earth, and what you can do to change it.

Human Footprint: Everything You Will Eat, Use, Wear, Buy, and Throw Out in Your Lifetime by Ellen Kirk. Did you know that in your lifetime you will take 28,433 showers?!? This National Geographic Kids book does a great job of explaining how the choices you make every day, affects the Earth. The photography throughout gives you a greater perspective about how much one person can use in a lifetime, based on national averages.  It is packed with suggestions on how little changes we can make each day can lessen our footprint on the Earth.

The Lorax by Dr. Seuss. This book had us “Meet the Lorax. He speaks for the trees.” This story allows readers to learn to appreciate the world around us and also the danger of taking the Earth for granted. Our favorite quote is from this book: “Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.” This is a great book to help children understand that no matter how small they are, whether a seed or a child, they can make a difference.

Garbage Galore

This Book Stinks!: Gross Garbage, Rotten Rubbish, and the Science of Trash by Sarah Wassner Flynn. A great introduction to the world of waste told using real-life photographs and just the right amount of information. This book covers everything from the amount of waste produced in the world to what you can do to help improve the problem. You’ll meet a professional dumpster diver who makes a living selling items found in the trash, and an innovative musician that creates instruments from rubbish. After reading this book, you will be inspired to lend a hand to planet earth.

Where Does the Garbage Go? by Paul Showers. This Let’s-Read-and-Find-Out Science book gives you the opportunity to follow a garbage truck on its journey, and ways you can help solve the problem of too much trash. Your journey will make stops at the landfill, the incinerator, and the recycling center. Throughout the book kids are encouraged to help the environment by making easy changes, such as sorting trash into recycling and reducing the use of single-use containers.

What Happens to Our Trash? (Let’s Read And Find Out Science) by D.J. Ward. Did you know that Americans make more trash every day than any other people in the world? That’s a lot of trash! So what happens to it? In another great Let’s-Read-and-Find-Out Science book, you can follow your trash to see where it ends up and learn different ways you can reduce, reuse, and recycle.

All That Trash: The Story of the 1987 Garbage Barge and Our Problem with Stuff by Meghan McCarthy. In 1987, Lowell Harrelson wanted to turn trash into methane gas. He rented a barge called Morbo 4000 to deliver the trash to where he wanted. During the barge’s journey from New York to North Carolina, not one state would let it dock due to the smell of all the garbage. It took 45 days and 6,000 miles to find a solution. Thanks to media coverage of the barge, many people’s eyes were opened to America’s waste problem.

Here Comes The Garbage Barge! by Jonah Winter. Based on true events, this book takes you on the journey of one town’s garbage that has been sent away because there is too much of it to dispose of nearby. What will become of this stinking barge full of trash that nobody wants? You’ll be surprised to find out.

Trashing the Planet: Examining Our Global Garbage Glut by Stuart A. Kallen. Sadly, we all know humans consume and throw away items at an alarming rate. What exactly is being done though to combat the increasing garbage problem? This book introduces you to many agencies, businesses, and volunteers who are working to help the planet. Real-life photographs, often very difficult to look at, help tell the story.

Ocean Pollution

Image credit: Upcycle Hawaii (used with permission)

Meet the Artist~ Mattie Mae Larson, Upcycle Hawaii. Read our blog post about this incredible Big Island artist and business owner who is on the front lines of the plastic pollution problem affecting our oceans. Mattie Mae regularly visits beaches along the southeast coastline of the Island of Hawai’i which are heavily impacted by marine debris and the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.

Don’t miss Our Visit with Upcycle Hawaii to One the Most Plastic Polluted Beaches in the World.

Mattie Mae uses materials she recovers during her beach clean-ups to create unique wearable art. Be sure to help support her mission and check out Upcycle Hawaii’s online shop where you can purchase some of the beautiful items she creates. She also writes a blog which helps shed light on her work against plastic pollution and post-consumer waste.

Plastic, Ahoy!: Investigating the Great Pacific Garbage Patch by Patricia Newman. Join a group of researchers as they travel to the Great Pacific Garbage Patch to study and document the growing plastic pollution problem in the ocean. You’ll learn everything from how the plastic is getting there to what effect it is having on marine life. This is an undeniable look at the devastation caused by plastic. We recommend this book for middle schoolers, and enjoyed using the Teacher’s Guide provided by the author.

Trash Vortex: How Plastic Pollution Is Choking the World’s Oceans by Danielle Smith-Llera. Yet another book highlighting the effects of plastic pollution on our wildlife and environment. You meet Captain Charles Moore, who first discovered the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, and learn about how the invention of plastic has changed the world around us. Recommended for older readers.

Check out our list of Over 30 Incredible Ocean Themed Books, Games and Resources!

Tracking Trash: Flotsam, Jetsam, and the Science of Ocean Motion by Loree Griffin Burns. When cargo is accidently dumped into the ocean, it can wind up washing ashore anywhere in the world. This book follows Dr. Curtis Ebbesmeyer as he tracks garbage through the ocean in the hopes of better understanding the ocean’s currents and what we can do to help protect our seas.

Endangered Oceans: Investigating Oceans in Crisis by Jody S. Rake. We rely on the ocean for many things such as food, travel and recreation. It is hard not to love the seas. But, what else are we taking from it that we may or may not realize. Endangered Oceans shares some pretty startling facts about the causes and state of ocean pollution. Thankfully, there are people, just like you, jumping to action to help save our seas.

Endangered Rivers: Investigating Rivers in Crisis by Rani Iyer. Many rivers empty into the ocean, so their health contributes to the condition of our seas. Endangered Rivers investigates what is causing our rivers to become polluted and what is being done to reverse the damage being done to wildlife and the environment.

Orca Footprint Books

We highly recommend these books by Orca Footprint for your curious middle-schooler. Each book takes an in-depth look at some important environmental issues facing our world, and offers suggestions for ways you can help. This series is a fantastic resource for Earth Day books for kids.

Dive In! Exploring our Connection with the Ocean by Ann Eriksson. Explore the ways we are connected to the ocean and the many things it provides for mankind. It seems we haven’t been as gracious to our planet in return for all it’s given. You’ll learn about the problems facing our seas and meet some incredible people making a difference. We especially liked learning about Washed Ashore, a group that turns marine debris into art to spread the word on plastic pollution in our oceans and waterways.

Trash Talk: Moving Toward a Zero-Waste World by Michelle Mulder. This book takes a look at garbage, from its ancient history to modern problems it’s causing that are destroying our planet. You’ll learn about everything from the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, landfills, recycling, composting, to what you can do to reduce your own waste at home. This book is sure to get you thinking more, and asking questions, about trash.

Every Last Drop: Bringing Clean Water Home by Michelle Mulder. Getting clean drinking water at home, here in America, is pretty straightforward and easy. You might be surprised to see how people from other countries get fresh drinking water for their families. Every Last Drop takes you around the world to discover how water is cleaned, transported and used in daily life. It also looks at causes of water pollution and ways we can protect our water supply.

Pocket Change: Pitching In for a Better World by Michelle Mulder. See how current shopping trends and the demand for new products is affecting our world. Take a breather from the rush to get the newest product and read about ways changing your shopping habits can better the lives of others and the environment.

Brilliant!: Shining a Light On Sustainable Energy by Michelle Mulder. A fascinating look at how energy is created and consumed throughout the world. Sustainable, environmentally safe ways of producing energy are discussed and the reader is encouraged to daydream new ideas for the future.

Real-Life Earth Heroes

Heroes of the Environment: True Stories of People Who Are Helping to Protect Our Planet by Harriet Rohmer. This book is proof that everyone can make a difference! You’ll meet North American people, of all ages, whose ideas have helped improve their communities and the planet. You are sure to find one who shares one of your environmental passions!

One Plastic Bag: Isatou Ceesay and the Recycling Women of the Gambia by Miranda Paul. We’ve all seen them… plastic bags flying through the sky, littering our streets, and getting caught in trees. Isatou Ceesay saw the same thing, on a much larger scale, in her village in Gambia. The bags were piling up, making livestock sick or killing them after they’d eat one. After the rains, the water pooled in them providing a place for mosquitoes to lay eggs and spread disease. Isatou had an idea to clean up her community… maybe the bags could be repurposed. This book is a great reminder that one person can indeed make a difference. Don’t forget to check out the teacher resources available.

Ada’s Violin: The Story of the Recycled Orchestra of Paraguay by Susan Hood. This is the true story of a poor girl from Paraguay, who lived in a town built upon a landfill. She dreamed of playing the violin and one day a a music teacher helped her achieve her dreams by making instruments out of the garbage that surrounded them. What eventually resulted was the Recycled Orchestra, which has played at venues around the globe.

You Can Help the Earth

Recycle! A Handbook For Kids by Gail Gibbons (a “Perhaps This Is…” favorite author). Follow along and discover what happens to an item that has been tossed into the recycle bin. Full of easy-to-understand facts on garbage/recycling, and plenty of useful ideas on how you can help our planet. Just enough information for younger readers.

Love Your World; How to take care of the plants, the animals, and the planet by DK Publishing. Perfect book to introduce younger listeners to caring for our earth. Beautiful, real-life photographs are paired with a sweet rhyme to tell about what even the littlest helper can do to help our planet.

The New 50 Simple Things Kids Can Do to Save the Earth by The EarthWorks Group. The author wrote this book FOR children after becoming frustrated with similar books on the market that seemed to talk down to kids and overlook their ability, and willingness, to help the earth. Full of dozens of websites to visit for more information on a variety of environmental topics.

True Green Kids: 100 Things You Can Do to Save the Planet by Kim McKay and Jenny Bonnin. You’ll find dozens of easy ways you can help the earth at home, at school and even on vacation (which we love)! Little fact snippets are scattered throughout to help better understand different topics. As a fun challenge, see if your family can commit to ten of the ideas suggested in this book. You may be surprised to learn the variety of ways to get involved.

Planet Earth: 25 Environmental Projects You Can Build Yourself by Kathleen M. Reilly. Bursting with hands-on activities for kids, you’ll have a difficult time deciding which one to do first! The book is divided into two parts, “Understanding Our World” and “The Problems the Environment Faces,” and has tons of interesting trivia and scientific terms throughout.

Not For Me, Please! I Choose to Act Green By Maria Godsey. With one polite phrase as his call to action, Luke bravely changes the way he does things to help the planet. The story is told in rhyme and has fact snippets scattered throughout. This is a great book to introduce pollution, overconsumption, and ways to help our planet, to younger listeners.

Don’t Throw That Away!: A Lift-the-Flap Book about Recycling and Reusing by Lara Bergen. Little hands love lift-the-flap books! This board book is the perfect way to get younger listeners involved and excited to learn about ways to help the earth through recycling and reusing. Don’t Throw That Away! is even printed on recycled materials.

White Feather Flier Adventure Series

Touch the Earth by Julian Lennon. The first book of the series introduces young readers/listeners to the White Feather Flier, a magical aircraft that can visit anywhere in the world. Fun pictures and directions to “fly” help make the reader/listener feel as if they are in control of the plane. You’ll enjoy circling the planet looking for ways to help make it better for people, wildlife and the environment.

Heal the Earth by Julian Lennon. Book two in the series takes you on a magical journey around the world to visit places that include bleached coral reefs and a tropical rainforest. There is still work to be done to help our planet and new ideas to get involved.

Love the Earth by Julian Lennon (available April 22, 2019). We are excited to get our hands on the third book of this series and our wait is over! Available on Earth Day 2019, Love the Earth is sure to inspire us to continue to make a difference in our communities and the world.

Documentaries

A Plastic Ocean: We Need a Wave of Change directed by Craig Leeson. This is a startling, undeniable look at the current condition of plastic pollution in our oceans. You cannot watch this movie and not be affected by what you will see. Tragic realities are shared such as Hawaiian seabirds consuming enormous amounts of plastic and an entire, remote island village living atop a mound of waste. If there is one movie you recommend to a friend, A Plastic Ocean should be it. This movie took four years and visiting 20 locations worldwide to produce. The dedication of this team of filmmakers is incredible. MUST WATCH!

Plastic Paradise: The Great Pacific Garbage Patch. By now, you’ve likely heard about the discovery of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. This documentary will take you on a journey to explore the Garbage Patch and discover how the plastic is getting there, its effect on the ocean and what is being done to address the problem. This film is difficult to watch and will leave you with images of pollution that you won’t be able to forget. MUST WATCH!

Planet Earth: The Complete BBC Series. Gorgeous footage makes this documentary a wonderful reminder of the beauty of our planet and why we must all be called to protect it. Each episode highlights a specific region of the world.

The Blue Planet BBC Collection. The beauty of the ocean and its wildlife are on display in this stunning documentary about our seas. You are sure to learn something new about this vast environment. We adored the ocean before watching this documentary and have managed to fall in love even more.