Eco Reads for Kids

In a world where it’s more important than ever to teach your kids about caring for the earth, many sources exist to help out parents, especially when it comes to subjects they themselves don’t know much about.

Books are a great way to get kids involved and thinking about what they can do to make a difference, while learning and having fun at the same time. Here is a smattering of what’s out there:

Avid Readers

Fiction
Nonfiction
Magazines
Websites

Fiction

The Gaia Girls series by Lee Welles – Enjoyable and eco-conscious chapter books about four girls granted supernatural powers having to do with earth, wind, water and fire are sent on missions to help save the earth, or Gaia.

Rising Above Global Warming by B. J. DeFrancesco and illustrated by Shari Lynn Myers – A picture book that empowers kids to fight global warming and addresses denial in adults.

Hoot by Carl Hiaasen – Winner of the Newberry Honor, this often hilarious eco-mystery adventure is perfect for the middle school set. Check out Hiaasen’s Flush as well.

Compost, By Gosh: an Adventure with Vermicomposting by Michelle Eva Portman – A cute story in rhyming couplets, accompanied by How To and Resource sections for further exploration.

William is Going Green by James Martin II – The first in a series about William the Garbage Truck and Crew, a fleet of hybrid garbage and recycling trucks.

Nonfiction

50 Simple Things Kids Can do to Save the Earth by the EarthWorks Group – An older standby, this read is nevertheless full of great suggestions and activities.

Acting for Nature: What Young People Around the World Have Done to Protect the Environment by Sneed Collard III and Action for Nature – Inspiring reading for kids wondering what they can do to make a difference.

Dr. Art’s Guide to Planet Earth by Dr. Art Sussman – An engaging guide to how the planet works. The website has activities designed to compliment and enrich the book.