Raise an Environmentalist with Great Kids Books

In order for our kids to learn more about their own personal impact on Mother Nature, I think that it’s critical that they learn from a young age about the importance of conserving resources, recycling and composting, and the effects of their personal consumption choices.

This curated collection is a list of my favourite kids books to raise your child’s environmental awareness.

This post has Amazon Affiliate links. Please read my disclosure for more details.

Raise An Environmentalist Through Reading!

All the books in this list are engaging for kids and touch on really important big ideas about the environment. I’ve read them to children of various ages and they all do a great job of stimulating discussion while getting kids to think about the choices that they can make to have a positive impact on our earth.

To read reviews of each book, click on the pictures to go to Amazon.

Since I have gathered over 40 great books here, I’ve divided them up into sub-categories according to the reason why you might want to read them.

Books That Help Kids See the Connectedness of Life on Earth

The Backyard Time Detectives by David Suzuki

I Am Earth: An Earth Day Book for Kids by Rebecca and James McDonald

Wolf Island by Celia Godkin

The EARTH Book by Todd Parr

If Sharks Disappeared by Lily Williams

Books to Get Kids Exploring Nature

The Curious Nature Guide: Explore the Natural Wonders All Around You by Clare Walker Leslie

The Nature Connection: An Outdoor Workbook for Kids, Families, and Classrooms by Clare Walker Leslie

Nature’s Day: Out and About: Spotting, making and collecting activities by Kay Maguire and Danielle Kroll

Understanding Mankind’s Impact on Earth

This Is the Earth by Diane Z. Shore and Jessica Alexander, Illustrated by Wendell Minor

The Ocean Story by John Seven, Illustrated by Jana Christy

What’s So Bad About Gasoline?: Fossil Fuels and What They Do by Anne Rockwell, Illustrated by Paul Meisel

Oil Spill! by Melvin Berger, Illustrated by Paul Mirocha

Why Are the Ice Caps Melting?: The Dangers of Global Warming by Anne Rockwell, Illustrated by Paul Meisel

Winston of Churchill: One Bear’s Battle Against Global Warming by Jean Davies Okimoto, Illustrated by Jeremiah Trammell

Give Bees a Chance by Bethany Barton

Merhorses and Bubbles (Zoey and Sassafras) by Asia Citro, Illustrated by Marion Lindsay

Recycling, Composting and Waste

Compost Stew: An A to Z Recipe for the Earth by Mary McKenna Siddals, Illustrated by Ashley Wolff

The Adventures of a Plastic Bottle: A Story About Recycling

Why Should I Recycle? Illustrated by Mike Gordon

The Magic School Bus Gets Recycled

Michael Recycle by Ellie Bethel, Illustrated by Alexandra Colombo

Michael Recycle Meets Litterbug Doug by Ellie Bethel, Illustrated by Alexandra Colombo