Earth Day falls on April 22 every year and it is observed in many locations worldwide ever since the year 1970. Earth Day was founded by Gaylord Nelson, then the senator of Wisconsin, United States. He witnessed the after-effects of the 1969 oil spill in Santa Barbara, California and went to great lengths to ensure that the public would understand the repercussions of water and air pollution.
To commemorate this special occasion, we’ve rounded up 8 books about Mother Earth. After all, it’s best to start teaching kids from young about how they can best protect the planet, and what better way to do that by introducing storybook characters like The Lorax by Dr. Seuss?
1.The Great Kapok Tree : A Tale of the Amazon Rainforest by Lynne Cherry
Published in 1990, Cherry fills the pages with lush illustrations of what she saw during her trip to the Brazilian rainforest. It tells the story of a man who was given orders to cut down a kapok tree and later found himself asleep on the bark of the tree. Soon, rainforest animals emerge and they each whispered into the sleeping man’s ear in hopes that their pleas would be heard. The man finally wakes up to the rainforest habitants surrounding him and upon realisation, walks away leaving his axe behind.
Recommended age:Â 4 to 8 years old
2. The Lorax by Dr Seuss
This picture book is a classic and Lorax is widely identified as an environmentally caring character which resonates with kids everywhere. Through Lorax’s adventure in saving the Truffula Trees from being made barren by Once-ler, kids will learn about the dangers that come with recklessly destroying our forests. Readers are reminded to see the beauty in the world as we take on our responsibilities to safeguard our planet.
Recommended age:Â 3 to 7 years old
3. Michael Recycle by Ellie Bethel
The people of Abberdoo-Rimey town are a lazy, careless bunch who leave their rubbish all over the streets. Enter Michael Recycle, the green-caped crusader who uses his super powers to teach the town folk to practice recycling. From Michael’s super adventures, kids are encouraged to pick up recycling as a habit just as the townspeople did through a green campaign, collecting rainwater and growing their own food.
Recommended age:Â 4 to 8 years old
4. Peppa Pig: Recycling Fun – Read it Yourself with Ladybird (Level 1)Â
In this book, Peppa Pig guides your tot with simple sentences and repeated words to build the beginner’s confidence. Besides learning to read, the little reader will be taking baby steps to understand the basic concept of recycling as Peppa and her family sort out and recycle their rubbish. Who knew that recycling could be educational and at the same time, fun for the whole family!
Recommended age:Â 4 to 7 years old
5. Usborne: See Inside Planet Earth
Usborne’s popular flap book has an edition that’s perfect for Earth day, with over 80 flaps to reveal and explain the Earth’s structure, climate and environments. The colourful and interactive book also shows the problems of climate change and suggests what our children can do to play their part in reducing global warming.Â
Recommended age: 4 to 9 years old
6. In My Tree by Sara Gillingham
Nothing is better than an eco-friendly picture book for toddlers. More than that, In My Tree is also an interactive read, with a finger puppet that helps bring characters to life. Discover where the owl makes a home (you guessed it: in the tree!), and exactly what makes the main character’s home such a cosy place to live in. The book features bright, colourful images with a reassuring message at the very end.
Recommended age:Â Baby to 3 years old
7. Don’t Throw That Away  by Lara Bergen
This lift-the-flap book by Little Green is a fun way to introduce the importance of recycling to your kids. Besides being an interactive book, it is also educational as it suggests ways how one can reuse the items they would normally discard.
Recommended age:Â 2 to 5 years old
8. I Can Save The Ocean! by Alison Inches
Max the Little Green Monster does not like to clean up after himself (and most mums can probably relate to this!). However, after understanding how his littering can cause pollution of the sea, he decides to clean up after his mess and embark on a mission to save the ocean. Perhaps after leafing through this colourful book, your kid may want to embark on his or her own mission to clean up their own mess.
Recommended age:Â 4 to 6 years old
9. Why Do We Recycle? (StoryBots) by Scott Emmons
Join Bing, Bo and the rest of the curious little robots from the StoryBots crew to find out where garbage goes. The bots will be heading from the landfill to the recycling plant, and kids will get to follow along their journey with over 30 stickers to decorate and personalize the pages of the book!
Recommended age: 3 to 7 years old
10. Here We Are : Notes for Living on Planet Earth by Oliver Jeffers
This captivating book is a New York Times bestseller for a reason, with amazing illustrations that will transport your child to a magical world full of wonder and inspiration! And it’s not just pretty pictures – the story is meaningful and thought-provoking too. Its sweet and poignant, exploring themes related to the universe, and showing the interconnectedness of everything around us.
Recommended age: 1 to 5 years old
11. Planet Full of Plastic by Neal Layton
Plastic is everywhere, and we need to do something about it. A Planet Full of Plastic explains how our world is drowning in plastic, highlights the fact that it cannot biodegrade, and shows why this is a problem for both animals and humans. Illustrated in award-winning author-illustrator Neal’s trademark collage style, young readers will be able to draw on ideas on how they can help keep Planet Earth happy in their own little ways.
Recommended age: 4 to 7 years old
12. The Most Magnificent Thing by Ashley Spires
This wonderful and funny picture book shows that the ‘most magnificent thing’ can be made by upcycling and repurposing materials. The story shows a little girl learning important lessons about persistence and the value of taking time to think and plan as she tinkers, hammers and wrenches found objects to make a wonderful new creation.
Recommended age: 3 to 7 years old
Related Posts
 |
Best Libraries in the Klang Valley for Kids |
 |
5 Children’s Picture Books to Celebrate Father’s Day |
 |
My Story: How I Started Reading to My Babies |
 |
My Story: Raising a Baby Bookworm |
–
Text by Marie Sian Low & Anna Lee.
Image Credits: Huffington Post, The Great Kapok Tree: A Tale of the Amazon Rainforest, The Lorax, Michael Recycle, Peppa Pig: Recycling Fun – Read it Yourself with Ladybird (Level 1), Simon & Schuster, Amazon, BuyOlympia.
