Reading is a boundless pleasure; whether you’re buying a picture book for a friend’s baby, an easy read for a child, or a gripping novel for your teenager, books are always a good gift. Children’s books about nature are a fun, inspiring, and thoughtful way to both inform and entertain the young people in your life.
So many of us want to make a concerted effort to turn away from constant tablet and smartphone use; Well, turning pages (even on an e-reader!) is good for the mind, body, and soul–bonus points if the reading is done while IN nature! For inspiration, here are some of our favorite children’s books with strong environmental themes. These have informed and delighted so many friends of the Rainforest Alliance—and the amazing young people in their lives.
Gorgeous picture books for babies and toddlers
Zonia’s Rainforest by Juana Martínez-Neal
Every morning, Zonia wakes up in the lush Peruvian Amazon and hears the call of the rainforest. She loves the other residents of the jungle, like sloths, anteaters, and jaguars. One day, the rainforest calls to Zonia in a troubled voice; How will she answer?
A Good Place by Lucy Cousins
Young readers follow a bee, a ladybird, a dragon fly and a beetle on their search for a home that meets all their different needs.
Bee by Britta Teckentrup & Patricia Hegarty
Through joyful rhymes and eye-catching details, this beautifully illustrated board book teaches children about bees and their place in nature.
Little People, Big Dreams series by Maria Isabel Sánchez Vegara
Featuring role models for all ages, this adorable book series introduces children to inspiring eco-heroes like David Attenborough, Jane Goodall, Vanessa Nakate, and William Kamkwamba. A gift as much for the parents as the kids!
Engaging nature books for early readers (ages 5-8)
She Persisted: Wangarai Maathai by Eucabeth Odhiambo
When Wangarai Maathai learned about deforestation in her homeland of Kenya, she took matters–and trees–into her own hands by founding the Green Belt Movement. This inspiring story teaches early readers about Wangarai’s love for the environment, her passion for women’s rights, and how the persistence of one brave person can change the world.
Tall as the Trees by Patricia Gualinga and Laura Resau
An illustrated celebration of conservation and community, this is the inspiring true story of a local activist in Ecuador’s Amazon who worked alongside other Indigenous communities to protect and preserve their sacred lands and forests.
Old Enough to Save the Planet by Loll Kirby
This collection of real-life stories introduces readers to 12 young activists around the world. All of them are taking different actions to fight climate change. Read about the work they do to protect our planet, accessibly written, with inviting illustrations.
Fly by David Lindo
You don’t have to wait until middle-age to enjoy bird watching: This gorgeous illustrated guide is the perfect introduction to the beauty and diversity of birds for young readers. From where and how to spot birds to bird facts and myths, this nature book for kids is a treat for all ages.
We Are Water Protectors by Carole Lindstrom
The vibrantly illustrated book tells the story of a young water protector who takes a stand to defend Earth’s most sacred resource. Inspired by Indigenous-led movements across North America, this book reminds readers that we are all water protectors.
Page-turners for pre-teens (ages 9-12)
Saving Sorya: Chang and the Sun Bear by Trang Nguyen
Based on true events, this stunning graphic novel follows Chang, a young wildlife conservationist in Vietnam. She is working to rewild a young sun bear, Sorya, who was captured by poachers as a cub. This uplifting story is accompanied by incredible true-to-life illustrations of native plants and animals.
Global by Eoin Colfer, Andrew Donkin, illustrated by Giovanni Rigano
Another beautiful graphic novel with a challenging theme: Global tells the story of two young people, continents apart, confronting the realities of climate change. In the Arctic, Yuki is stalked by a terrifying grizzly-polar bear crossbreed; in the Bay of Bengal, Sami faces rising sea levels while a cyclone approaches.
Future Hopes by multiple authors
A collection of short stories where each one is inspired by an environmental conservation idea. Diverse voices, using different genres and perspectives, imagine what a more sustainable future looks like for young people.
I Ate Sunshine for Breakfast by Michael Holland
This eye-catching, engaging book contains everything a young person with an interest in nature might want to know about plants–and more! Readers will return to this book again and again, with detailed diagrams, infographics, fascinating facts, and DIY activities to entertain and inform.
For teens and young adult readers (ages 12-18)
Wolf Light by Yaba Badoe
Three teenagers in three different countries are tied together by a magical bond. In Mongolia, Zula’s desert home is invaded by copper miners; in Ghana, Adoma’s forest and river are polluted by gold prospectors; in Englandl, it’s only a matter of time before the lake that Linet guards will face jeopardy. This fantastical, challenging read is a powerful call to protect our environment and heritage.
How to Change Everything: The Young Human’s Guide to Protecting the Planet and Each Other by Naomi Klein with Rebecca Stefoff
This climate change book for kids is full of empowering stories from around the world, Naomi Klein explains the current state of the climate–and more importantly, provides the tools young people need to protect and reshape the planet they will inherit.
Hatchet by Gary Paulsen
A beloved classic, our hero Brian must learn how to survive after a plane crash strands him in the remote Canadian wilderness, with a hatchet as his only tool in the deep forest.
A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers
The first book in the beloved Monk and Robot series, a Psalm for the Wild-Built is a cosy, life-affirming book for older readers about a burgeoning friendship between a human and a robot, set in a solarpunk eco-utopia.
Inspiring the next generation of sustainability leaders
The stories we consume lay the foundation of who we are: Stories about the power, diversity, and wonder of nature are a sure-fire way to inspire the next generation to treasure and nurture the world around them.
Happy reading!
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