These books will get your kids up to speed on why we need to save the planet and how...
We’ve been busy searching for volunteering opportunities for kids, doing all we can to swap out our disposables and trying our best to save water, but sometimes it’s good to take a step back and remember why we’re doing all this. Educating kids on how to conserve the environment is key when trying to lead a greener life, and magazines for young readers and engaging books with cool eco-messages are, we think, a great source when it comes to easily digestible information on important topics. Pop open one of these eco-friendly reads for kids, and they’ll be clamouring to save the planet in no time!
16 kids books on the environment and saving the planet
Kids books about environmental conservation
1. Bee & Me by Alison Jay
Bee & Me is a wordless picture book in which a little girl befriends a bee, who takes her on a journey to discover just how kids can make a difference in environmental conservation. Beautifully illustrated and with a message about how important bees are to the environment, it certainly made us think twice before considering swatting a bee ever again.
2. The Lorax by Dr Seuss
This book may have been published in 1971, but its story remains relevant even today. Through whimsical rhymes and his signature illos, the good Dr Seuss teaches readers about sustainability and protecting the environment. Plus, the book is printed on recycled paper, making it truly an eco-friendly read for kids.
3. The Earth Book by Todd Parr
Printed with recycled materials as well as non-toxic soy ink, this eco-friendly picture book explores the timely subject of environmental conservation for kids. Your little ones will be inspired to start playing their part in keeping our planet happy and healthy once they’re done with this book.
4. Just a Little Mynah by Evelyn Sue Wong
Little Mynah wishes that she could be extraordinary. However, when her magnificent friend Heron ended up in trouble, Mynah flies into action. The book may be talking about believing in yourself, but it also highlights the important message of environmental conservation. What we also love about this eco-friendly read is that it is multilingual. Yeap, kiddos can learn about the environment and new languages too!
5. Animals Of Farthing Wood by Colin Dann
This classic is about the animals of Farthing Wood who are forced to set off on a daunting journey after their home has been bulldozed. It has a powerful message about how tragic it is when animals get displaced because their natural habitat is destroyed. Fair warning: this tale may well be a little too hard-hitting for very young readers. It was one of our childhood faves, but – as with Watership Down – it was read with a fair few tears along the way!
6. How You Can Save the Planet by Hendrikus van Hensbergen
Your kid may be overwhelmed and unsure of how to save the planet. This handy guide is the answer to that conundrum! It contains easy-to-follow actions such as building a green wall and organising cycling groups with friends. Plus, there are many uplifting stories of other children taking action to heal the world. See kiddos, you’re not alone in your endeavours!
Kids books about environmental preservation
7. The Tin Forest by Helen Ward
An old man living in a junkyard dreams of turning his scrap metal surroundings into a forest full of wild animals, trees and flowers. With hard work and creativity, the old man not only achieves his dream of creating a tin forest, but when the real birds and creatures begin to move in, the forest comes alive for real. A sweet tale that proves that when ideas become planted, they really can grow and grow.
8. The Curious Garden by Peter Brown
In an industrialised city, a little boy named Liam loves going on walks and exploring. When he finds some wild plants growing on an abandoned railway, he decides to become a gardener. Watch how Liam transforms this smoggy, grey city into a thriving green paradise with the help of careful planning, his tools and some unexpected help from new gardeners.
9. The Great Singapore Poo Sale and Other Beastly Business by Maureen Yeo
Join Alpha Macaque and his brave troop on a wild adventure to save Singapore’s endangered animals! When their Constitution plan flops, Dung Beetle rolls out a stinky enterprise, and Pink Dolphin makes a splash with his own ideas. It’s a delightful picture book where creatures big and small steal the spotlight, all while championing conservation and sparking childlike wonder!
10. The Forest Fable by Gelyn Ong
Step into the magical world of the forest through the eyes of 8-year-old artist Gelyn Ong! In this captivating tale, Gelyn weaves a lyrical narrative of nature’s harmony, where every creature plays a vital role. But when a lumberjack threatens their home, the animals must band together to save their beloved forest. Through Gelyn’s intricate and beautifully painted scenes, we witness the animals’ bravery as they confront the looming danger. Will they triumph and protect the trees that provide food and shelter? With wisdom and creativity beyond her years, Gelyn Ong’s artwork vividly portrays the beauty of nature, urging us all to cherish and conserve our precious resources.
Kids books about reducing waste
11. Captain Green and the Plastic Scene by Evelyn Bookless
Captain Green emerges fresh from superhero school to answer an emergency distress call – the ocean is in danger! Filled with fun illustrations, sound effects, and a great environmental message, kids will love helping the caped captain of clean protect planet earth from pollution and grime by reducing, reusing and recycling. Remember, you don’t need superpowers to save the seas, it just takes a superhuman to keep it clean!
12. Compost Stew: An A to Z Recipe for the Earth by Mary McKenna Siddals
What is composting? How does one get started on it? What’s safe to include in a compost pile? This eco-friendly read for kids will teach them all about composting and more. Composting may be new to everyone, especially in Singapore, but hopefully this book will develop it into a lifelong habit.
13. Heal the Earth by Julian Lennon
Who says books are boring? Hop aboard the White Feather Flier and go on a journey to heal the earth in this interactive book. Kids can tilt the book back to make the flier take to the skies or forward to make the plane dive. Whenever they encounter environmental pollution, they can even press a magic button to fix it. Okay, so they can’t magically fix the world, but this is a pretty good way to make kids aware of environmental problems and show them that they can make a difference.
14. One Plastic Bag: Isatou Ceesay and the Recycling Women of the Gambia by Miranda Paul
Based on a true story, Isatou had enough of seeing discarded plastic bags choke gardens, poison goats and turn into mosquito breeding grounds. Eventually, she decided that she needed to do something to help. This inspiring tale follows a girl from Gambia as she devises a way to transform plastic waste into woven women’s purses. By doing so, she’s slowly helping the world, one plastic bag at a time.
15. What a Waste: Trash, Recycling, and Protecting our Planet by Jess French
Almost everything that we do results in waste, such as litter, excess food, and even e-waste. But where do these go? And how can we reduce wastage? Written by a passionate conservationist, this informative book contains fabulous illos and easily digestible fun facts about trash and recycling. It’s also chock full of ideas on how you can play a part in protecting the Earth. We love this book too much, so you can say it’s not just for the kids!
16. Beauty and the Bin by Joanne O’Connell
Laurie is part of an eco-friendly family that gets involved in dumpster dives. However, she doesn’t want to fish her meals out of bins – she just wants to be a normal kid! When a competition comes to Laurie’s high school looking for the next ‘business with a difference’, and the most popular girl wants to team up with her, she can hardly believe her luck. But can she be popular and successful while also being an eco-warrior?
We hope these kids books on the environment have been useful in kickstarting your conservationist journey!
