Resources

The Lorax is a 1971 children’s book by Dr. Seuss that delivers a fable about environmental stewardship and corporate greed. Written in rhyming verse with distinctive illustrations, it has become one of Seuss’s most socially conscious and enduring works.

• Author: Dr. Seuss (Theodor Seuss Geisel)
• Published: 1971
• Publisher: Random House
• Genre: Children’s literature, environmental fable
• Themes: Conservation, sustainability, industrial impact

We Are Water Protectors is a 2020 children’s picture book written by Carole Lindstrom and illustrated by Michaela Goade. It celebrates Indigenous activism and environmental stewardship, inspired by real-life movements to protect clean water sources, particularly the 2016 Dakota Access Pipeline protests led by Native communities.

• Author: Carole Lindstrom
• Illustrator: Michaela Goade
• Publisher: Roaring Brook Press (Macmillan)
• Publication year: 2020
• Awards: Caldecott Medal (2021)

The Great Kapok Tree is a 1990 children’s picture book written and illustrated by Lynne Cherry. Set in the Amazon rainforest, it delivers an environmental message about interdependence and conservation through vivid art and simple storytelling. The book is widely used in classrooms to introduce ecology and the importance of preserving biodiversity.

• Author: Lynne Cherry
• Publication year: 1990
• Genre: Children’s picture book, environmental fiction
• Setting: Amazon rainforest
• Publisher: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich

Somebody Swallowed Stanley is a 2019 children’s picture book by marine biologist and author Sarah Roberts. The story uses a bright, accessible narrative to introduce young readers to the environmental dangers of plastic waste in the ocean, blending gentle humor with an urgent ecological message.

• Author: Sarah Roberts
• Illustrator: Hannah Peck
• Published: 2019 (Scholastic UK)
• Genre: Children’s picture book, environmental education
• Theme: Marine life, pollution, recycling

The Magic School Bus and the Climate Challenge is a 2010 children's science book written by Joanna Cole and illustrated by Bruce Degen. Part of the long-running Magic School Bus series, it uses the familiar mix of storytelling and science to explain the causes and effects of climate change in a way accessible to elementary readers.

• Author: Joanna Cole
• Illustrator: Bruce Degen
• Publication year: 2010
• Series: The Magic School Bus
• Publisher: Scholastic Press

 Old Enough to Save the Planet is a 2020 illustrated nonfiction children’s book by Loll Kirby, with art by Adelina Lirius. It introduces real young environmental activists from around the world, highlighting their projects and empowering readers to see themselves as capable of making change.

• Author: Loll Kirby
• Illustrator: Adelina Lirius
• Publisher: Magic Cat Publishing (2020)
• Genre: Children’s nonfiction, environmental activism
• Audience: Ages 5–10

Our House Is on Fire is a 2019 illustrated children’s book by Jeanette Winter that recounts the real-life story of Greta Thunberg and her family’s fight against climate change. The picture book introduces young readers to Thunberg’s rise as a global environmental advocate, emphasizing the urgency of ecological awareness and action.

• Author: Jeanette Winter
• Publication year: 2019
• Publisher: Beach Lane Books (Simon & Schuster)
• Genre: Children’s nonfiction, biography
• Main subject: Greta Thunberg’s climate activism

How to Teach Grown-Ups About Climate Change is a children’s nonfiction book written by journalist Sophie McNeill. It uses humor, clear science, and a youth-focused perspective to explain the fundamentals of climate change and empower young readers to communicate environmental issues effectively to adults

• Author: Sophie McNeill
• Genre: Children’s nonfiction / environmental education
• Publisher: Magic Cat Publishing
• First publication: 2023
• Illustrator: Soledad Romero Mariño

The Last Bear is a 2021 middle-grade novel by British author Hannah Gold. It tells a contemporary ecological adventure about friendship between a lonely girl and a stranded polar bear, combining emotional storytelling with themes of environmental stewardship. The book has been widely praised for its heartfelt narrative and environmental message.

• Author: Hannah Gold
• Illustrator: Levi Pinfold
• Publisher: HarperCollins Children’s Books (2021)
• Genre: Middle-grade fiction, environmental adventure
• Awards: Blue Peter Book Award (2022), shortlisted for Waterstones Children’s Book Prize

Can We Save the Planet? is a 2011 nonfiction children’s book written by British author Martin Jenkins and illustrated by Vicky White. Published by Walker Books, it introduces environmental issues in an accessible, visually engaging format designed to inspire young readers toward ecological awareness and action.

• Author: Martin Jenkins
• Illustrator: Vicky White
• Publisher: Walker Books (2011)
• Genre: Children’s nonfiction, environmental education
• Intended audience: Ages 8–12