Climate Change Books for Children

Climate change is a hot button issue and more children’s books have been focusing on the subject. From picture books to middle grade novels, climate change has made its way into the world of children’s books. Below are some recommended books for children that explain climate change. Not only do these books highlight this important issue, but they show children how they can help save our planet on a local level. 

Picture Books

• Forest by Brendan Kearney
• If Bees Disappeared by Lily Williams
• Black Beach: A Community, an Oil Spill, and the Origin of Earth Day by Shaunna Stith
• We Are Water Protectors by Carole Lindstrom
• The Last Tiger by Becky Davies
• The Girl Who Spoke to the Moon by Land Wilson

Middle Grade Novels

• The First Rule of Climate Club by Carrie Firestone 
• Haven Jacobs Saves the Planet by Barbara Dee
• Two Degrees by Alan Grantz
• How to Bee by Bren MacDibble
• The Last Beekeeper by Pablo Cartaya
• Nowhere Better Than Here by Sarah Guillory
• The Adventure is Now by Jess Redman
• Arrow by Samantha M. Clark
• Hello from Renn Lake by Michele Weber Hurwitz

Program Ideas

• Nature Storytime: For your youngest patrons, host an outdoor Nature Storytime! Get them to explore and appreciate the world around them through stories and special activities, such as a nature walk and scavenger hunt.
• Climate Change Book Club: For the middle grade crowd, a book club focusing on climate change can get children interested in the subject. For each book, I would have the group focus on the specific theme of the book. For example, Haven Jacobs Saves the Planet is about the effects of water pollution in a small community; the children in your book club can study the pH levels in a local body of water or use library databases to research the effects of water pollution.
• Collaborate with Local Organizations: If your community has an environmental commission and/or local nonprofit focusing on environmental issues, reach out to them to see if they can work with you on presenting information to your patrons. Also, see if your local high school has a green team; this group can do presentations and get community service hours too!

Let us know what books you’ve found or programs you’ve offered in the comments below!

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Today’s guest blogger is Ariel Barreras. Ariel is the Children’s Librarian at the Ridgefield Park Public Library in Ridgefield Park, NJ. She is passionate about children’s programming and outreach.

Please note that as a guest post, the views expressed here do not represent the official position of ALA or ALSC.