The Mess That We Made


Michelle Lord - 2020
    Simple, rhythmic wording builds to a crescendo ("This is the mess that we made. These are the fish that swim in the mess that we made.") and the vibrant digital artwork captures the disaster that is the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. Children can imagine themselves as one of the four multi-ethnic occupants of the little boat surrounded by swirling plastic in the middle of the ocean, witnessing the cycle of destruction and the harm it causes to plants, animals, and humans. The first half of the book portrays the growing magnitude of the issue, and the second half rallies children and adults to make the necessary changes to save our oceans. Facts about the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, ocean pollution, and how kids can help are included in the back matter.

Our House Is on Fire: Greta Thunberg's Call to Save the Planet


Jeanette Winter - 2019
    I want you to panic…I want you to act as if our house is on fire. Because it is. When she was fifteen years old, Greta Thunberg’s teacher explained to her class that our climate is changing—the earth is getting warmer, the polar ice caps are melting, and life on earth is threatened. Greta was devastated. What could she do? If the grown-ups weren’t doing enough to save the planet, Greta would have to demand change herself. So she went on strike, skipping school every Friday to sit outside of the Swedish Parliament building with a sign that read “School Strike for Climate.” At first, Greta was the only one. But gradually, more and more students joined her, until her lone protest had sparked a worldwide student movement for action on climate change. Now, a year later, Greta is speaking to audiences of world leaders at important meetings like the United Nations Climate Conference and the World Economic Forum. She is leading the conversation on climate change and sparking worldwide conversation on how to save our planet. Greta is showing everyone that even the smallest person can make a big difference, and this picture book informs and inspires young readers who are beginning to learn about the world around them.

Moth


Isabel Thomas - 2019
    Until the world begins to change...Along come people with their magnificent machines which stain the land with soot. In a beautiful landscape changed by humans how will one little moth survive?A clever picture book text about the extraordinary way in which animals have evolved, intertwined with the complication of human intervention. This remarkable retelling of the story of the peppered moth is the perfect introduction to natural selection and evolution for children.

Rocket Says Clean Up!


Nathan Bryon - 2020
    Her family loves nothing better than to beach comb and surf together...but the beach is clogged with trash! When she finds a turtle tangled in a net, Rocket decides that something must be done! Like a mini Greta Thunberg, our young activist's enthusiasm brings everyone together...to clean up the beach and prevent plastics from spoiling nature. Perfect for fans of Rocket Says Look Up! and Ada Twist, Scientist, this book is for any youngster concerned about our environment. Rocket Says Clean Up! will inspire readers of all ages to dream big and tackle problems head-on.

What Can You Do with a Rock?


Pat Zietlow Miller - 2021
    Rocks can build, sparkle, and tell a story. They can be memories. They can even be a little bit magic. This ode to curiosity and creative play from New York Times bestselling author Pat Zietlow Miller and acclaimed illustrator Katie Kath is bound to inspire.

Earth Hour: A Lights-Out Event for Our Planet


Nanette Heffernan - 2020
    Unfortunately, it can also have a big impact on our planet.Earth Hour--a worldwide movement in support of energy conservation and sustainability--takes place each March and is sponsored by the World Wildlife Fund for Nature (WWF). During Earth Hour, individuals, communities, and businesses in more than 7,000 cities turn off nonessential electric lights for one hour. Across each continent--from the Eiffel Tower to the Great Wall of China to the Statue of Liberty--one small act reminds all of us of our enormous impact on planet Earth.

Greta and the Giants


Zoë Tucker - 2019
    This picture book tells the story of Nobel Peace Prize nominee Greta Thunberg—the Swedish teenager who has led a global movement to raise awareness about the world’s climate crisis—using allegory to make this important topic accessible to young children.

Stand Up! Speak Up!: A Story Inspired by the Climate Change Revolution


Andrew Joyner - 2020
    The meaningful message of climate change activism is perfect for Earth Day and every day! Celebrate young climate change activists in this charming story about an empowered girl who shows up, listens up, and ultimately, speaks up to inspire her community to take action against climate change. After attending a climate march, a young activist is motivated to make an effort and do her part to help the planet... by organizing volunteers to work to make green changes in their community, from cleaning a lake, to planting trees, to making composting bins, to hosting a clothing swap and more! Here is an uplifting picture book that is an important reminder that no change is too small--and no person is too young--to make a difference.With simple text and lively illustrations, Andrew Joyner has given young children a timely story about activism, community, and hope.

Blue Floats Away


Travis Jonker - 2021
    Little Blue is very close to his iceberg parents so when he suddenly breaks away from them, he promises to return and, after traveling far and undergoing big changes, he may succeed.

The Last Straw: Kids vs. Plastics


Susan Hood - 2021
    Jane GoodallThere’s no doubt about it—plastic is in almost everything. From our phones and computers to our toys and utensils, plastic is everywhere. But the amount of plastic we throw away is hurting the health of our planet.With The Last Straw: Kids vs. Plastics, readers will be fascinated as they learn about the growing plastic problem and meet just a few of the young activists who are standing up and speaking out for change.You’ll hear about the “Be Straw Free” campaign, started by nine-year-old Milo Cress.You’ll discover how scientists are using jellyfish snot and munching, crunching caterpillars to break down plastic pollution faster.You’ll meet Xóchitl Guadalupe Cruz López, the eight-year-old girl turning old plastic bottles into solar heaters.And there are many more incredible kids here, not much older than our readers, who will inspire us all to change the way we think about plastic!With an introduction from Milo Cress and bright, colorful illustrations from Christiane Engel, this collection of brilliant, lyrical nonfiction poems by award-winning author Susan Hood highlights the threat of plastic and the kids who are fighting for change to save our planet. Includes extensive backmatter with a timeline, author’s note, further resources, and more.

Once Upon a Time There Was and Will Be So Much More


Johanna Schaible - 2021
    Millions of years ago, dinosaurs lived on Earth. Thousands of years ago, people built towering pyramids. Ten years ago, the landscape looked different. A month ago, it was still summer. A minute ago, the light was turned off. Now! Make a wish! What will you be doing in a week? How will you celebrate your birthday next year? What will you discover when you are older? What will hold you in awe forever? Moving inexorably from an age primeval into a future filled with questions, Johanna Schaible brings her beautiful collage artwork to an exploration of time that melds a conceptual vision with a physical one. With each page turn, the pages gradually become smaller--showing more and more borders from the past--until they reach the present moment, then grow larger again as time expands into a future full of possibilities.

Sea Bear: A Journey for Survival


Lindsay Moore - 2019
    Your teeth are sharp. Your front paws are paddles, your back paws are rudders, and you can swim for miles.Your home has always been the sea and the ice.A sea bear, far north in the Arctic, hunts and naps and raises her young. She moves with the ice, swimming, running, stalking seals, resting. She follows the rhythm of the sea and the seasons.But what happens when those rhythms change? What happens when there is no ice?Lindsay Moore shares the story of one polar bear’s journey for survival in this stunning picture book. Imagine.

A Leaf Can Be...


Laura Purdie Salas - 2012
    . .Shade spillerMouth fillerTree topperRain stopperFind out about the many roles leaves play in this poetic exploration of leaves throughout the year.

A Cool Drink of Water


Barbara Kerley - 2002
    A hiker takes a refreshing drink from a mountain stream. Black-robed women in India stride gracefully through a field with brass water jugs balanced on their heads. Whether they squeeze it out of a burlap bag, haul it home from a communal tap, or get it out of their kitchen faucet, people all around the world are unified by their common need for water. Barbara Kerley brings home this point simply and eloquently in this beautiful and educational picture book that combines striking National Geographic photographs with a poetic text to show how people in various cultures use and conserve the world's most vital resource.National Geographic supports K-12 educators with ELA Common Core Resources.Visit www.natgeoed.org/commoncore for more information.From the Trade Paperback edition.

Holi Hai!


Chitra Soundar - 2022
    But when she doesn't get her favorite color, Gauri gets mad. Will she find a way to overcome her anger and join in the festivities?