Earth Day takes place every year on 22^nd April, as a day to celebrate environmental protection and this year marks its 50th anniversary.

You’re never too young to learn how to preserve our wonderful planet, whether it’s developing green habits, learning about conservation, or being inspired by environmentalists like Greta Thunberg.

From poems to picturebooks, check out our reading recommendations and for more information about Earth Day visit earthday.org.

Planet Earth by Campbell, published by Macmillan Children’s Books

What better way to celebrate Earth Day than with First Facts and Flaps: Planet Earth?

This lift-the-flap book is jam-packed with fun information, incorporating STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) topics. With over thirty flaps, a wheel and a pull-out ending, children will love learning in a hands-on, playful way.

Peppa Pig: Peppa Loves Our Planet, published by Penguin

Learn simple ways to help the planet with Peppa and George in this brand new story!

It is Love Our Planet Week at playgroup, and Madame Gazelle asks the children to make a scrapbook of all the things they can do to help look after our planet.

Peppa and George recycle, grow their own vegetables, turn off the taps when they are brushing their teeth and scooter to playgroup instead of going in the car. They learn that every little thing makes a BIG difference! Peppa loves our planet! Everyone loves our planet!

All Peppa Pig books are printed on paper from responsibly managed sources. This Peppa Pig book is printed with environmentally.

Clem and Crab, by Fiona Lumbers, published by Andersen Press

Clem is an explorer, a collector, a protector of the seas! Treasure hunting on her beloved beach, she stumbles across Crab, his claw stuck in a plastic bag. Crab will be much safer and happier in the city with Clem, but doesn’t he belong on the beach?

A stunningly illustrated timely tale of cleaning up our beaches, with the message that every small action helps.

Download Clem and Crab colouring sheets

One World, by Michael Foreman, published by Andersen Press

On the beach, a brother and sister create their own tiny marine world in a bucket. With its wildlife, shells, oil and even a tin can, it is a microcosm of the larger world outside; a world polluted by ocean plastics, deforestation, and the burning of fossil fuels.

With a series of stunning watercolours, the multi award-winning Michael Foreman makes clear his underlying concern about pollution within the environment. 30 years since it was first published, One World is more relevant with every passing day.

Cyril the Lonely Cloud, written and illustrated by Tim Hopgood published by Oxford University Press

The beautiful and poignant story of a cloud called Cyril that conveys positive messages about the life and colour that water brings to our world.

 

The Tale of a Toothbrush by M.G. Leonard and illustrated by Daniel Rieley, published by Walker Books

Children use their toothbrush each morning and evening, and get new ones every few months. That’s billions of toothbrushes! What happens to them all when they’re no longer needed? And if toothbrushes take thousands of years to break down, what does that mean for our planet? With a fun cast of plastic characters, from pirate-ship bottles to dancing shampoos, and even an inquisitive albatross, The Tale of a Toothbrush is a positive and heart-warming story to help children explore the impact their choices have on our planet.

Plastic Sucks! by Dougie Poynter, published by Macmillan Children’s Books

How can YOU help save our planet? This awesome and inspiring guide, written by McFly bassist and environmental activist Dougie Poynter, will show you how to get involved in the mission to cut out single-use plastic.

Plastic is everywhere and it sucks. It fills up our oceans, endangers our wildlife and never goes away. So it’s time to take action, find ways to cut down our plastic use and help protect our environment. Together we can make a difference!

As a lifelong supporter of environmental causes and a key player in the campaign to ban microbeads in the UK, Dougie is always on the hunt for ways to reduce and replace plastic. This campaigning book, his first solo authored project, draws on his own experiences in the fight against plastic waste – the problems he’s encountered and the solutions he’s found. It covers the history of plastic, introduces us to some key campaigners and eco entrepreneurs and is full of top tips and infographics.

The clear and easy steps in Plastic Sucks! You Can Make a Difference show us how we can all make small changes and become champions for our planet.

Be the Change by Liz Brownlee, Matthew Goodfellow and Roger Stevens, published by Macmillan Children’s Books

From National Poetry Day Ambassadors Liz Brownlee, Matt Goodfellow and Roger Stevens comes an incredible anthology of poetry identifying ways we can Be the Change.

These positive and upbeat poems will explore sustainability and the positive efforts being made to protect the planet and are perfect for starting conversations about looking after each other and our environment.

Be Green! Mindful Kids Global Citizen, written by Mandy Archer & illustrated by Katie Abey, published by Bonnier,

A Mindful Kids Global Citizen activity book for young people to colour, doodle and DIY their way to living a more responsible, sustainable life.

Use creativity to explore the environmental issues facing planet Earth, discover how you can make a difference, and learn top tips on how to protect the environment for future generations.

Featuring the charming and quirky illustrations of Katie Abey, a UK-based illustrator. Her quirky pictures will keep the reader entertained and focused as they work through the book, or simply dip into the pages for ten minutes of calm colouring.

Part of Mindful Kids, a thoughtful new range of activity books for children from Studio Press.

Includes an introduction and notes for grown-ups.

Earth Heroes, by Lily Dyu, published by Nosy Crow

This inspirational collection of stories about how individual people are saving the planet is the ultimate gift for any aspiring climate activist.

When faced with climate change, the biggest threat that our planet has ever confronted, it’s easy to feel as if nothing you do can really make a difference . . . but this book proves that individual people can change the world. With twenty inspirational stories celebrating the pioneering work of a selection of Earth Heroes from all around the globe, from Greta Thunberg and David Attenborough to Yin Yuzhen and Isatou Ceesay, each tale is a beacon of hope in the fight for the future of our planet, proving that one person, no matter how small, can make a difference.

Super Stan, by Elaine Wickson and illustrated by Chris Judge published by Oxford University Press

Stan’s little brother Fred is on a mission to save the prawns, the whales, the ocean . . . the world! And he’s roped in Stan to lend a hand. What can possibly go wrong!?

Packed full of infographics, charts, and diagrams, this hilarious and visually-exciting book will have huge appeal for young readers.

Greta’s Story: The Schoolgirl Who Went On Strike To Save The Planet by Valentina Camerini, illustrated by Veronica Carratello, translated by Moreno Giovannoni, published by Simon and Schuster

The story of Greta Thunberg, the schoolgirl who inspired a worldwide climate change movement.

It’s 20 August 2018, late summer in Stockholm, and it feels incredibly hot in the city. The TV news reports rising temperatures, and there have been numerous fires throughout Sweden. Fifteen-year-old Greta Thunberg decides she can’t wait any longer: politicians have to do something to save the environment. Instead of returning to school, Greta takes a placard and goes on strike in front of Sweden’s parliament building.

Greta’s protest began the Fridays for Future – or School Strike 4 Climate – movement, which millions have now joined around the world. Greta has spoken at COP24, the UN summit on climate change, and has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. This is her story, but also that of many other girls and boys around the world willing to fight against the indifference of the powerful for a better future.

Max Takes a Stand, by Tim Allman  and illustrated by Nick Shepherd published by Oxford University Press

In this brand new series Max is on a quest to make the world a better place. From hiding his parents’ car keys to preparing vegan dinners, Max is determined to help save the planet through positive direct action! But with hilarious and often disastrous results can Max’s enthusiasm pay off in the end?