First of all, there are a lot of children’s books that specifically focus on climate change. However, the majority of them are non-fiction. This list looks at 15 of the best stories about the environment, global warming and related green issues.
1. Tree Talk by Ana Salote
Charlie discovers that climbing into his tree house also allows him to climb inside the tree’s mind. The results are astonishing: not only does our young hero learn a thousand names for different kinds of weather, he has a vision about the future of the world. He immediately begins to do what he can, starting out with his own garden. However, it’s not long before he’s called to a greater purpose….
2. Islands by Jacob Sackin
Saskia is our heroine in a futuristic world devastated by the effects of global warming. Forced to live an artificial existence in a protected pyramid, she’s bored out of her mind. However, unbeknown to her people, there are survivors living out in the real world and their paths will soon cross.
3. Michael Recycle! by Ellie Bethel
Michael Recycle is a young superhero bent on a mission to help the lazy or uninformed realise why everyone should recycle. In a world that ignores the dangers of waste, Michael Recycle is set on making a difference, but he’s going to need some help along the way!
4. Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs by Judi Barrett
Recently made into a hugely successful movie, this cautionary tale hilariously warns of what happens when the weather goes wrong. A smattering of hamburgers or a gentle drizzle of custard is fine to begin with, but what happens when the skys turn stormy and giant pancakes threaten to squash everything in sight?
5. Hope and the Magic Martian by Helen Moore
Hope is desperate to meet a Martian. Fortunately for her, a young Martian is similarly keen to meet Hope in order to find out why the Earth’s polar caps are melting. They meet at the North Pole and listen to the animals’ stories. Hope is initially worried that she can’t do anything to help, but the alien’s magic helps to show that every change has to start with small steps.
6. The Lorax by Dr Zuess
The original cautionary tale from Dr Zeuss. It’s a charmingly rhyming ecologically minded story whose morals still ring true today. Without any risk of lecturing, it encourages young and old alike to pay attention to and take action on a throwaway disregard for the earth’s environment.
7. Under the Weather: Stories About Climate Change edited by Tony Bradman
A collection of stories for young people that aims to bring the problematic effects of climate change to life. A wide range of writers from around the world are brought together in this compilation and contribute tales about anything from rising sea levels to changes in human lifestyle.
8. Exodus by Julie Bertagna
We’re 100 years in the future, and the sea levels are rising ever higher. Exodus tells the story of Mara, a young girl eking out an existence with her family. When her people are forced to abandon their sinking island, Mara finds she can provide hope and leadership against all the odds. The sequel, Zenith, has similar themes.
9. Nation by Terry Pratchett
In a break from his traditional Discwold novels, Pratchett tells a story about a couple of youngsters whose lives are changed forever when a giant wave washes everything away. The ‘Nation’, the beginnings of a new civilisation, is the result. The book has also been made into a play and has had successful runs around the world.
10. Spud Goes Green by Giles Thaxton
Spud has a mission: he wants to save the planet! He makes a New Year’s Resolution to ‘go green’ and spends the next 12 months changing the way he and those around him live. The book has wonderful illustrations and it’s no surprise that the whole thing is printed on 100% recycled paper with vegetable inks.
11. The Vanishing Rainforest by Richard Platt
This beautifully illustrated book tackles the issues surrounding the earth’s rainforests in a sympathetic and engaging way. The story is told through the eyes of a child called Remaema and describes how her tribe, the Yanomami battle against potential developers. However, the tale isn’t a one-sided diatribe; it seeks a compromise that benefits everyone involved.
12. The Curious Garden by Peter Brown
Liam, the young hero, teaches the reader how a small effort can lead to much larger consequences. When he discovers a struggling garden and resolves to look after it, his nurturing care spreads through the city in which he lives, transforming it from a dull, dark, grey place to one of lightness and greenery. An inspirational and heartening tale.
13. Gaia Girls: Enter The Earth by Lee Welles
Fans of Nancy Drew will see many of the same detective-type themes in this series of books. Billed as “fiction with a mission”, this book, aimed at early teens, doesn’t hide the fact that it’s trying to convert young readers into active, ecologically minded do-gooders. It’s well written and exciting and promises to capture a whole generation of fans.
14. The Great Kapok Tree: A Tale of the Amazon Rain Forest by Lynne Cherry
A beautifully illustrated book with a simple story line. A man, exhausted from trying to chop down a tree, takes a nap underneath its boughs. In his sleep, the animals that live in or rely on the tree come and talk to him in his dreams, pleading with him to spare their world.
15. White Horse Trick by Kate Thompson
This is the last in a trilogy of books set in Ireland. The story is set in the closing years of the 21st century, and dramatic climate change has made life almost impossible. It’s a much more fantastical tale than many others on this list, but also deals sensitively with real-life problems. These problems have their roots in climate change, but are not limited to the most obvious repercussions. For example, one of the biggest themes in this book is the problem of refugees trying to get into Ireland.
If you know and love any other children’s books that deal with the issues surrounding climate change, please let us know in the comments.
Thank you to woodleywonderworks for the picture.
