Earth Day Books for Little Learners

Earth Day is just around the corner, and what better time to share some fun and informative stories about planet Earth? In this post, I'll be sharing a roundup of our favourite Earth-themed picture books.

1. Be Thankful for Trees by Harriet Ziefert - Both entertaining and informative, your little one will love learning about the many different ways we use trees!

2. Dear Earth by Isabel Otter - Tessa decides to write a letter to Earth, sharing all the things she appreciates about it and what she would do if she could explore the whole planet. A beautifully written story with beautiful illustrations to match!

3. Earth Day, Birthday by Maureen Wright - A more light-hearted option, in this story the animals are making preparations for Earth Day while monkey insists that it is also his birthday. Nobody believes him until the end, and they decide to celebrate both Earth Day and monkey's birthday together.

4. Earth Day - Hooray! by Stuart J. Murphy - Students work together to collect cans for recycling to help clean up the school and park for Earth Day. They hope to gather enough cans to afford new flowers for the park, working together to make bundles of tens and hundreds as they get closer to their goal of three thousand cans. It is a longer book, best for those with a longer attention span for reading, but serves as a great introduction to concepts like Earth Day, recycling, community involvement, and bundling numbers!

5. Here We Are by Oliver Jeffers - An absolute favourite in our house, Here We Are is a beautifully written and illustrated book sharing all about the planet we live on. If you utilize screen time in your family, we also highly recommend the animated short film based on the book (Here We Are: Notes for Living on Planet Earth, 2020).

6. My Friend Earth by Patricia MacLachlan - A personified Earth wakes up from a long nap, checking on the various components of nature she tends to.

7. Planet Earth by Leonie Pratt - A good non-fiction option that shares about various features of planet Earth, such as volcanoes, deserts, and more.

Are you looking for more planet themed learning opportunities? Our Planets Unit Study is perfect for introducing scientific concepts and practicing literacy and numeracy in the early years (ages 4-6). Check it out below!

8. Thank You, Earth by April Pulley Sayre - Say thank you to Earth for a variety of gifts from coastlines to mountains, trees to patterns. This unique book includes real photographs, which provides a nice change from illustrations!

9. The Crayons Love Our Planet by Drew Daywalt - Review colours and features of planet Earth with this fun book from the crayon series! This is a great pick for little ones who like a short, silly story.

10. Zonia's Rain Forest by Juana Martinez-Neal - Zonia lives in the rain forest, and each day she greets the various creatures that live there. One day, walking home, she notices an area that looks different - something has happened here. The open-ended ending of the book is a great opportunity for discussion with your little one! What will Zonia do?

What books will you be sharing with your little one this Earth Day? Let us know!