Earth Day is April 22. Are you looking for earth day books to read? Check out these virtual book read alouds that are perfect for Earth Day. Read the storybooks by watching the videos below. I also added some activity ideas that go well with the books.
Earth Day Books for Kids: Virtual Read Alouds
I love checking out books from the library. last year we’ve been seeing a lot more digitally. some books are hard to find or the wait is too long. That’s why I’ve compiled this earth day book list for everyone to access online. some of the videos may only be temporary as publishers and authors allow their books to be shared.
You are reading: Earth day books read aloud
books on how to celebrate earth day and go green
These books talk about why we celebrate Earth Day and ways we can help protect the earth.
the book of the land of todd parr
In the video, Todd Parr reads his book, The Earth Book. This short book does a great job of showing practical ways kids can help take care of the earth. suggestions include using both sides of the paper, bringing your own bags to the store, recycling, and more. Kids will love the colorful illustrations, too.
it’s earth day! by mercer mayer
on earth day! by mercer mayer, the little creature learns about earth day at school and takes what he learns home with him. her family turns off the computer at night, turns off the water while brushing their teeth, turns off the lights when they leave the room, and recycles. wants to build a weather control machine to help save the earth.
miss fox’s class turns green by eileen spinelli
miss fox’s class goes green also shares many examples of how to take care of the earth. students in the class share what they have learned and help their parents implement green ideas.
stories with an environmental message
These books are wonderful for illustrating the importance of conservation.
we are protectors of the water
In the video above, Carol Lindstrom, the author of We Are Water Protectors, reads the book and then shares her inspiration for writing it. she talks about the backstory of what was happening in standing rock with the pipeline protests.
we are protectors of the water by carol lindstrom is a wonderful picture book that inspires us all to speak out and defend our land. the author writes from the point of view of an indigenous people that water is life and should not be contaminated by a pipeline. the book talks about why water is important and why we should take care of it.
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The publisher has a free activity kit available for download along with the book.
the lorax
the lorax of dr. Seuss sums up conservation and caring for our earth with a quote: “unless someone like you cares a lot, it’s not going to get any better. It’s not.” Children understand this message quite well. They are often quick to point out all the bad things that have been done to the animals in the book. Earth Day is about caring for the earth and taking action. we act, nothing will change for the better.
after reading the lorax, try this lorax cause and effect matching game to talk about what happened in the story. Or use our Lorax writing prompts as a springboard to facilitate a discussion of Lorax topics.
oliver jeffers great paper adventure
in 2020, oliver jeffers read aloud live several times a week on his instagram. the videos were made available on his website afterwards. The Great Paper Caper is one of his books that he read. it’s quite fun and you’ll love it. Jeffers starts reading the book 4 1/2 minutes into the live video. (About 15 minutes into the video, Jeffers does an activity with the audience using a sheet of paper.)
The trees in the forest are being cut down and all the animals are trying to figure out why. they do some detective work and determine that it all has to do with a bear making paper airplanes. the bear really wants to win the paper airplane contest but he needs more paper to practice. he apologizes to the forest animals and promises to plant more trees. I like this book for its unique take on habitat destruction. use it to talk about altering real-life habitats and what we can do about it.
After reading The Great Paper Adventure, learn how to make your own paper with these Tinkerlab instructions or try this paper airplane experiment to challenge your kids.
cultivated harlem
harlem grown by tony hillery tells the true story of how the author helped transform a vacant lot into a garden that produces food for the community. he started out as a volunteer at the school across the street. he and the students cleared the lot, added soil, and planted seeds. over time, they were able to bring the fruits of their labor home. tony hillery has expanded the garden to 12 more sites in harlem.
the curious garden
Peter Brown’s Curious Garden is about a boy who lives in a town with no plants. one day he comes across a patch of dying flowers. he learns to tend the garden so he can nurse them back to health and soon his garden spreads inspiring others to grow gardens as well. the once monotonous gray city turns into a beautiful urban garden. This book was actually inspired by an abandoned freight train track in Manhattan that the local community is transforming into a park and green space.
after reading harlem growed and the curious garden, try these gardening activities for kids from mama smiles.
lynne cherry’s great kapok
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the great kapok tree by lynne cherry is the story of a man sent to cut down a kapok tree in the amazon. when the man falls asleep, the animals beg him to save his home. the man wakes up to see all the animals around him. he puts down his ax and heads home. Lynne Cherry traveled to the Amazon to write and illustrate this book. her artwork is beautiful and you feel like you are in the rain forest.
books about inspiring people who made a difference
These books share the stories of real people who have been involved in conservation efforts to help our earth.
jeanette winter’s vigilante
the observer: jane goodall’s life with chimpanzees by jeanette winter takes us on a journey through the life of jane goodall. We learn about what Jane was like as a child and how she came to study chimpanzees in Africa. Jane Goodall is an amazing advocate for caring for the animals of our world.
i’m jane goodall by brad meltzer
I’m Jane Goodall, I’m part of Brad Meltzer’s series Ordinary People Change the World. It also tells the life story of Jane Goodall except it is told from Jane’s perspective. the end of the book does a great job of talking about how our choices affect the world. my favorite quote from jane goodall is in the book: “you can’t go a single day without having an impact on the world around you. what you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.”
Rachel Carson and Her Book That Changed the World
rachel carson and her book that changed the world by laurie lawlor begins with rachel carson as a child. she shows her love for nature and how she eventually became a biologist. Her book, Silent Spring, brought to light the harmful effects of DDT and other chemicals in the environment. she was responsible for many of the environmental laws we have regarding chemicals today.
seeds of change: wangari’s gift to the world
wangari maathai, a native of kenya, is the winner of the 2004 nobel peace prize for her work. Maathai came home from college to a land that had been blighted: the gardens were empty, the trees were gone, and the people were hungry. she helped her people repair the economy and the earth by teaching them to be respectful of the environment and starting by planting trees. seeds of change tells the story of wangari’s life and the impact she has had.
what are your favorite books to read on earth day?
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This post was first published on April 19, 2020 and has been updated.
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