5 books about the environment

1. The Blue Giant by Katie Cottle
2. Published by Pavilion Books, 2020

3. Age 4-7 years

   Both a celebration of the ocean, and a warning about the dangers of plastic pollution, The Blue Giant is a powerful picture book, which reminds us to cherish the natural world around us. Set against a lush seascape of blue tones, the story follows Meera and her Mum who meet a blue giant on the beach and set about helping him clear up the sea.

1. Meet the Oceans by Caryl Hart and Bethan Woollvin
2. Published by Bloomsbury, 2021

3. Age 4-7 years

4. In this epic deep-sea adventure story, which is written in sparkling rhyme, children are invited to explore the world’s oceans, finding out all sorts of cool facts and meeting brilliant creatures from land and sea. In the Pacific Ocean we learn about the problem of plastic, and the message of looking after our planet rings clearly throughout this visually stunning picture book.

1. Fourteen Wolves by Catherine Barr and Jennie Desmond
2. Published by Bloomsbury, 2021

3. Age 4-10 years

   This beautifully illustrated book tells the true story of the wolves of Yellowstone Park in America. When they disappeared 100 years ago due to the impact of hunters, the park’s ecosystem collapsed. In 1995, 14 wolves were reintroduced, and this non-fiction book tells how that decision helped breathe life back into Yellowstone. An important story about how ecosystems work, how precious they are, and how we shouldn’t take them for granted.

   

4. My First Heroes: Eco Warriors by Nila Aye
5. Published by Campbell Books, 2021

6. Age 2-5 years

   This fun and engaging series shines the spotlight on some real-life heroes, with plenty of levers to pull, twist or slide along the way. In the book we’re introduced to Greta Thunberg, David Attenborough, Isatou Ceesay and John Muir, and we find out about the work they have done to help conserve and protect the environment.

   

7. Little Nature: Build by Isabel Otter and Pau Morgan
8. Published by Little Tiger, 2021

Age 0-5 years

Made from 100% recycled board and with brilliant cut-out sections, this fantastic board book is part of the Little Nature series, which looks at different creatures and the amazing worlds they live in. In Build we learn all about habitats and how creatures build their homes, from bees making their hive out of beeswax to beavers building dams from logs.

You can read more of Caroline’s reviews at @teenyreaders on Instagram and Twitter.