At Kuli Kuli we see every day as Earth Day, and look for any reason to celebrate and honor this wonderful world. This April 22nd was Earth Day, but these books are timeless and we admire their messages. We invite you to celebrate the planet that nourishes us, gives us shelter, and allows us to explore its many wonders. What better way to get inspired than with colorful and earthy books to read with your kids?
We thought it would be great to refresh your children’s environmental reading list with new(er) books to read with your kids. Double your positive impact by ordering some of these books from your local bookstore! All of these books are released after the year 2000.
Top 7 New Earthy Books for Everyday!
We hope you enjoy this hand-picked selection of new books to read with kids. Make sure to scroll to the bottom for a bonus Earth Day recipe that offers fun for the whole family!
1. My Friend Earth by Patricia Machlachlan. Grades PreK – K
Great read aloud book for kids 3-5 years old. Our Earth does so many wonderful things, learn about the Earth tends to animals and regulates the weather to bring us sunshine, snow, and rain. Kids will love the colorful pages with cut outs. Great interactive book that opens up the opportunity to talk about positive actions to help support this Earth.
2. A Different Pond by Bao Phi. Grades 2-3
This book follows the tale of a father and son who awake before dawn to go fishing, despite a “no trespassing” sign. After catching two small fish, the father and son return home. After all, the father needs leave for work and his son is left in charge of his siblings. This story continues from there, offering a thought-provoking journey. The books is a great illustration of how economic status can impact daily life, as well as the innate desire to connect to our natural surroundings.
Phi’s book is set in Vietnam and also features powerful and beautiful art.
3. The Curious Garden by Peter Brown. Grades PreK – 3
Tip: Choose books with larger pictures for younger audiences!
In this story, a young boy comes across a struggling garden in his city and decides to tend to it. Over time the garden grows and expands, bringing light and joy into a previously dark and gray city. This tale highlights the transformation, growth, and renewal of sustainable, local food co-ops.
The little boy has bright red-hair, which will make spotting him a fun game for the littler readers!
Fun extension to pair this book with: the author Peter Brown offers free printable coloring pages on his author website!
4. Mama Miti by Donna Jo Napoli. Grades Pre K – 3
The true and powerful story of Mama Miti is told through breathtaking imagery with bold colors and textiles. Mama Miti, also known as Wangari Maathai, started a grassroots organization in Kenya that changed the landscape and future of her country. Her Green Belt Movement helps empower people to combat deforestation, soil erosion, and environmental degradation. Mama Miti’s organization has planted over 30 million trees. In 2004 Mama Miti also became the first African woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize.
Wangari Muta Maathai has changed Kenya tree by tree—and with each page turned, children will realize their own ability to change their world for the better.
5. Song of the Wild: A First Book of Animals. Nicola Davies, Grades K-5
This is a book filled with poems about animals of every color, shape, size, and origin, from giant blue whales to bats as tiny as bumblebees. Some poems are lyrical, while others are humorous. All of them are filled with colorful and lively illustrations that capture the beauty and diversity of the animals on the Earth.
Not only beautiful to read and look at, this book is also filled with educational information on all the different animals.
6. Drawn from Nature by Helen Ahpornsiri. Grades 1-4
The book takes us through one year, through all four seasons, and shows scenes from each time. What makes this so special is that every image shown in here is made entirely from hand-pressed plants! Every line, every dot is a flower petal or seeds or needles from that season of time. The quality of the images is amazing so your kids can spend hours looking at the intricate details.
Kids will get to learn about the different seasons of Mother Earth, and this book can easily become interactive by asking kids how many flowers, leaves, or colors they see in the picture. Check out the video below for a sneak peak of the artist’s method!
7. The Forest Feast for Kids: Colorful Vegetarian Meals that are Simple to Make by Erin Gleeson. Grades 3-7
Not a book to read, but a book to help get kids more involved with eating foods that the Earth gave us – vegetables! This book is not only filled with tasty, easy meals that kids can help make, it’s also illustrated beautifully with watercolor images. It’s a bridge between a cookbook and a child’s fairytale story.
Bonus: Fun “Earth” Recipe to Make with Kids!
Looking for a fun recipe to make with the kids that looks like the earth? Here’s a pancake recipe that includes our signature moringa powder as well as blueberries!
Green and Blue Pancakes with Moringa and Blueberries
- Mix up your favorite pancake recipe – either from scratch or a mix. Separate into two bowls.
- In one bowl, add 1-2 tsp of Organic Moringa Powder (this will make up the land). In the second bowl, add the juice of ½ cup of blueberries, defrosted frozen blueberries work best (this will make up the water).
- Heat a non-stick or cast iron griddle over medium heat. Grease with ghee or butter. Ladle on the blueberry mixture first, then go in and top with the moringa mixture, trying to make different land masses. Once the sides start to bubble, flip and cook the other side.
- Top with more blueberries, ghee, and syrup if you like. The topping possibilities are only limited by your imagination!
Closing Thoughts:
There are so many ways to celebrate Earth Day, Earth Month, and Earth Year. Check out our article that offers 8 Earth Day Activities for more inspiration. It’s always a good day to celebrate the earth. We hope this article helped you find ways to celebrate and protect our beautiful planet every day of the year.
Have you read any of these books to your kids? Let us know in the comments below. Feel free to add any of your favorite children’s environmental books too!
Show us your favorite environmental reads by tagging us @kulikulifoods!
Happy reading and Happy Earth Month!
