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With Gen Alpha deemed to be the eco-warrior demographic growing up in an increasingly volatile climate (literally), it’s never a bad thing to teach children about the real world – here are seven of the best climate change books for kids.
Generation Alpha faces a bigger climate threat than the rest of us – 2020-born children could experience seven times more extreme weather events (especially heatwaves) than those born in 1960 – and the cohort has already begun seeing some of its effects.
So perhaps it’s unsurprising that, if you believe one survey from 2021, 67% of kids aged six to nine say saving the planet will be the central mission of their future careers. And their perspectives are touching their parents too, 80% of whom have been influenced to change their consumption behaviours or actions to be more eco-conscious.
It feels like we could learn a thing or two from our children. But if you’re looking to support this generation’s knowledge-building, there are a host of resources out there that can help. Some of them are in the form of climate change books – here are some of the best ones you can get for your kids.
The Lorax
By Dr Seuss
One of the OG climate change books for young ones, Dr Seuss’s 1971 classic stands the test of time even today. The Lorax explores the dangers of taking the Earth for granted through the lens of Once-ler and the Lorax, a creature who speaks on behalf of the trees. There are rhymes and playful illustrations, which help readers better grasp the ideas of greed, deforestation, and short-term profits – all linked to climate change. What’s even better is that the book is printed on recycled paper, which is a great way to introduce the concept of recycling to kids. (There’s also an animated film adaptation of The Lorax from 2012.)
You can find The Lorax by Dr Seuss (recommended for ages four to eight) online and at various bookstores for $16.99.
Moth: An Evolution Story
By Isabel Thomas (illustrations by Daniel Egnéus)
Isabel Thomas’s 2019 book, Moth: An Evolution Story, explains climate change through the evolution story of moths. With powerful visuals, the critically acclaimed title shows how living creatures need the environment to survive, but how human evolution and the changing climate have affected their natural selection. Moths, for example, evolved to have darker wings so they could camouflage themselves better on trees covered with soot, telling a striking tale of climate adaptation and industrial pollution.
You can find Moth: An Evolution Story by Isabel Thomas and Daniel Egnéus (recommended for ages six to 10) online and at various bookstores for $18.99.
Sofia Valdez, Future Prez
By Andrea Beaty (illustrations by David Roberts)
Sofia Valdez, Future Prez is a great book for budding climate activists. It centres around a second-grader whose grandfather hurts his ankle on a local landfill (Mount Trashmore) and can no longer walk her to school every day. Sofia goes to the city hall to get permission to build a park on the site, but is denied permission. With a catchy rhyming scheme, the book tells the story of youthful persistence, as Sofia garners support and finally gets the mayor’s attention. The message is simple and effective: you’re never too young to change the world.
You can find Sofia Valdez, Future Prez by Andrea Beaty and David Roberts (recommended for ages five to seven) online and at various bookstores for $18.99.
Our House is on Fire
By Jeanette Winter
The poster child of Gen Z climate activism, Greta Thunberg’s iconic World Economic Forum speech in 2019 serves as inspiration for Jeanette Winter’s Our House is on Fire: Greta Thunberg’s Call to Save the Planet. The book charts Thunberg’s journey through illustrations and descriptions, including where she learned about climate change, what actions she’s taken (like skipping school every Friday to spark what is now a global climate protest), and how she shows that youngsters can bring about change.
You can buy Our House is on Fire by Jeanette Winter (recommended for ages three to eight) online and at various bookstores for $17.99.
Princess Olivia Investigates: The Wrong Weather
By Lucy Hawkins (illustrations by Zoe Persico)
The first edition of her latest series, Lucy Hawkins’s Princess Olivia Investigates: The Wrong Weather follows Princess Olivia of the Kingdom of Alez, which decided it didn’t want a royal family anymore, leading to the girl losing her home. But she’s excited: she can quit her boring royal lessons and explore nature. However, she’s horrified when she learns what’s happening to the Earth, sparking her mission to help reverse climate change. The book is dotted with facts from scientists, and serves as a driver for children who want to become activists.
You can find Princess Olivia Investigates: The Wrong Weather by Lucy Hawkins and Zoe Persico (recommended for ages six to 10) online and at various bookstores for £7.99.
The Magic School Bus and the Climate Challenge
By Joanna Cole and Bruce Degen
Ms. Frizzle and the Magic School Bus, the celebrated book series that began in 1986, is known for taking readers along the ride for Ms Frizzle’s educational school trips. In The Magic School Bus and the Climate Challenge, the students are taken around the world and shown all the places experiencing the impact of climate change – think melting ice glaciers and rising sea levels. The comic-style book explores greenhouse gas emissions, with students seeing ‘invisible’ CO2 through special glasses and turning into UV rays at one point, and offers solutions to the crisis in the series’ trademark simplicity.
You can find The Magic School Bus and the Climate Challenge by Joanna Cole and Bruce Degen (recommended for ages seven to 10) on Amazon for $23.99.
Climate Change, the Choice is Ours
By David Miles (illustrations by Albert Pinilla)
David Miles’ 2020 interactive reference book Climate Change, the Choice is Ours: The Facts, Our Future, and Why There’s Hope! revels in the binary. Every left-side page covers climate change topics like deforestation, greenhouse gases, rising sea levels, extreme weather, agriculture and more, while every right-side page has a spin wheel that offers readers a choice: leave climate change to do its thing, or address the issue and do something about it. It’s a more advanced book and doesn’t shy away from uncomfortable realities – but it does offer recommendations and hope.
You can find Climate Change, the Choice is Ours by David Miles and Albert Pinilla (recommended for ages seven to 10) on Amazon and various bookstores for $24.99.
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