Since Earth Day is coming up soon we are seeing a lot more advice cropping up for parents who want to teach their kids about going green. I read four eco children’s books to my own kids recently and they all got a big thumbs up so I thought I would share them here.
William is Going Green by James Martin II – This story is about a garbage truck named
William who lives in a big city collecting garbage. He is largely unappreciated by the people who live in his city and he gets laid off when the city folk complain about how badly he pollutes the air. So William sets of to find another job and he ends up in Jamestown, a tranquil city that has “gone green”. The garbage service company there is happy to hire him but they tell him he must get a clean hybrid engine though. William can’t afford to get a new engine so he is just about to leave and try another city when circumstances give him the opportunity to be come to the aid of one of Jamestown’s smallest residents and he finds a way to get that engine and begin his own mission to go green and fight global warming. My kids really liked the story…especially my 7 year old son who LOVES garbage trucks. It is wonderfully illustrated too….the colors just pop off the page.
Interestingly the author was inspired to write this book not long after his own journey to greener living began when he made a big environmental boo-boo and was fined by the city.
My Bag and Me by Karen Farmer – This one was adorable and perfect for kids in the 4-6 years old range. It follows the activities of a little boy who has his own shopping bag. He talks about how he and his bag are helping to save the environment and he and his mom takes their very own reusable bags to the supermarket and say NO to paper and plastic. Once again the illustrations are top notch. My 4 year old daughter was completely absorbed in this book and she was just beside herself when a hidden compartment in the back of the book revealed a small shopping bag just like the one the little boy in the story had. She has been carrying it everywhere and calls it her “earth bag”. :) The book is 100% recyclable.
Knut – How One Little Polar Bear Captivated the World by Juliana, Isabella, and Craig 
Hatkoff – Is there anyone not familiar with the adorable polar bear from the Berlin Zoo named Knut? Well, this lengthy story follows his life from birth and it is documented with amazing full color photos. This book was a bit too long and wordy for my 4 year old but perfect for my 7 year old boy. Both got a few good chuckles out of the pictures, especially the one where Knut is playing in the mud or chewing a shoe. The last part of the book talks about the habits and lives of polar bears in the wild and how they are being threatened by climate crisis and of course it gives a few ideas for how kids can get involved in changing things for the better.
Michael Recycle by Ellie Bethel – This story is about the town of Aberdoo-Rimey where garbage was left to grow rotten and slimy. :) The town has a serious problem with garbage build-up and littering so the green caped crusader Michael Recycle must come to their aid and teach them how to clean up their act. They get inventive with recycling, water conservation, gardening, and composting so that once their town looks and smells fresh and inviting. The illustrations were killer….absolutely fantastic. Both of my older kids loved this book.
Happy Reading!
