Earth Day Books from Around the World
We LOVE unit studies in our house but if we did a unit study for every holiday, continent and culture we would NEVER have time for all of it. So for Earth Day we are doing a mini-study. One week to introduce, explore and cultivate an understanding of why the Earth should be protected and what we can do to help. You know my go to for any subject is the library, I hope I never put pressure on myself to know EVERYTHING about a SUBJECT before I teach it to my children. There is no shame in learning along side your children, I think it models that you’re never too OLD to learn something NEW.
This list of books is grouped by continent, showing that no matter where you live there is something you can do to protect the world and her resources!
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Africa
One Plastic Bag Isatou Ceesay and The Recycling Women of The Gambia by Miranda Paul and Elizabeth Zunon
This book uses collage and mixed media to follow the life of Isatou Ceesay in The Gambia. As a child she sees plastic bags lying around everywhere, once she grows up the same plastic has piled up. Goats are choking on the plastic which effects the welfare of families that rely on the goats. Isatou has a bold idea to wash and clean the bags, then crochet them into purses to sell at market. Read how she and a group of women change the course of their environment. There are photos of Isatou at the end of the story.
Solar Story How One Community Lives Alongside the World’s Biggest Solar Plant by Allan Drummond
In the hot, dry Sahara desert the world’s largest solar plant uses over 600,000 mirrors to harness the Sun’s power. Join Nadia and Jasmine in their classroom and on a field trip to learn about what happens at the Solar Plant. When their teacher ask the students to think about sustainability and what it means for their city, the girls think about the positive changes the solar plant has created.
Mama Miti by Dona Jo Napoli and Kadir Nelson
True story of how Wangari Maathai of Kenya used trees to heal her land. The trees are distributed to women throughout the country to plant at home. The trees are used for firewood, food, medicine, animal fodder and shelter. Because of her efforts, Wangari is regarded as the “Mother of Trees” in Beautiful oil painting and textiles draw the reader to study each page after reading the text.
Asia
Where are you, Sun Bear? by Eum-mi Choi and Seong-bin Noh
Rajana is worried about all the rain in the village. If there is too much rain then the crops will be destroyed. Can she find the Sun Bear to bring the Sun back and stop the rain? Join her as she meets animals in the jungle and learns why the Sun Bear is so hard to find.
Sun Bear facts and information about Malaysia are listed in final pages of the book.
Don’t Let Them Disappear 12 Endangered Species Across the Globe by Chelsea Clinton and Gianna Marino
This book features animals from around the world that are vulnerable or near extinction. What can you do to help the rhinos, pandas, orangutans, tigers and asian elephants. Let’s do our part to keep them from disappearing.
For more information World Wildlife Federation
Australia
Louie and Snippy Save the Sea by Collette Dinnigan and Grant Cowan
Louie and his dog Snippy dive into the ocean and find a world of marine animals having troubles. Lobsters with plastic straw and octopuses with plastic bottles. What can be done to clean up the ocean? Louie has a plan that we can follow to help the marine animals.
One Tree By Christopher Cheng and Bruce Whatley
Grandfather is quiet, he used to live on a mountain next to a tall tree and he used to tell stories. But now his home is gone, the city has replaced his mountain and he lives with his family in a building. When his grandson finds a seedling and brings it in the house, will this help Grandpa smile again? This touching story about human connection to nature and intergenerational families is truly inspiring.
Europe
Energy Island How One Community Harnessed the Wind and Changed Their World by Allan Drummond
Welcome to world powered by wind. Well not actually a world. Samso is an island in Denmark known for its wind. When the people of Samso are chosen to use renewable energy they use windmills to create power for their island. Read this book to discover how renewable energy slowly transformed one windy community.
North America
We Are Water Protectors by Carole Lindstrom and Michaela Goade
Enticing illustrations bring you on a journey on a young indigenous girl of North America and she shows how water is linked to all parts of life. She gives an example of how oil companies wanted to build a pipeline, which could contaminate the life giving water. Learn how these water protects work to stop the pipeline. Notes from the author and illustrator (both indigenous peoples) about pipeline drilling and its effect on our home.
The Bear’s Garden by Marcie Colleen and Alison Oliver
A fictional tale based on a real garden in Brooklyn, New York. A young girl plants a garden with her imagination, but as soon as the garden get’s going she has to leave. She asks her teddy bear to watch the garden while she is gone. He watches the garden and with the help of the neighbors it blossoms into something wonderful.
Sofia Valdez, Future Prez by Andrea Beatty and David Roberts
What will Sofia do when her Abuelo hurts his foot because of Mount Trashmore? Well she will turn the trash site into a landfill. Sofia learns that an idea takes work to turn into a reality, but with the help of neighbors and her local government they get the job done.
Farmer Will Allen and the Growing Table by Jacqueline Briggs Martin and Eric Shabazz Larkin
Will Allen grew up growing his own food and he was tired of it. But once he became an adult he was driven to begin planting again. He created an urban garden in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, complete with animals, greenhouses and fish ponds. Learn how he educated his community and turned bad soil into good soil with the help of some worms.
South America
Ada’s Violin The Story of the Recycled Orchestra Paraguay by Susan Hood and Sally Wern Comport
Ada lives in Cateura, Paraguay, the landfill location for the city. In a world of trash how will she and her sister create a beautiful world? With the instruction of Favio Chavez and help from their community, the children learn to play instruments that were crafted from the landfill finds. These children go on to play in concerts around the world and build confidence in skills they did not know they possessed.
Central America
Over and Under the Rainforest by Kate Messner and Christopher Silas Neal
A rainforest hike with a child’s knowledgeable uncle takes them up and down around various animals. This book describes animals as they play and live in their hidden world. Be sure to look for beautiful animals on each page and for more information about each animal turn to the last pages of the book.
Keep Reading Friends and Happy Earth Day!