Green Books for Kids

Compiled by John Sellers -- Publishers Weekly, 3/10/2008

Abrams

50 Ways to Save the Earth (Apr., $17.95) by Anne Jankéliowitch, photos by Philippe Bourseiller, suggests ways children can reduce their carbon footprints. (8-14)

Andrews McMeel

The New 50 Simple Things Kids Can Do to Save the Earth (Sept., $12.99 paper) by John Javna. An updated version of the bestselling guide about saving resources and protecting the environment. (9-12)

Black Dog & Leventhal

A Child’s Introduction to the Environment (Apr., $19.95) by Michael and Dennis Driscoll, illus. by Meredith Hamilton, explores humanity’s effects on land, wind and water; includes stickers and a reusable lunch bag. (9-up)

Blue Apple Books

(dist. by Chronicle)

Round Like a Ball (Apr., $15.95) by Lisa Campbell Ernst. Characters try to guess the identity of a round object in this gentle reminder to take care of the planet. (4-8)

Candlewick Press

10 Things I Can Do to Help My World (Sept., $15.99) by Melanie Walsh offers everyday ways to help the environment. (3-6)

Charlesbridge

Trout Are Made of Trees (Feb., $15.95, $6.95 paper) by April Pulley Sayre, illus. by Kate Endle. A family observes the interconnectedness between plants and animals in a stream. (4-7)

Children’s Book Press

Animal Poems of the Iguazú/Animalario del Iguazú (Aug., $16.95) by Francisco X. Alarcón, illus. by Maya Christina Gonzalez, is a bilingual exploration, through poetry, of this South American rain forest. (6-up)

Dawn Publications

The Forever Forest: Kids Save a Tropical Treasure (Mar., $8.95 paper) by Kristin Joy Pratt-Serafini with Rachel Crandell, illus. by Pratt-Serafini, follows a boy’s exploration of Costa Rica’s Children’s Eternal Rain Forest. (5-10)

How We Know What We Know About Our Changing Climate: Scientists and Kids Explore Global Warming (Mar., $17.95) by Lynne Cherry and Gary Braasch, photos by Braasch, gathers the science behind the headlines regarding environmental changes. (10-14)

DK

Earth Matters (June, $24.99), foreword by David de Rothschild, covers the history and development of Earth, biome by biome. (6-12)

Make It! (June, $12.99) by Jane Bull. An earth-friendly crafting book that uses and reuses household materials. (6-12)

Feiwel and Friends

The Happiness Tree: Celebrating the Gifts of Trees We Treasure (Sept., $14.95) by Andrea Alban Gosline, illus. by Lisa Burnett Bossi, highlights 10 different trees and the qualities that make them special. (3-7)

Greystone

(dist. by PGW)

There’s a Barnyard in My Bedroom (Apr., $19.95) by David Suzuki, illus. by Eugenie Fernandes. Two children learn about nature during magical adventures. (5-8)

Harcourt

Wangari’s Trees of Peace: A True Story from Africa (Sept., $17) by Jeanette Winter is about Wangari Maathai, founder of the Green Belt Movement and winner of the 2004 Nobel Peace Prize. (3-7)

HarperCollins/Bowen Press

MySpace/OurPlanet: Change Is Possible (Mar., $12.99 paper) by the MySpace Community with Jeca Taudte offers ways teens can be more green in all aspects of their lives. (14-up)

HarperCollins/HarperFestival

It’s Earth Day! (Mar., $3.99 paper) by Mercer Mayer. Little Critter learns to save energy and water, recycle and plant trees. (3-7)

Lerner

Animals and the Environment, People and the Environment and Plants and the Environment (Feb., $18.60 each) by Jennifer Boothroyd. This entry in the First Step Nonfiction series explores each subject’s relationship to the natural world. (5-8)

Mass Extinction: Examining the Current Crisis (Apr., $30.60) by Tricia Andryszewski explores the possibility that Earth is heading toward its sixth great mass extinction. (11-18)

Series

Saving Our Living Earth (Oct., $30.60 each) debuts with eight titles, including Earth-Friendly Design by Anne Welsbacher and Understanding Global Warming by Rebecca Johnson, each discussing environmental problems, technology and solutions. (9-13)

Little, Brown

Maximum Ride: The Final Warning (Mar., $20) by James Patterson. In this fourth book in the series, Max and her flock aid scientists studying the effects of global warming. (12-up)

Milet

(dist. by IPG)

Bella’s Chocolate Surprise (May, $8.95 paper) by Adam Guillain, illus. by Elke Steiner. Bella travels to West Africa and befriends children who harvest cacao for a Fair Trade collective. (5-7)

Nomad Press

(dist. by IPG)

Planet Earth: 25 Environmental Projects You Can Build Yourself (Apr., $19.95, $14.95 paper) by Kathleen Reilly contains activities about ecology and ecosystems. (9-up)

Amazing Arctic and Antarctic Projects You Can Build Yourself (Aug., $19.95, $14.95 paper) by Carmella Van Vleet offers facts, experiments and activities based on the planet’s polar regions. (9-up)

Peachtree

About Habitats: Wetlands (Mar., $16.95) by Cathryn Sill, illus. by John Sill, explores the creatures, plants and characteristics of these environments. (3-7)

Penguin/Grosset & Dunlap

Treetures: Meet the Mudsters and Treetures: Welcome Spring! (Mar., $8.99 each) by Megan E. Bryant, illus. by Paul E. Nunn. These two titles feature woodland animals, created by Judith Hope Blau, who explain forest ecology. (6-9)

Treetures: Sticker Stories: Forest Adventure (Mar., $5.99 paper) by Megan E. Bryant, illus. by Paul E. Nunn, offers forest facts and more than 75 reusable stickers. (3-up)

Penton Overseas

My Bag and Me (Feb., $10.95) by Karen Farmer, illus. by Gary Currant, is a board book that espouses the value of taking action to help the planet; reusable Tyvek grocery bag included. (2-up)

Roaring Brook Press

Mission: Planet Earth (Sept., $24.95) by Sally Ride and Tam O’Shaughnessy takes a holistic approach to environmental issues, exploring the connection between human actions and the world. (9-14)

Mission: Save the Planet: 10 Steps Any Kid Can Take to Help Save the Planet (Sept., $6.95 paper) by Sally Ride and Tam O’Shaughnessy is a companion book to Mission: Planet Earth, offering ideas, facts and suggestions for environmentally minded children. (9-14)

Scholastic Press

Adventures of Riley: Safari in South Africa and Project Panda (June, $16.99) by Amanda Lumry and Laura Hurwitz, illus. by Sarah McIntyre, follows Riley and his family on ecological missions around the globe. (4-8)

Scholastic Reference

You Can Save the Planet: 50 Ways You Can Make a Difference (Jan., $4.99 paper) by Jacquie Wines, illus. by Sarah Horne, explains the problems facing the environments and offers kid-friendly solutions. (9-12)

Simon & Schuster/Little Simon

I Can Save the Earth! (Sept., $3.99 paper) by Alison Inches, illus. by Viviana Garofoli, introduces Max the Little Monster, who learns how to be less wasteful and to appreciate the world around him. (4-6)

The Polar Bears’ Home (Sept., $3.99 paper) by Lara Bergen, illus. by Vincent Nguyen. A girl and her father learn how global warming affects polar bears while on an Arctic trip. (4-6)

Little Panda and Little Monkey (Sept., $9.99 each) by Kimberly Ainsworth, illus. by Michelle Berg, are cloth books that show two animals friends playing together. (up to 3)

Simon & Schuster/Simon PUlse

Generation Green: The Ultimate Teen Guide to Living an Eco-Friendly Life (Aug., $9.99 paper) by Linda and Tosh Sivertsen suggests ways to be environmentally aware. (12-up)

Tricycle Press

Eco Babies Wear Green (Apr., $6.95) by Michelle Sinclair Colman, illus. by Nathalie Dion, is a board book showing babies who carpool (on the back seat of a bike) and recycle (a box becomes a sailboat). (1-3)