Read to Save the Planet! 12 Books for All Ages to Honor Earth Day, April 22
The theme for Earth Day 2022 is “Invest in Our Planet.” We all know that one day a year is not enough to save our planet from the ravages of climate change, pollution, loss of habitat, and deforestation; but it is a good reminder and opportunity to educate ourselves. What should you do to honor Earth Day? Read of course!
Here are twelve books for all ages to enjoy, enlighten, and continue (or begin) your journey to invest in our planet.
ADULT
A Children's Bible by Lydia Millet (2020). If you only read one book from this list, make it this masterful allegory and wakeup call from Millet, who holds a master's in environmental policy. A group of old college friends bring their families together for summer vacation, but an epic storm leads to societal collapse. The book is narrated by adolescent Evie and she and the other children respond to what is happening better than their elders who devolve into a modern Sodom and Gomorrah: drinking, fornicating and failing to heed the warnings signs of devastating climate change because, “We thought we had more time.” Evie’s precocious little brother Jack is given a children’s Bible which he affirms is written in code. Jack gathers animals to save them from the flood as their journey to survive begins.
The Ministry for the Future: A Novel by Kim Stanley Robinson (2020). How many ways are there to describe extreme heat? Robinson seems to channel thousands, each unique and compelling. His novel uses fictional eyewitness accounts to tell the story of how climate change will affect us all. Robinson, a master of science fiction, hits closer to our inevitable reality than a post-apocalyptic world. Barack Obama named the book as one of his favorites for 2020.
Something New Under the Sun by Alexandra Kleeman (2021). Kleeman's novel takes place in LA, a world on fire and experiencing extreme drought (sounds like nonfiction, but no). Enter a novelist whose book is being turned into a movie, but something is not right in La La Land. People are blasé to the troubles, merely driving around the fires and guzzling a water alternative called WAT-R, reminiscent of a soylent green solution to world problems. (Eerily the movie “Soylent Green” takes place in 2022.) The novel is not to be confused with John Robert McNeill's nonfiction Something New Under the Sun: An Environmental History of the Twentieth-Century World (2001), which examines history from our environment's perspective.
The Overstory by Richard Powers (2018). This hefty masterpiece about deforestation and its impact on the planet won the 2019 Pulitzer Prize in Fiction. But you knew that. The first third of the tome reads more like a collection of short stories in which each main character has a connection to trees. The stories then intertwine as characters take actions to protect trees and stop clear-cutting. The book is a dendrology lesson with a riveting, nuanced look at so-called bioterrorists. If you find 612 pages daunting, check out Powers’s follow up book Bewilderment at a manageable 288 pages. Considered his most sentimental book, Bewilderment centers on a father and son grieving the loss of their wife/mother and bonding while they experience nature. At its heart lies the question: How can we tell our children the truth about this beautiful, imperiled planet? See below for suggestions!
YOUNG ADULT
Imaginary Borders by Xiuhtezcatl Martinez (2020). If you, or your teenager, likes hip hop but isn’t yet into activism, this is a must read. Martinez, the 21-year-old Indigenous climate activist and youth director of Earth Guardians, advocates for action through his organization and as a hip-hop artist. He asserts that “if we wait for the floodwater to breach our doorstep it will be too late.” This slim book of his speeches and lyrics written when he was a teen should be required reading in high schools to galvanize more young advocates. But, sadly it probably won’t since there are cuss words. For a “Guide to building a movement that restores the planet”, read Martinez’s earlier book, We Rise (2017).
Hothouse Earth, The Climate Crisis and the Importance of Carbon Neutrality by Stephanie Sammartino McPherson (2021). McPherson dedicates her book to “young people everywhere who recognize the urgency of the environmental crisis, cherish the beauty of the earth, and demand climate action now." This book defines the terminology and science behind the climate crisis and highlights specific communities and people working to save our planet. There are achievable, actionable steps to implement and also a challenge to have “climate courage" which requires people in developed nations to prioritize the well-being of the planet over a privileged lifestyle. Hint: This is a great resource for a school paper!
Unnatural Disasters by Jeff Hirsch (2019). What if Earth passed the point of no return on your prom night? That’s what happens to Emily in Hirsch’s novel set in 2049. When their town is cut off from communication with the rest of the world, Lucy and her community must unite and take action to survive. Ultimately hopeful, Unnatural Disasters is a story about survival, family, identity, love, and moving on.
MIDDLE GRADE
The Silver Arrow by Lev Grossman (2020). An 11-year-old girl receives a train for her birthday from an eccentric uncle. She and her little brother become the sole conductor and engineer for the train which stops automatically at platforms where various talking animals board. Young readers will be caught up in the ensuing delightful journey which languidly and subtly rolls out a deeper meaning behind the animal passengers’ trip. My moment of comprehension filled me with tears. This brilliant book works on two levels: an exciting adventure story with a heartfelt message that is never didactic.
Stella Diaz Never Gives Up by Angela Dominguez (2020). Although this is the second book in the series following spunky third-grader Stella Diaz, it can be read as a standalone story. Stella loves marine animals. She learns about ocean conservation at summer camp in Chicago's Shedd Aquarium. “There are one hundred fifty million metric tons of plastic in all the oceans. If an elephant weighs a ton, then that's like one hundred fifty million elephants of trash!” Learning about all the problems with ocean pollution and habitat loss makes Stella sad, but rather than ignoring the problem, she will do something about it.
PICTURE BOOKS
Little Turtle and the Changing Sea by Becky Davies, Illustrated by Jennie Poh (2020). The charming cut-out style illustrations show a little sea turtle in a richly colored ocean full of creatures. Then plastic garbage fills the sea and Turtle tries to communicate with these new creatures in her home. Each illustration changes the sea’s color, from bright turquoise blue to darker green, then gray with pollution. Includes a glossary, resources, and tips for what you can do to help curb ocean pollution.
Sea Bear: A Journey for Survival by Lindsay Moore (2019). Follow a mother polar bear on her migratory journey as she notes the lack of ice floes for hunting and resting. Illustrations show the stark beauty of the Arctic as the polar bear seeks land and swims over narwhals, whales, and sharks. She teaches her cubs how to read the changing sea, "Polar bears are patient beasts, as patient as glaciers."
Does Earth Feel: 14 Questions for Humans by Marc Majewski (2021). This book poses questions accompanied by compelling illustrations that make a great jumping off point for talking with children about climate change. The most provocative spread asks, “Does the Earth feel fear?" with a picture of a flooded town: people stand on rooftops as rescue boats and people atop cars float past. The final illustration depicts a lush landscape, like an Henri Rousseau painting, and asks, “And you, what do you want Earth to feel?” The Author's Note describes how Majewski hurts when the earth hurts. “This is our only home. The time is now to honor Earth's natural past, open our eyes to the present, and protect the future for those still to come. Will you join me?”
I hope you will join Majewski and the other authors to learn more by reading to save the planet on Earth Day—and every day.
