Earth Day, in April, celebrates nature and the boundless gifts our planet offers. As a new season comes forth and the Earth renews itself with growing grass, budding sprouts, the chattering of birds, and the warmer air, it is an excellent time to ponder on Earth and what we can do to make it more beautiful. Let’s explore 7 Picture Books for Earth Day: Plant “Seeds” of Appreciation.
Inspire your students to embrace Earth Day by exploring the beauty of our world and discovering meaningful ways to give back, through these seven powerful stories. These picture books will ignite a passion in your students to appreciate nature fully and will motivate them to find a way to make a difference.
#1 Joy Takes Root by Gwendolyn Wallace
Thanks to Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, this book was sent to my daughter. We read it one windy afternoon after planting our seedlings. It was a sweet story about a young girl named Joy and her Grammy planting a garden. Grammy teaches Joy about the heartbeat of the Earth and has her give thanks to it for all it does for us, making it a fitting read for Earth Day.
Publisher’s Synopsis:
It’s Joy’s first summer in her grandmother’s South Carolina garden—a rite of passage. In the midst of okra, spinach, and strawberries, Grammy teaches Joy that plants are friends with many uses. Herbs, for example, can be turned into medicine.There in Grammy’s abundant backyard, Joy learns to listen for the heartbeat of the earth and connect it to her own as she takes deep breaths and puts her intentions into the soil. By the story’s end, she learns to grow seeds in her own garden, honoring all that her grandmother taught her. With sensory-rich illustrations from award-winning illustrator Ashleigh Corrin, Joy Takes Root is a blissful reminder of all that might bloom.
#2 We Are the Gardeners by Joanna Gaines
I bought this picture book last summer when we visited Magnolia Market in Waco, TX. I was immediately drawn to the beautiful illustrations, but quickly fell in love with the sweet story about a family starting a garden, and the ups and downs and hard work that comes with it all. What better way to encourage and inspire students to garden than with this book?
Publisher’s Synopsis:
In the #1 New York Times bestseller We Are the Gardeners, Joanna Gaines and the kids chronicle the adventures of starting their own family garden. From their failed endeavors, obstacles to overcome (bunnies that eat everything), and all of the knowledge they gain along the way, the Gaines family shares how they learned to grow a happy, successful garden.
#3 Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney
Miss Rumphius is my absolute favorite picture book. It became my favorite in third grade, and I’ve loved it ever since. The theme of making the world more beautiful resonates with so many readers and it tasks students with considering how they too will make an impact on this Earth, just like the Lupine Lady did.
Publisher’s Synopsis:
Alice made a promise to make the world a more beautiful place, then a seed of an idea is planted and blossoms into a beautiful plan. This beloved classic and celebration of nature—written by a beloved Caldecott winner—is lovelier than ever!
Barbara Cooney’s story of Alice Rumphius, who longed to travel the world, live in a house by the sea, and do something to make the world more beautiful, has a timeless quality that resonates with each new generation. The countless lupines that bloom along the coast of Maine are the legacy of the real Miss Rumphius, the Lupine Lady, who scattered lupine seeds everywhere she went.
Looking for activities for Miss Rumphius? Check out our book companion, complete with crafts, writing and literature activities, and including nonfiction articles about Barbara Cooney and the real lupine lady. We especially love the Secret Seed Challenge, a collaborative class project, perfect for Earth Day.
#4 One Plastic Bag by Miranda Paul
This picture book is based on a true story and it authentically inspires students to think of a way to change their world, just like Isatou Ceesay, an African woman, who started a recycling campaign to stop pollution caused by plastic bags where she lived.
Publisher’s Synopsis:
For years, plastic bags were a cheap and convenient option for carrying goods in Njau, Gambia. However, when these bags broke or were no longer needed, they were carelessly discarded, leading to an unsightly accumulation of plastic waste alongside roads. The stagnant water in the bags provided a breeding ground for mosquitoes and diseases, while the burning of bags left behind a foul smell. The bags also strangled gardens, killed livestock, and polluted the environment. Isatou Ceesay decided to take action, and she began to collect the plastic bags and recycle them into something new. Her efforts not only helped to clean up the environment, but also provided income for women in her community who had been struggling to make ends meet.
#5 The Great Kapok Tree by Lynne Cherry
This fable is a book I would read often during April for Earth Day when I taught elementary grades. It allows students to think deeply about the importance of trees and nature this Earth Day. The illustrations are also captivating for students with the majestic jungle and unique animals.
Publisher’s Synopsis:
Lynne Cherry journeyed deep into the rain forests of Brazil to write and illustrate this gorgeous picture book. It is about a man who exhausts himself trying to chop down a giant kapok tree. While he sleeps, the forest’s residents, including a child from the Yanomamo tribe, whisper in his ear. They tell him about the importance of trees and how “all living things depend on one another” . . . and it works. Cherry’s lovingly rendered colored pencil and watercolor drawings of all the “wondrous and rare animals” evoke the lush rain forests. Features stunning world maps bordered by detailed illustrations of fascinating rainforest creatures.
#6 The Curious Garden by Peter Brown
Peter Brown, author of The Wild Robot, shows the importance of the environment and how one person can impact the whole world through their actions in this awesome picture book.
Publisher’s Synopsis:
One boy’s quest for a greener world… one garden at a time. While out exploring one day, a little boy named Liam discovers a struggling garden and decides to take care of it. As time passes, the garden spreads throughout the dark, gray city, transforming it into a lush, green world. This is an enchanting tale with environmental themes and breathtaking illustrations that become more vibrant as the garden blooms. Red-headed Liam can also be spotted on every page, adding a clever seek-and-find element to this captivating picture book.
We know author, Peter Brown, truly values nature and the environment as shown in The Wild Robot. Roz the Robot embeds herself into the vibrant forest of a remote and lush island, learning all about the beauty of nature. The Wild Robot is a cross-curricular novel. It weaves animals and their habits, the science of nature, and the weather and seasons of the great outdoors. This awesome novel teaches its readers so much about Earth.
Looking to read and teach The Wild Robot with authentic project-based activities? Grab our The Wild Robot Project-Based Unit here!
#7 The Seeking Tree by Jodi Dee
This picture book is unique, interesting, and thought-provoking. It allows the reader to ponder how us humans truly change and impact our world for the worse, such as ignoring nature, and how we can fix that. It opens up discussion on how we can appreciate the Earth and all it has to offer us. The illustrations are mesmerizing as well!
Publisher’s Synopsis:
A tree waits…and waits…for humans to pay attention in Dee’s picture book. In the late 1700s, a sapling wants to enjoy the presence of all other living creatures. But while most animals will stop and sit with the small tree, one group will not: humans. First represented by a group of Native hunters, then by European settlers in covered wagons and Puritan home builders. The humans go about their own business, never stopping to sit with the tree. In a repeated refrain, the seeking tree asks,
“Will you sit with us?” An older voice in the forest answers, “They are busy, Young One.” Each time, the tree grows more frustrated until the forest is cleared away. First for farmland, then a city, and finally a futuristic megalopolis. In this last setting, the tree stands alone. It is finally approached by a human family in space suits, who sit with the tree and gather its seeds, hopeful for the future.
Printable Earth Day Activities
Celebrate Earth Day with our Printable Earth Day Activities that includes poems, puzzles, mazes, word searches, and more!
Spread awareness about Earth Day with this full bulletin board.
Conclusion
Each of these picture books offers a meaningful message about caring for our planet. It also recognizes the beauty all around us, from gardens and trees to people making a difference. By sharing these stories with your students, you’re planting seeds of awareness, empathy, and responsibility for Earth. Whether it’s through planting something green, recycling, or simply appreciating the natural world, every small act can help make this planet a better place. This Earth Day, celebrate through story, spark meaningful conversations, and encourage our young readers to dream of a greener tomorrow.
