Happy Earth Day 2026! There are many ways to celebrate Earth Day! One is learning about the Earth and the life on it. Another is doing something to help our world. Today we are going to share a roundup of books from board books to a middle grade book on topics including animals, plants, gardens, and being eco-friendly. We will start with the two board books from the same series. They are You Are a Garter Snake! and You Are a Robin! by Laurie Ann Thompson and illustrated by Jay Fleck. They are part of the Meet Your World Series. The series is recommended for ages 2 to 5.
About the Book:
Stretch and swim like a garter snake with this adorable, STEM nonfiction picture book, part of a series that encourages very young readers to learn—through gentle interactivity and play—about the animals who share their worldStretch, bend, twist! You may haves seen a small, slim garter snake disappear between rocks or flowers. Did you know that garter snakes spray smelly stuff to scare off predators, sniff with their tongues, and cuddle together for winter? From birth to first shedding and beyond, discover all that goes into being a garter snake in this charming picture book, the fourth in the Meet Your World series.
This playful and informative series invites you to take a closer look at the amazing animals that live right alongside you in rural, suburban, and urban landscapes across North America. In each book, words and art inspire you to act out animal actions that are not so different from your own habits. And robust backmatter offers even more information and fun with fascinating facts, a glossary, activities, and tips on how to help and protect garter snakes. From the animals’ families and foods to their environments and behaviors, let’s meet your world!
About the Book:
Flit, flap, flutter! You might have seen a robin flying overhead or heard one singing in the trees. Did you know that robins tidy themselves up, teach their babies to find food, and are almost fully grown in just two weeks? From birth to first flutter and beyond, discover all that goes into being a robin in this charming picture book, the third in the Meet Your World series.
This playful and informative series invites you to take a closer look at the amazing animals that live right alongside you in rural, suburban, and urban landscapes across North America. In each book, words and art inspire you to act out animal actions that are not so different from your own habits. And robust backmatter offers even more information and fun with fascinating facts, a glossary, activities, and tips on how to help and protect robins. From the animals’ families and foods to their environments and behaviors, let’s meet your world!
From Me:
These two books introduce the animals to the youngest readers. They share actions that the animals do with illustrations of humans doing the same actions. It makes the stories interactive and a wonderful way to engage the highly active child(ren) in a book. At the end of each book are fun facts about the animal, a glossary, a challenge to act like the animal as well as why the animal is important and how to help them. These books are a wonderful way to celebrate Earth Day with young ones!
Our next book is bilingual and about an adventure in the garden. It is Wonder in the Garden by Talia Aikens-Nuñez and illustrated by Irene Freitas. It is recommended for ages 3 to 5.
About the Book:
Nina loves spending time in her family’s garden, and so does her dog, Nube. They delight in all the wonders found growing there and all the spectacular colors—roja, naranja, verde, amarillo, morado. But mostly they just love to play, as it’s the perfect place for a game of hide-and-seek with its tall corn and enormous leafy veggies. It’s also a place to have the best al fresco meals with Nina’s loving extended family. Exuberant text sprinkled with Spanish and vivid, energetic art that captures the garden in all its glory make this the perfect book for celebrating the bounty of our gardens and the joy of spending a day there, learning, laughing, and lending a helping hand!
From Me:
In this sweet book a young girl shares her excitement about an adventure in the garden. She speaks both English and Spanish and plays but also helps in the garden. Then her family gathers for a wonderful meal full of fresh picked food. It is a wonderful introduction to growing your own food and how much fun it can be especially if the work is divided by family members!
Our next book is written by a Native American author and shares the special connection her community feels with the Earth. It is You Are the Land by Steph Littlebird. It is recommended for ages 3 to 7.
About the Book:
You Are the Land is a vivid ode to belonging within a family, within a community, and within the natural world.
From the day she’s born, a child feels the love and power that come with being part of something bigger. She’s a new spring leaf, alive and growing, as strong as the ancient cedars and as radiant as the glittering night sky. She is one with the amazing forces of nature that surround and nurture her, and that she nurtures in return.
Through inspiring words and sweeping illustrations, renowned author-artist Steph Littlebird’s stunning debut celebrates our connection to the land and shows how we perfectly mirror its beauty and resilience.
From Me:
In this book Steph Littlebird shares her native culture with readers. The family members teach the child how everyone is connected to the earth and must help care for the earth. It begins with a baby and as the child grows the messages become more and more about caring for our environment and nature. I love how the culture shines through the book and is perfect for Earth Day!
Our next book is about an adventure a baby turtle has when he wakes up/hatches at the incorrect time and finds all of his siblings have left him behind on the beach. The book is Turtle Slept In by Jacob Grant. It is recommended for ages 3 to 7. It is being released April 28, 2026.
About the Book:
Turtle slept in — and all her siblings already hatched and made it to the sea. Now she must journey across the beach and navigate shoddy sandcastles, stomping feet, and hungry seagulls to reach the water.
Lucky for Turtle, she’s not alone. Bird will do her best to keep Turtle safe along the way, but it’s not the dangers of the beach that worry Turtle. The closer Turtle gets to the sea, the bigger it looks, and the more she wonders if she can ever find her family in something so big.
From Me:
Turtle slept in and missed getting to the sea at night with her siblings. She is determined to get there during the day and a bird decides to watch over her and help her. At times the bird fears for them and other times the turtle is afraid of the big sea and how she will find her siblings. It is a sweet book about a friendship but also teaches about the life of a sea turtle or at least the beginning of life. Another wonderful tale for Earth Day!
Our next book teaches young ones about electric vehicles! It is Eco: The Little Electric Taxi by Deb Adamson and illustrated by Patrick Corrigan. It is recommended for ages 4 to 7.
About the Book:
Eco, the little electric taxi, and his driver, Charlie, work day and night—helping people get where they need to go. On the way to a school drop-off, Eco and Charlie find themselves stuck in a huge traffic jam—there are ducks stranded in the middle of the road! Will Eco be able to help lead them to safety?
With themes of environmental conscientiousness, rhyming text, and delightful art, Eco is perfect for Earth Day celebrations, or as a gift to any car-loving kid looking for a new read-aloud!
From Me:
In this book we learn about an electric taxi and how being electric is good for the earth. The story follows the taxi for a couple of days including getting plugged in at night. It also shares when a family of ducks get scared of the noises in the street and block the way it is the taxi who has the other cars and trucks quiet down so the ducks will move out of the way. It shares about the exhaust pollution of non-electric vehicles as well as the noise pollution. There is more about the noise pollution issue in the Author's Note at the end of the book. It is a great introduction to electric vehicles and talking about different kinds of pollution.
Our next book is all about an axolotl who is confused about where he belongs. The book is Axl the Axolotl Is Not a Frog by Benj Pasek, Justin Paul, and John Paul Brammer and illustrated by Vanessa Morales. It is recommended for ages 4 to 8.
About the Book:
On the first day of school, Axl the Axolotl finds where he belongs in this charming story about learning to love the things that make you different.
It was the first day of school in Flower Bed Lake, and every little creature knew exactly where to go. Everyone, that is, except Axl. The fish, lizards, and frogs all headed to their own schools to learn how to glub glub and ribbit, but there was only one of Axl. Will he ever find where he belongs?
From EGOT-winning songwriters Benj Pasek & Justin Paul, the songwriters behind The Greatest Showman and Dear Evan Hansen, and author JP Brammer comes a story of a brave and curious axolotl who is determined to find where he belongs. Brought to life by Vanessa Morales, this is a funny and affirming story about loving the things that make you unique and that finding the place you belong might look different than you expected. Complete with fascinating, kid-friendly facts about axolotls!
From Me:
In this book we meet Axl the Axolotl. Axl is excited for the first day of school but doesn't know which one he should attend. The fish are off to fish school but tell Axl he is not a fish with four legs. He tries the lizard school but discovers he can't stay out of the water that long. Next, he tries frog school. The frogs are ready to accept him, but he struggles with catching flies, hopping and ribbiting. When a piece of his tail breaks off, the other animals are worried, but Axl tells him how it will grow back and they are amazed. That is when he realizes he is special and tells them he is an axolotl. Throughout the book Axl throws in some Spanish words. At the end of the book are fascinating facts about axolotls including that they are considered critically endangered. Perfect book for talking about why we need to care more about our planet!
Our next book is about a connection a girl has with a tree in her yard. It is More Than a Tree by Sarah Kurpiel. It is recommended for ages 4 to 8.
About the Book:
The backyard tree has meant everything to the girl in this story. It has been a companion, a shelter, and a setting for all kinds of games. But now it’s time to say goodbye, and to make room for a new backyard tree. And just as the old tree used to watch over the girl, she will now watch over the seedling as it grows.
In soothing, melodic prose and gentle, glowing images, this story is about much more than a tree—it’s about family, about processing sadness, about the circle of life and the nourishment we all receive from nature.
From Me:
This sweet book shares a young girl's view of the big tree in her yard and how much she will miss it now that it has lived its long life and needs to come down. Everyone tries to tell her it is just a tree, but she knows it is more. It has watched over her childhood and been a part of it. It is a wonderful story about our connection to nature and how our natural environment is a part of our story.
Our next book is a tale of Inuit people in Greenland. It shares the four seasons there. It is Seasons by the Lake by Naja Lund Aparico and illustrated by Alex Nees. It is recommended for ages 4 to 8.
About the Book:
Brothers Minik and Nuka have a whole year of adventures ahead in Greenland, including finding ice shards from glaciers in the spring to picking crowberries during the summer when the sun barely sets.
The darkness of winter reveals Arsarnerit, or the Aurora Borealis, above as the two whisper about the Inuit myth behind the lights.
Greenlandic Inuk author Naja Lund Aparico combines a sweet sibling story with an exploration of the seasons in the Arctic featuring stunning illustrations by German and Choctaw illustrator Alex Nees that captures the sweeping landscape.
From Me:
This wonderful book shares about the life in Greenland during the various seasons. It starts with Spring which is the month of May and goes through the different seasons and how the environment changes. The reader learns about nilak or shards of ice-blue glaciers that can be found. In summer we learn about fishing and crowberries. Fall brings snow and winter brings Arsarnerit or Aurora Borealis. Each season brings new stories that I know I didn't know. The culture and the experience are shared with everyone around the world even if it is one we won't ever experience ourselves.
Our final book is a middle grade book about encouraging and helping kids to live with less screen time. It is a nonfiction book with a graphic novel inside it. It is The Amazing Generation by Jonathan Haidt and Catherine Price and illustrated by Cynthia Yuan Cheng. It is recommended for ages 9 to 12.
About the Book:
A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year!
Jonathan Haidt’s blockbuster book, The Anxious Generation, has sparked a global conversation about the effects of smartphones and social media on young people’s development, and has inspired millions of parents, teachers, and leaders to take action. Now, Haidt and Catherine Price, author of the bestselling How to Break Up with Your Phone, have teamed up to create a new book that speaks directly to kids. Their goal? To empower young people to stand up for themselves by choosing a life not dominated by screens and social media.
Whether or not kids already have smartphones or social media accounts, this engaging guide is packed with surprising facts, a graphic novel, interactive challenges, secrets that tech leaders don’t want kids to know, and real-life anecdotes from young adults who regret getting smartphones at a young age and want to help the next generation avoid making the same mistakes.
But this isn’t just a book about what not to do. It’s a bold, optimistic, and practical guide to growing into your most authentic, confident, and adventurous self. Readers won’t just discover how to avoid becoming the next Anxious Generation. They’ll learn how to become amazing.
From Me:
This book is a guide to encourage middle grade and young adults to lessen their use and dependence on technology and social media. It is about finding real connections with people and nature. I haven't had time to really read it, but I love the idea! So many of this generation is very dependent on technology. I see it every day in the classroom. The book is not saying to give it all up but to use it less and not get addicted to it like so many have. There are ideas like time limits and just joining friends in person and putting your tech down to socialize and experience life. It is something we all need and our planet needs us to do as well!
