What are the best eco books for children and teens?
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Version 0 of 1. This week we’re celebrating the positive power of stories, all kinds of stories, to bring home what we risk losing on our beautiful planet - and what we can do about it. Here authors and children’s books site members share the books that made them think. We’ll be feeding this blog with more recommendations all week, so please share yours – and keep checking back. Frank Cottrell Boyce (whose latest book is the remarkably green The Astounding Broccoli Boy) The book that made me realise that I was part of the environment was The Ladybird Book of Saints. On the cover was this brilliant image of St Francis releasing the caged birds he had he had bought in the market. For ages afterwards I would go into pet shops and zoos and itch to unlock the doors. In fact there are “freeing the animals” scenes in at least two of my books. There are so many environmental messages about how horrible humans are wrecking the planet - that’s obviously true in a way but this image made me feel that I belonged in the World too and that I could cherish and love it. Related: Welcome to our eco-themed week - an overview David Almond, author of Skellig The Promise by Nicola Davies and Laura Carlin. It’s beautifully written, beautifully illustrated picture book. It shows a troubled darkened world being recreated by the human need for greenery, life and colour. Louise O’Neill, author of Only Ever Yours Margaret Atwood’s Oryx and Crake is a speculative fiction novel that is very much concerned with the damage humans are inflicting upon the environment and the possible catastrophic results that could have. Written in 2003, many plot points now seem eerily prescient and it makes for a disturbing, powerful read. Highly recommended for older teenagers. Site member, Patrick Carl Hiaasen’s Hoot is true to its name in that it’s a supremely funny YA novel, and one that tends to be overlooked. There’s a real environmental streak running through all of Hiaasen’s works and Hoot is no exception, it deals with a Florida teen who bands together with a couple of new friends to stop the destruction of a burrowing owl colony. It’s a lot of fun with a solid conservationist message at its core and an abundance of charm to boot.” Candy Gourlay, author of Shine Long ago I wrote a short story called How to Build the Perfect Sandcastle for Under the Weather, the climate change anthology edited by Tony Bradman. About a white sand beach losing its sand because the sea is heating up ... the same hot oceans that later whipped up the murderous monster that was Typhoon Haiyan in 2013. Perhaps the all too real climate change disaster in the Philippines has made me partial to flood stories. My favorite is Not the End of the World, the lyrical resetting of Noah’s Ark as a Tsunami survival story by Geraldine McCaughrean. Lottie Longshanks, site member The wild series by Piers Torday. So far I have read The Last Wild and The Dark Wild. Kester has the unusual gift of communicating with animals and it is his mission to save the animals from red eye the disease that is slowly killing them. It is a really exciting story and you soon guess who the villains are Selwyn Stone and his lackeys who want to dictate the way that everyone lives. The amazing rubbish dump in the second book in the series really makes you think about the damage that we are doing to our planet. I can’t wait to read the third book in the series, The Wild Beyond. White Dolphin by Gill Lewis Set in the south West of England the exciting story tells of children who take on the might of a powerful fishing business to stop dredging in the harbour because of the damage it does to marine life. I also love Moon Bear by Gill Lewis. This incredibly moving story shows how deforestation leads to misery for the animals whose habitat was the forest. And finally here is a recommendation for small children I read it to my cousin who lives in Oman when he comes to visit us. Dear Greenpeace by Simon James. Emily writes to Greenpeace to find out how to care for the whale that she thinks she has seen in her pond. Emily’s letters and the lovely replies she receives from Greenpeace will give little children a lot of information about whales. (Also see Lottie Longshank’s poem Our Precious world) Related: Our Precious World by Lottie Longshanks - poem SF Said, author of Varjak Paw I recommend Exodus by Julie Bertagna: a brilliantly prescient YA novel about climate change, set in a drowned future world. It’s full of unforgettable visions and characters, and it will stay with you forever! ItWasLovelyReadingYou, site member My book would be Breathe by Sarah Crossan. It made me think about how we take so many things for granted, such as oxygen. You can’t see it, we use it every day, without it we would not survive; yet many people do not really sit down and feel a sense of gratitude for these types of things, becuase we assume we deserve them, we see them as something that will never go away, we just accept it without question. Breathe really made me feel a sense of ‘imagine if we didn’t have oxygen, or we had limited supplies of it-”, it made me question my unconscious detachment from what keeps us alive, and really feel privelidged to have all of these necessities. Katherine Rundell, author of Rooftoppers Cosmic, by Frank Cottrell Boyce. Cosmic is a book that makes the world look like something worth protecting. It’s hilariously funny, and also wise - it makes its readers want desperately to go into space, but also to take care of the world while we’re on it. The Earth is, as one of the astronauts says, “some kind of lovely.” The Last Wild series by Piers Torday - these three spectacular books are about a world decimated by humans, and the possibility of that loss feels very real and urgent and frightening - and they’re also fantastic adventure stories, about bravery and animals and human capacity to do huge good as well as harm. And there’s a bossy talking cockroach. Site Brahmachari, author of Kite Spirit and Artichoke Hearts For me it has to be The Ring of Bright Water Trilogy by Gavin Maxwell. I fell in love with these books as a child because they are set on the West coast of Scotland - a place I love - where wildlife and nature are the biggest characters. It;s a humbling landscape. If you have a love of the outdoors and really want to study the nature of beautiful, playful otters… and can stand to have your heart broken .... you should read these stories. Although they were written 50 years ago they are as timeless as the shingle beaches they are set on. The author lived and breathed the paradise he went to live in… and so will you when you read these books… and afterwards you can watch the film (tissues at the ready!) Related: How dystopia hammers home the reality of climate change OrliTheBookWorm, site member Breathe by Sarah Crossan is probably the book that’s impacted me the most in terms of the environment - it’s a dystopian novel, with people living in domes due to a lack of oxygen - the raw descriptions and harsh realities were wonderfully done and uttery thought provoking, and made me take a step away from my laptop and have a look outside my window.... It’s a brilliant book, which I guarantee will change your perspective on the environment around us. Piers Torday, author of The Dark Wild trilogy The Animals of Farthing Wood by Colin Dann – the original classic tale of a group of British animals seeking refuge when their precious Farthing Wood is threatened by human development. They overcome incredible obstacles and danger to make it to a wildlife sanctuary. But reading it today there is an extra poignancy - some of the animals in the story, like the red-backed shrike, are now extinct, and others - like the adder, hare and voles - are all under threat. BritishBiblioholic, site member Watership Down by Richard Adams – When the rabbits in Watership Down are forced to leave their home, it is due to its impending destruction by humans. This potentially can be seen as an allegory for the ongoing destruction for the environment in general - and unlike the rabbits, if we don’t save our environment, we won’t be able to find somewhere else to live. Tony Bradman, author of Anzac Boys One of my favourite books about the environment is Oi! Get Off Our Train, a brilliant picture book by John Burningham. It’s about a boy who dreams he’s travelling around the world on his toy train, and each time he stops he picks up animals from species that are endangered because their habitat is being threatened or has been destroyed. Great pictures and the message is delivered with a lot of fun. @GdnChildrensBks Under The Weather anth. ed @tonybradman, climate change. My story Tommy and the Bike Train shows kids what they can do. Sarah Crossan, author of Breathe The Last Wild by Piers Torday - it’s rare for a cli-fi novel to be magical, engaging and affecting, but Torday achieves all of these things. Not only that, but each book in the trilogy gets better. He’s not a writer to watch but one we are already keenly watching. Please share the book that made YOU think about the environment and climate change and we’ll add it to this blog. You can either email on childrens.books@theguardian.com with the heading “eco books” or tweet @GdnChildrensBks. Your recommendations @GdnChildrensBks The classic, Dinosaurs and all that Rubbish by Michael Foreman. Most eco last line ever: 'Everyone! Everyone!' Beatrice, on email The Word for World is Forest by Ursula Le Guin for fairly sophisticated young readers from about age 13. The indigenous social organization of the very green planet experiencing colonization therein was fascinating, and opens young minds up to understanding the profound disruptions experienced by, as well as the important teachings of native peoples everywhere. Also, The Owl Service by Alan Garner gave rise to surprising conversations with my 10 year-old about landscape, and the connections between culture, history and the environment, as well as the importance to humans of preserving those connections. For much younger children The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein can seem a little odd viewed from a conservationist perspective, but it inspired lovely conversations about nature and environmental stewardship (“us taking care of nature because nature takes care of us”) with my 4 year-old. Anything by Jean Craighead George. @GdnChildrensBks Best eco books for children: don't forget Dr Seuss http://t.co/c1t4Yt4Mlt http://t.co/472ErP2YoH @GuardianBooks @GdnChildrensBks Big Bear Hug by Nicholas Oldland - such a well done picture book with an eco message! @GdnChildrensBks The Trouble with Dragons by @DebiGliori and The Berenstain Bears Don't Pollute by Stan & Jan Berenstain #climatechange @kdbrundell @GavJacobson @GdnChildrensBks My 8 yo really liked Jean Craighead George's My Side of The Mountain et seq when he was younger @GdnChildrensBks @davidjalmond @frankcottrell_b Good list, but I'm surprised no one mentioned THE LORAX by Dr. Seuss. It's an eco-classic! @MiriamHalahmy @GdnChildrensBks @davidjalmond @frankcottrell_b Great recommendations. Dr Seuss's The Lorax still resonates. @GdnChildrensBks the cloud spinner by Michael Catchpool @GdnChildrensBks & Window by Jeannie Baker - wordless examination of how humans change world around them as they build, have babies, move on @GdnChildrensBks And the Wizard of Earthsea is all about "balance" and equilibrium and taking the time to understand the nature of things Sandra, on email I would strongly recommend the power of Scottish writer Rachel Meehan’s two books, Power’s Out and Water’s Edge. Through her strong characterisation, and the fiesty nature of her principal character Nairne, her hard-hitting story lines play out with force. The unvarnished truth of the implications of relentless climate change is delivered through fast paced adventures, which are compelling reading for young people. Her message is unmissable. @GdnChildrensBks The new & beautiful WHERE'S THE ELEPHANT? by Barroux - a rare picture book about deforestation http://t.co/WyFcfNb6Du Teresa, on emailHave a look at Rachel Meehan’s books – the Waters Edge trilogy. @GdnChildrensBks if you're in it for the long haul- The Obernewtyn Chronicles by Isobelle Carmody...a slow eco burn. @GuardianBooks @GdnChildrensBks Wump World by Bill Peet. @GdnChildrensBks These are Dolly's TOP #EARTHDAY BOOKS! http://t.co/hTuAQSHJAD #gogreen #EarthDay2015 #childrensbooks pic.twitter.com/dKZKNHAGip @GdnChildrensBks @SeaHolding An Australian proto-example of cli-fi maybe - Ruth Park's My Sister Sif? (With bonus mermen) @PenguinBooksAus @GdnChildrensBks @davidjalmond @frankcottrell_b The Story Of the Blue Planet by Icelander Andri Snaer Magnuson is a great book. @GdnChildrensBks Don't forget this one! pic.twitter.com/1JQnVzcdAe Mary, curator, eco-fiction.com Memory of Water by Emmi Itäranta: The novel takes place in the future after climate change has ravished economies and ecologies, and made fresh water scarce. The main character, Noria, is a young woman learning the traditional, sacred tea master art from her father. Yet, water is rationed and scarce in her future world. Her family has a secret spring of water, and, as tea masters, she and her father act as the water’s guards, even though what they are doing is a crime according to their future world’s government, a crime strongly disciplined by the military. Nature’s Confession by JL Morin: The eco-novel is wonderful and reminds me of classic science fiction I watched or read as a kid. It was a genre that fascinated me then, and this book has joined that memory. The novel is epic in that it doesn’t just tell a story (which it does do too), but it puts our very survival into question while romping through the universe or discovering new quantum physics that are both scientific and spiritual in nature. In the meantime, universal symbols are unearthed, codes are investigated, fat corporations are dominating, a romance is blossoming, computers come alive, and native tribes and Nature on another planet bring our own treasured past into the future. Tito intiro Chavaropana by Jessica Groenendijk: Tito intiro Chavaropana means ‘Tito and the Giant Otter’ in Matsigenka. The author, a biologist who has studied giant otters, is now working on a sequel, in which Tito sets off into the forest to hunt a spider monkey and meets a harpy eagle on the way. They become friends but not without a misunderstanding or two!Spirit Bear by Jennifer Harrington: Spirit Bear celebrates a rare and iconic black bear that is born with a recessive gene that makes its coat creamy or white. Also called the Kermode bear, the spirit bear lives in the delicate, rich, and threatened ecosystem of the Great Bear Rainforest in British Columbia, Canada. Jennifer’s story is about the journey of a spirit bear cub that gets lost from his mother and has to find his way back. Rachel, on email I would like to recommend Rachel Meehan’s Water’s Edge and Power’s Out, from the Troubled Times series, published by Cherry House publishing. I bought these books for my son who was around 13 at the time and he gobbled them up, so I took a peek and was hooked from the beginning. I’m a bit of a scaredy cat when it comes to apocalyptic, end-of-world type stuff, so I was nervous about the subject matter, but the stories are so strong, and the lead character is so gutsy, that I was quickly able to put my fears aside and just get lost in the books, the sign of a very good read. I think that these books make the threat of climate change seem very real; they are based on the implications of slow, incremental change rather than something sudden and momentous, which makes them feel that they could be set in a very near future, and that in fact some of the issues touched on in the book are already with us. All the more frightening. I am writing this recommendation as an adult reader, but I think I can say on behalf of my teenage son, with whom I have discussed the books (and he loves them), that the author has a very direct style, generates pace and tension brilliantly and raises very important issues of our time, in a way that is highly readable and has a powerful impact, not just for a teenage audience but for adults too. |