Children / Young Adult Social Justice Book Lists

Rooted in Indigenous teachings, this stunning picture book encourages readers of all ages to consider the ways in which they live in connection to the world around them and to think deeply about their behaviors. Addressing environmental issues, animal welfare, self-esteem and self-respect, and the importance of community, the authors deliver a poignant and universal message in an accessible way: Be a good ancestor to the world around you. Thought-provoking stanzas offer a call to action for each one of us to consider how we affect future generations. Every decision we make ripples out, and we can affect the world around us by thinking deeply about those decisions. Available in French as Laisse un bel héritage

Chip Calms the Storm is a thoughtful children's book which addresses eco-anxiety in a sensitive and nurturing way. The story follows a young squirrel named Chip who begins to worry about the concerning climate events going on around him. When Chip's worries become too much for him to handle, his beloved Grammy Hazel steps in to support him. Together they embark on a journey creating a special box, full of all the tools Chip needs to stay calm. This book emphasizes themes of resilience and mental well-being, as it helps children navigate their way through feelings of eco-anxiety, by teaching them how tools such as journaling, affirmations, and sit spots can help ground them.

"A well-thought-out presentation of an important environmental message." --Kirkus When the kids in Room 5 write to Earth asking what they can do to help save our planet, they are delighted to get a letter back. This beautiful picture book is a celebration of every child's ability to connect with the environment and make a positive impact. A monthly exchange of ideas between the kids and Earth becomes a lasting friendship in this affectionate story about how to be an Earth Hero, lyrically written by Erin Dealey and gorgeously illustrated by Dilys Evans Founder Award-winning illustrator Luisa Uribe. Young readers will learn about environmental conservation, along with simple things they can do to help care for the planet--like recycling and reducing energy consumption. There is even a reversible jacket cover that features a poster printed on the inside with twelve months of Earth Hero activities. These fun and interactive activities will encourage children to help protect our planet, not just in honor of Earth Day but year-round. Dear Room 5, Your letter arrived on the wind. A whisper of hope in the night. I'm thankful for helpers who care for their planet...

★ "With youthful optimism and a can-do spirit, Prema creates an eco-friendly Ganesha statue, and other young people join her in reimagining how the holiday can be celebrated in a way that protects the river . . . A must-have for holiday collections." - School Library Journal During her town's Ganesha Chaturthi festival, young Prema comes up with an innovative plan to save the river from pollution. Persevering through multiple obstacles, she convinces her friends to help her create natural clay Ganesha statues to replace the plaster ones that harm the river when they dissolve. Created by an author and artist from different parts of India and set in modern-day India, this inclusive tale of activism, ingenuity and sustainability is sure to inspire young readers. Endnotes include information about Ganesha Chaturthi, a recipe for homemade sculpting dough and instructions for making an earth-friendly statue

The global ocean is in trouble. This beautiful and important book explores the issues -- and what we can do to help. Though we think of Earth's five oceans as separate and distinct, they are actually a linked system of circulating water that is one single ocean -- the global ocean. This comprehensive and accessible overview explores the global ocean's enormous influence on the planet, as well as humans' often-detrimental influence on the ocean. But it also highlights some of the many ways people are working to restore and heal the global ocean -- from everyday actions to large institutional projects -- making the message of urgency as hopeful as it is accurate. Filled with fascinating information, stunning visuals and plenty of calls to action, readers will be inspired to discover what they can do to help heal Earth's most important feature and, ultimately, our planet. Bestselling author Rochelle Strauss applies a positive, proactive approach to the urgent topics of climate change and ocean conservation in this gorgeous and unique depiction of the global ocean, based on the most current ocean science research. Engaging illustrations on every spread by award-winning Natasha Donovan are eye-catching and powerful. Examples of real people of all ages making a difference can be found in sidebars on each spread with more at the back of the book. Two sections list ways to help, one for children and one for the adults in their lives. There are many curriculum links in earth and life sciences, particularly in climate, environment, habitats, ecosystems and diversity of living things. Part of the CitizenKid series, this book encourages citizenship and engaging in the global community.

This inspiring picture book retells the story of Nobel Peace Prize nominee Greta Thunberg--the Swedish teenager who has led a global movement to raise awareness about the world's climate crisis--using allegory to make this important topic accessible to young children.   Greta is a little girl who lives in a beautiful forest threatened by Giants. When the Giants first came to the forest, they chopped down trees to make houses. Then they chopped down more trees and made even bigger homes. The houses grew into towns and the towns grew into cities, until now there is hardly any forest left. Greta knows she has to help the animals who live in the forest, but how? Luckily, Greta has an idea...

Includes bibliographical references (pages 158-159).
"In 26 connected essays, Pulitzer-Prize winning reporter Elizabeth Kolbert takes us on an illustrated journey through the landscape of climate change and the stories we tell ourselves about the future"-- Publisher

Uses observations of bean seeds planted in eggshells to demonstrate the growth of seeds into plants

Discover the power of activism in this companion to New York Times bestsellers I Am Human and I Am Love!   One seed to start a garden, one note to start a melody, one brick to start breaking down walls: Every movement and moment of change starts with purpose, with intention, with one. With me. With you.   From the #1 New York Times bestselling team behind I Am Yoga, I Am Peace, I Am Human, and I Am Love comes a powerful call to action, encouraging each reader to raise their voice, extend a hand, and take that one first step to start something beautiful and move toward a better world.   Includes a guided mediation and self-reflection activity.  

The story of a young girl and her special relationship with an old tree. Jen and her friends answer the old tree's plea for help.

"Tess has visited her grandmother many times without really being aware of the garden. But today they step outside the door and Tess learns that all of nature can be a garden. And if you take care of the plants that are growing, if you learn about them -- understanding when they flower, when they give fruit, and when to leave them alone -- you will always find something to nourish you. This gentle story demonstrates the First Nations' tradition of taking care of Mother Earth."--pub. esc.

Beloved author Patricia MacLachlan has created a poetic text that lovingly shows just how good a friend Earth is to all of us. Spectacularly illustrated by rising star Francesca Sanna, the bold colours and die-cut pages throughout invite both the very youngest readers and the most sophisticated book collectors to explore the magical world within.

A young girl takes action against ocean pollution in a timely story with unique plastic-waste diorama art from award-winning author-illustrator Alma Fullerton. Isley loves the ocean and everything in it. Well, almost everything. Her heart sinks at the sight of her Alantic Ocean shoreline covered in trash. One day, upon discovering a beached right whale that has starved to death after swallowing plastic, Isley decides enough is enough. She steers her family into adopting a zero-waste lifestyle, inspiring others to do the same. But when the adults around her give way to apathy and routine, how can Isley make sure her whale's memory inspires lasting change? With diorama art made from plastic waste by award-winning author-illustrator Alma Fullerton, No More Plastic is a moving, eye-catching, and ultimately hopeful reminder that the health of our oceans--and our planet--is in our hands.

In this green city, neighbours take care of all living things: people, plants and animals, too! Many people choose a bicycle, scooter or their own two feet to get where they need to go. A family collects the rain to water their garden, while solar panels capture the energy from the sun; pipes gather heat from underground, and a windmill turns to power the community. Residents keep hens and hives in their yards, and care for flower beds that feed bees, birds and butterflies. Here, people all work together to make the city green. Can we do the same where we live?

Tells the story of Greta Thunberg, a Swedish teenage climate activist who has sparked a worldwide student movement and is demanding action from world leaders who refuse to address climate change.

Based on a classic folk tale from India, this haunting story gives children insight into India's history and culture while teaching them that environmental protection is everyone's concern. It is carefully researched and illustrated with detailed watercolors of rural India.

The shocking truth of plastic's impact on our planet -- and what we can do about it. The data is in and it's bad. We create and throw away too much plastic, and it is killing our planet. However, too many people have very little idea about just how far this problem reaches, and those who do know feel helpless with the enormity of the task at hand. To fill this void and provide some hope is Rachel Salt's simple and transformative book, The Plastic Problem. As a producer for the award-winning and wildly popular YouTube channel AsapSCIENCE, Salt is accustomed to taking big, complicated concepts and translating them into entertaining and easy-to-understand segments. She applies the same methodology to The Plastic Problem. The result is a critically important book that will change the lives of those who read it. Never before has the problem been presented in such an impactful way. Readers of any age will emerge from this book with a thorough understanding of the problem, its individual and global impacts, and -- most importantly -- hope for the future. In 18 bite-sized chapters, Salt walks readers through the invention and globalized creation of plastic, its impacts and uses in our day-today lives, and its importance to the larger global economy. She then examines the how and why of what makes plastic so harmful to our planet and, just in case there was any doubt, Salt reinforces this danger by providing chapters on the planet-choking results of our plastic habit -- including the fact that there is almost certainly, plastic floating inside each and every person in the world. Salt finishes this vital book with a message of hope. All is not lost. We can make changes -- both at home and on a global scale. Big changes are already happening. If you want to be an actor and help change the future, The Plastic Problem is the best place to start.

In The Rescue of Nanoose, featuring delightful full-colour illustrations by Jacqueline Wang, Mary Borrowman and Chloe O'Loughlin tell the story of the fortunate whale who was able to joyfully taste freedom again, thanks to the brave efforts of Captain Mike and Captain Jim. This book will appeal to children of all ages.

Follow Sumi, a Pacific salmon, from her birth, through her trip to the ocean and life there, through her return to her birth place, where she spawns and dies. A brief essay, "Threats to Pacific salmon," glossary, and bibliography follow the story.

Text and illustrations relate the growth of a small seed that survives the winter cold to become a beautiful spring flower.

Winner of the 2016 Governor General's Literary Award for Young People's Literature -- Illustrated Books Tokyo lives in a small house between giant buildings with his family and his cat, Kevin. For years, highways and skyscrapers have been built up around the family's house where once there were hills and trees. Will they ever experience the natural world again? One day, an old woman offers Tokyo seeds, telling him they will grow into whatever he wishes. Tokyo and his grandfather are astonished when the seeds grow into a forest so lush that it takes over the entire city overnight. Soon the whole city has gone wild, with animals roaming where cars once drove. But is this a problem to be surmounted, or a new way of living to be embraced? With Tokyo Digs a Garden, Jon-Erik Lappano and Kellen Hatanaka have created a thoughtful and inspiring fable of environmentalism and imagination.

Compiled from writing, poetry, and illustrations created by young Nunavummiut, this anthology explores diverse aspects of the theme of weather from Inuit mythology to traditional knowledge, climate change, and daily survival. These creative works, created as part of an Arctic Weather Centre contest in the mid-1990s, are gathered here for the first time, and are accompanied by helpful information about each community represented. Through full-colour illustrations and engaging poetry and stories written both in Inuktitut and English, learn more about the vital force of Arctic weather as seen through the eyes of children.

"This is the story of a determined Ojibwe Grandmother (Nokomis) Josephine Mandamin and her great love for Nibi (Water). Nokomis walks to raise awareness of our need to protect Nibi for future generations, and for all life on the planet. She, along with other women, men, and youth, have walked around all of the Great Lakes from the four salt waters - or oceans - all the way to Lake Superior. The water walks are full of challenges, and by her example Josephine inspires and challenges us all to take up our responsibility to protect our water and our planet for all generations. Her story is a wonderful way to talk with children about the efforts that the Ojibwe and many other Indigenous peoples give to the protection of water - the giver of life."--Provided by publisher.

What to Do When Climate Change Scares You is the first book of its kind to offer age-appropriate coping tools for six- to twelve-year-olds experiencing eco-anxiety. This groundbreaking new workbook uses evidence-based activities and practices along with approachable illustrations and language to distill this complicated topic for young minds. In addition to identifying and working with eco-emotions, kids are encouraged to find ways to participate in creating a healthier world without placing the burden on their young shoulders. Feeling empowered to make a difference is an essential coping strategy.

Deer live in the woods, rabbits live in meadows, fish live in creeks, and people live in houses. We all need homes. But we need not destroy one while building another. This eloquent book shows young readers how people and animals can live side by side. Starting, of course, in our own backyards!