Children’s books about conservation – age 6-8

An eye-opener for all, this book explains facts about the world’s population simply. Instead of unimaginable billions, it presents the whole world as a village of just 100 people. We find out that 22 speak a Chinese dialect and that 17 can’t read or write. Having sold over 400,000 copies, this newly revised edition includes updated statistics, several new activities and completely new material on food security, energy and health. Offering perfect discussion points around understanding our world and it’s human inhabitants – no doubt adults will gain something useful too! If the World Were a Village is an excellent addition to your collection of children’s books about conservation.

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. Barbara Cooney’s story of Alice Rumphius, resolved that when she grew up she would go to faraway places, live by the sea in her old age, and do something to make the world more beautiful. She does all those things – the last being the most difficult of all.

This tale, first told 500 years ago by the Bini tribe of Nigeria, has a topical message that is accessible to children without being heavy-handed. “In the beginning, the sky was so close to the earth that anyone who was hungry could just reach up, take a piece, and eat it. The sky was delicious, tasting sometimes of meat stew, sometimes of roasted corn. But the people grew careless with the sky’s gifts, taking more than they needed to satisfy their hunger“. While this centuries old tale holds an important message, it’s Carla Golembe’s wonderful illustrations that will leave you and your children spellbound.

In his first children’s book, Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Ted Kooser tells the story of a plastic grocery bag as it is blown out of a landfill, over a considerable distance, and eventually into the hands of some people who reuse it. True to the book’s earth-friendly spirit, it is printed on paper containing 100 percent recycled post-consumer waste and includes an author’s note on recycling plastic bags. A story guaranteed to encourage some thought provoking questions. A Bag in the Wind is one of the classic children’s books about conservation.

From two-time Caldecott Medalist Chris Van Allsburg comes a story about a Walter – a litterbug who does not appreciate the beauty of nature, or understand his role in keeping the planet healthy. It takes a fantastic journey to show him the tragic fate that will befall Earth if humans like him are not more careful. This is where it gets interesting… in a ‘sliding doors’ moment, another fantastic journey shows him future where people care about the planet. The striking and unique illustrations enhance the power of this important message.