From towering branches to the tangled roots beneath the soil, this fact-packed book illustrates for young readers how every part of a tree plays a vital role—not just in its own survival, but in the health of the whole forest. The Magic and Mystery of Trees showcases tree species from around the world, as well as the creatures that depend on these vital ecosystems. And best of all, kids will find out how they can help—starting with planting a tree of their own.
Dr. Timothy Schowalter has created a unique, updated treatment of insect ecology. He looks at how insects adapt to environmental conditions and how they have the ability to substantially alter their environment.
Covering a range of topics including from how individual insects respond to local changes in the environment and affect resource distribution, to how entire insect communities have the capacity to modify ecosystem conditions.
There are chapters on ecosystem structure and function, and how herbivores, pollinators and seed predators drive ecosystem dynamics and contribute to ecosystem stability.
Manda Scott, known to many as the host of the Accidental Gods podcast and a writer of acclaimed historical fiction, has conjured an ambitious, gripping literary thriller which posits a Thrutopia in which hope and perseverance steer humankind towards a sustainable and just future.
Set in a near-future world in the midst of environmental collapse and narrated by a wise matriarch with otherworldly powers, the narrative follows a family and its global networks as they navigate the treacheries of social media and a corrupt political system predicated on endless, impossible growth. Switching seamlessly between the cosmic and the granular, the novel is both a cautionary tale of late-stage capitalism and a celebration of the ingenuity and tenacity that ordinary people can summon in the face of grief, injustice, and world-scale turmoil.
Part of Lucy Jones’ genius lies in her instinctive, incisive grasp of our animal natures, and in this luminous exploration of Homo Sapiens’ physical and mental needs, she charts how much of civilization has become dislocated from the natural world. Our minds and bodies need the lavish abundance of the wild, Jones argues. And if we don’t protect it, we jeopardize the very ecosystems that sustain us. – Liz Jensen
Dave Goulson is passionate about insects. One of his earliest memories is finding a stripey yellow and black caterpillar feeding on weeds at the edge of the school playground. His passion turned into a career, and in Silent Earth, Goulson draws on a lifetime of study and the latest ground-breaking research. He reveals the shocking decline of insect populations with eye-watering statistics – ‘41% of insect species threatened with extinction’ – and details the potentially catastrophic consequences of their demise.
This thoughtful and enjoyable book is part love letter to the insect world, part elegy, part rousing manifesto for a greener planet, and while we may feel helpless in the face of ecological breakdown, Goulson shows us how we can all take simple steps to encourage insects and counter their destruction. – Sandy Winterbottom
“As founder of the burgeoning Transitions Movement, Rob Hopkins’ approach to creating the future we want, rather than the one we risk getting, is to showcase visionary projects that demonstrate what a regenerative future can look like. Full of positive examples of inspiring, change-making initiatives, his uplifting, clear-eyed guide argues that our imaginations are drastically under-used – yet they are the key to our survival, well-being, and social cohesion.” – Liz Jensen
“Sparked by the sudden death of his teenage daughter Iris, Goldsmith’s memoir of grief, loss and regeneration is a celebration not just of her life, but of the living world and all its inhabitants. Wise and beautifully written, it’s an inspiration to anyone with access to a patch of land, however small. And a reminder to anyone who has lost a loved one that the best way to honour their memory is to cherish the planet.” – Liz Jensen
First published in 1939, Steinbeck’s powerful tale of greed, corruption and the consequences of intensive farming is a stark reminder that man-made environmental disasters are far from new. The story tells how the beleaguered Joad family, forced to join the great wave of migrants leaving the poverty of Oklahoma’s ruined Dust Bowl, travels in search of the green orchards of California, with its “golden oranges hanging from the trees”. But there’s trouble in paradise…
One World is a picture book about pollution and ecological devastation that manages to be utterly charming. A brother and sister learn about the planet by playing by a rock pool at the beach.
Read our Librarian’s top climate choices for children here.
This beloved modern classic is an adventure about a new kid at school, his friends, and the boy who bullies him. But it’s also much more: there’s the drama of an endangered owl colony, a run-in with some alligators, several poisonous snakes, and a renegade eco-avenger. This story of runaway construction development in Florida will resonate with readers aged nine through twelve.
Read our Librarian’s top climate choices for Young Adults here