As parents, we are always looking for information and ideas on environment-related subjects to share with our kids. It’s not always easy to find “kid-friendly” reading material to help them make informed decisions. So, in the spirit of wanting to share information that we come across, we put together a list of books for families who want to “go green” together. We realize that environmental books for kids are plentiful, but sometimes it can be overwhelming to sort through all the offerings to find a book that fits the topic, tone and age range you’re looking for. Below you will find 10 Great Books for Kids About Recycling!

This list is the first in a series of seven environment-related book posts. We hope to bring you some great book ideas, broken up by subject and age. While reading the posts, you may come across some books listed more than once. That’s because we saw them as fitting under several topics and we wanted the posts to be easily searchable.

Today, we dive into the popular topic of recycling, with a range or books that talk or tell stories about why we should recycle, how we can do it, and ways to make it fun. If there is a book you think should be on the list, please tell us. We’d love to hear from you. Thanks for reading!

Ages 4 to 8

The Adventures of a Plastic Bottle: A Story About Recycling, by Alison Inches. How a bottle becomes a sweater: a fun, well-illustrated story to encourage recycling. Like this book? Another story by Alison Inches features a similar tale about an aluminum can.

Don’t Throw That Away!, by Lara Bergen. While a lot of books focus on recycling, this one tells an engaging story about a little girl who champions reuse.

I Can Save the Earth!, by Allison Inches. A little green monster with terrible environmental habits has a change of heart, showing children many ways they can help the Earth: turning off the water, turning off the lights, and recycling, to name a few.

Recycle! A Handbook for Kids, by Gail Gibbons. While there are lots of books out there on recycling, this one breaks down the issue in unusual and understandable ways. It also gives some helpful tips for how to be a good recycler.

The Three R’s: Reuse, Reduce, Recycle), by Nuria Roca. Great for very young readers, this book introduces the basic ideas of why we should and how we can minimize our waste.

Why Should I Recycle?, by Jen Green. Part of the “Why Should I?” series, this book answers the question of why we should recycle with fun illustrations and simple language.

We Are Extremely Very Good Recyclers, by Laureen Child. Part of the Charlie and Lola series, this is an inspiring story about a girl that learns to recycle from her friend and then enters a recycling competition to win her own sapling. Eventually, she gets her whole class involved.

Ages 8 to 12

Doable Renewables: 16 renewable energy projects for young scientists, by Mike Rigsby. A great book for the budding scientist who wants to solve the energy crisis! This book gives detailed instructions on projects such as how to turn soda cans and alligator clip jumpers into a water drop generator.

ReMake It! Recycling Projects From the Stuff You Usually Scrap, by Tiffany Thread. The lady behind RePlayGround provides ample ideas on how to convert objects like old records and broken umbrellas into nifty art projects.

Garbage and Recycling Young Discoverers: Environmental Facts and Experiments, by Rosie Harlow. Great for budding young environmentalists, this thought-provoking book provides nice visuals and well-reasoned arguments for the importance of recycling.