Kids’ books about the environment are plentiful, but sometimes it’s hard to sort through all the offerings to find the ones that are best for your family. In this edition of our Eco-Books for Kids Series, we bring you books for the young John Muir or Rachel Carson in your family — books that let kids dive into the science of the natural world or inspire them to explore it.

This is post six in our seven-part series. 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.

If you have a suggestion on books for kids about science, please leave a comment below. We’d love to hear from you. Thanks for reading!

 Books for Kids About Science, Exploration and Food

Ages 4 to 8

Energy Island: How One Community Harnessed the Wind and Changed Their World, by Allan Drummond. A true and entertaining narrative about how a Danish island became completely energy independent, and in doing so, went from ordinary to extraordinary.
To Market, To Market, by Nikkie McClure. Beautiful illustrations by this self-taught artist bring this story about finding fresh produce at the farmers market alive. Children get to learn about different vegetables and how they’re grown.
Redwoods, by Jason Chin. The author was inspired by Richard Preston, who wrote the equally-inspiring Wild Trees for adults. A young boy is transported into the world of redwoods when he finds a book about them on a subway train.
The World Without Fish, by Mark Kurlansky. Mark Kurlansky wrote an award-winning book for adults about Cod; now he turns his attention to the dangers facing all fish in this book for kids. The book connects lots of dots for children and gives them a way to help: support sustainable fishing.
Ages 8 to 12

The Nature Connection: An Outdoor Workbook for Kids, Families and Classrooms, by Clare Walker Leslie. Clare Walker Leslie is an acclaimed artist and naturalist, and here she provides a book full of creative activities to do in the natural world.
The Omnivore’s Dilemma For Kids: The Secrets Behind What You Eat, by Michael Pollan. Michael Pollan creates his hugely influential Omnivore’s Dilemma with young readers in mind, discussing where food comes from and ways to eat healthier for you and the planet.