Today is Earth Day, and to help celebrate I’m offering up a list of books with an earth-friendly story for mother-daughter book clubs and other readers.
Operation Redwood by S. Terrell French—Julian is staying with his aunt and uncle in San Francisco when he discovers a plan to cut down a redwood forest. He teams up with Robin, Danny and Ariel to help save the trees. Ages 9 to 12.
Fern Verdant and the Silver Rose by Diana Leszczynski—Fern discovers she has a special gift that allows her to speak to plants. She must use her newfound ability to help her mother, who is being held by an evil man who wants to manipulate this gift to his own purposes. Ages 9 to 12.
The Hermit Thrush Sings by Susan Butler—Leora lives in the future after a meteor crashing to Earth changed life as we know it. People are forbidden to leave the village, told by their leaders that Birmbas will kill them. When Leora frees a baby Birmba trapped in her basement, she embarks on a journey to set it free and discovers the truth about her world. Ages 9 to 12.
Girlwood by Claire Dean—Searching for her runaway sister, Polly finds a magical place in the woods she calls Girlwood. When a local developer wants to raze the trees and put up housing in this spot, Polly feels she must save it to also save her sister. Ages 13 and up.
Hoot by Carl Hiaasen—Roy is a new kid at a new middle school with new bullies when he sees a boy running outside his bus one day. His curiosity about the boy leads him to make new friends and help save an endangered species. Ages 10 to 13.
Tangerine by Edward Bloor—Paul is legally blind and overshadowed by his football-hero brother. When his family moves to Tangerine County, Florida, Paul rejects his upscale school for one with a poor reputation so he can play soccer. As he discovers more about the accident that blinded him, he turns his town and his family upside down. Ages 10 to 13.
The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett—Mary is an orphan left mostly to fend for herself in her uncle’s castle. When she discovers her crippled cousin, Colin, she finds a way to bring life back to a hidden garden and the family that has taken her in. Ages 9 to 13.
Torched by April Henry—Ellie finds herself infiltrating a radical Earth-rights group for the FBI so her parents can get leniency on a marijuana charge. As she gets closer to members of the group, she becomes conflicted over supporting the group and its goals or turning them in. Ages 14 and up.
