“What are the best Children’s books about Ecology ?” We looked at 182 of the top Kids Ecology books, aggregating and ranking them so we could answer that very question!

The top 12 titles, all appearing on 2 or more “Best Kids Ecology ” book lists, are ranked below by how many lists they appear on. The remaining 150+ titles, as well as the lists we used are in alphabetical order at the bottom of the page.

Happy Scrolling!

Top 12 Best Children’s Books About Ecology

12 .) City Green written by DyAnne DiSalvo-Ryan

Lists It Appears On:

• A Mighty Girl
• Start With A Book

“An optimistic tale that manages to be both encouraging yet realistic about how to do some good in your very own backyard.” —Kirkus Celebrate the 25th anniversary of City Green—the environmentally and community-conscious classic that shows the wonderful things kids can do when they put their minds to it—with this new paperback edition. Right in the middle of Marcy’s city block is a vacant lot, littered and forlorn. Sometimes just looking at it makes Marcy feel sad. Then one spring, Marcy has a wonderful idea: Instead of a useless lot, why not a green and growing space for everyone to enjoy?

11 .) Compost Stew written by Mary McKenna Siddals

Lists It Appears On:

• A Mighty Girl
• Family Education

From apple cores to zinnia heads, readers will discover the best ingredients for a successful compost pile! Kids everywhere are knowledgeable about the environment and climate change. Not only is composting becoming more common in households and residential gardens, but many school gardens feature compost piles, too. But how do you start a compost pile? What’s safe to include? Perfect for an Earth Day focus or year-round reference, this inviting book provides all the answers for kids and families looking for simple, child-friendly ways to help the planet.

10 .) Olivia’s Birds: Saving the Gulf written by Olivia Bouler

Lists It Appears On:

• A Mighty Girl
• Family Education

Eleven-year-old Olivia Bouler has drawn and illustrated a brief guide to endangered birds in an effort use book sales to contribute to the clean-up expenses for the oil contamination of the Gulf of Mexico.

9 .) Rachel Carson and Her Book That Changed the World written by Laurie Lawlor

Lists It Appears On:

• A Mighty Girl
• Start With A Book

Retells the story of Rachel Carson, a pioneering environmentalist who wrote and published “Silent Spring,” the revolutionary book pointing out the dangerous effects of chemicals on the living world.

8 .) Secrets of the Garden written by Kathleen Zoehfeld

Lists It Appears On:

• NWF
• Start With A Book

Perfect for spring planting season–an outstanding book about backyard science the whole family will appreciate. Alice’s family plants a vegetable garden each spring, and this budding naturalist reports all she sees about how the plants grow, what insects come to eat the plants, and what birds and animals come to eat the insects. It’s the food chain, right in her own backyard! While Alice’s narrative is simple and engaging, science concepts are presented in more depth in sidebars by a pair of very knowledgeable (and highly amusing) chickens! Noted science writer Kathleen Weidner Zoehfeld knows how to layer information to make it accessible to a wide range of readers and useful for educators. And illustrator Priscilla Lamont’s funny, friendly paintings make this a garden everyone will want to explore. Kids will eat up this wonderful book of backyard science—and perhaps they’ll even be inspired to eat their vegetables! “A wonderfully informative and enjoyable journey through one family’s backyard garden, from spring planting to fall harvest.

7 .) The Earth Book written by Todd Parr

Lists It Appears On:

• A Mighty Girl
• Family Education

Simple text and illustrations show how children can help protect the Earth.

6 .) The Great Kapok Tree written by Lynne Cherry

Lists It Appears On:

• Children Of the Earth
• We Are teachers

The many different animals that live in a great kapok tree in the Brazilian rainforest try to convince a man with an ax of the importance of not cutting down their home.

5 .) The Little House written by Virginia Lee Burton

Lists It Appears On:

• Read That Again
• We Are teachers

A little house in the country sees life change around her as her small town grows into a large city.

4 .) The Lorax written by Dr. Seuss

Lists It Appears On:

• Family Education
• Read That Again

The Once-ler describes the results of the local pollution problem.

3 .) The Magic School Bus and the Climate Challenge written by Joanna Cole

Lists It Appears On:

• A Mighty Girl
• Family Education

Ms. Frizzle takes her kids on a whirlwind tour, from the Arctic to the equator so they can see telltale signs of climate change.

2 .) Miss Rumphius written by Barbara Cooney

Lists It Appears On:

• A Mighty Girl
• Start With A Book
• We Are teachers

A beloved classic—written by a beloved Caldecott winner—is lovelier than ever! Barbara Cooney’s story of Alice Rumphius, who longed to travel the world, live in a house by the sea, and do something to make the world more beautiful, has a timeless quality that resonates with each new generation. 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. Miss Rumphius received the American Book Award in the year of publication. To celebrate the thirtieth anniversary of two-time Caldecott winner Barbara Cooney’s best-loved book, the illustrations have been reoriginated, going back to the original art to ensure state-of-the-art reproduction of Cooney’s exquisite artwork

1 .) The Curious Garden written by Peter Brown

Lists It Appears On:

• Family Education
• Start With A Book
• We Are teachers

One boy’s quest for a greener world… one garden at a time. While out exploring one day, a little boy named Liam discovers a struggling garden and decides to take care of it. As time passes, the garden spreads throughout the dark, gray city, transforming it into a lush, green world. This is an enchanting tale with environmental themes and breathtaking illustrations that become more vibrant as the garden blooms. Red-headed Liam can also be spotted on every page, adding a clever seek-and-find element to this captivating picture book.

The 150+ Additional Best Kids Books About Or Featuring Ecology

10 Best Ecology Children’s Book Sources/Lists