Climate Action Book List for Schools

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In a rapidly changing world where climate change impacts every corner of the globe, education serves as a powerful tool for raising awareness and inspiring action. Schools have an invaluable role in shaping young minds to understand the intricacies of the environment, sustainability, and our collective responsibility to protect the Earth. To support this endeavour, we have curated a book list that serves as a resource for teachers, parents, and students alike. These books explore various aspects of climate science, environmental activism, and natural wonders, aiming to ignite curiosity and foster a deeper understanding of our planet’s challenges and beauty.

The list is categorised into four educational phases, according to the CAPS (Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statements) phases in South Africa. This ensures the material is age-appropriate and can be easily integrated into the existing curriculum.

Foundation Phase (Grades R–3):

  • Iceberg: A Life in Seasons, by Claire Saxby; illustrated by Jess Racklyeft
  • Life in the Ocean: The Story of Oceanographer Sylvia Earle, by Claire A. Nivola
  • No More Plastic, by Alma Fullerton
  • Our Planet! There’s No Place Like Earth, by Stacy McNulty; illustrated by David Litchfield
  • She Heard the Birds: The Story of Florence Miriam Bailey, Pioneering Nature Activist, by Andrea D’Aquino
  • Snow Angel, Sand Angel, by Lois-Ann Yamanaka; illustrated by Ashley Lukashevksy
  • The Brilliant Deep: Rebuilding the World’s Coral Reefs, by Kate Messner; illustrated by Matthew Forsythe
  • The Leaf Detective: How Margaret Lowman Uncovered Secrets in the Rainforest, by Heather Lang; illustrated by Jana Christy
  • The Secret Garden of George Washington Carver, by Gene Baretta; illustrated by Frank Morrison
  • Zonia’s Rain Forest, by Juana Martinez-Neal

Intermediate Phase (Grades 4–6):

  • A Green Place to Be: The Creation of Central Park, by Ashley Benham Yazdani
  • Elsie Mae Has Something to Say, by Nancy J. Cavanugh
  • Greta’s Story: The Schoolgirl Who Went on Strike to Save the Planet, by Valentine Camerini
  • Operation Redwood, by S. Terrell French
  • Rachel Carson and Her Book That Changed the World, by Laurie Lawlor; illustrated by Laura Beingessner
  • Summer of the Tree Army: A Civilian Conservation Corps Story, by Gloria Whlan; illustrated by Kirbi Fagan
  • The Last Bear, by Hannah Gold
  • The Last Beekeeper, by Pablo Cartaya
  • The Wisdom of Trees: How Trees Work Together to Form a Natural Kingdom, by Lita Judge
  • World Without Fish, by Mark Kurlansky; illustrated by Frank Stockton

Senior Phase (Grades 7–9):

  • Empty, by Suzanne Weyn
  • How to Bee, by Dren MacDribble
  • How to Change Everything: The Young Human’s Guide to Protecting the Planet and Each Other, by Naomi Klein
  • Me and Marvin Gardens, by Amy Sarig King
  • One Small Hop, by Madelyn Rosenberg
  • Paradise on Fire, by Jewell Parker Rhodes
  • Primates: The Fearless Science of Jane Goodall, Dian Fossey, and Biruté Galdikas, by Jim Ottaviani and Maris Wicks
  • Rescue at Lake Wild, by Terry Lynn Johnson
  • The Story of Seeds: From Mendel’s Garden to Your Plate, and How There’s More of Less to Eat Around the World, by Nancy F. Castaldo
  • Turn the Tide, by Elaine Dimopoulous

Further Education and Training (Grades 10–12):

  • Don’t Call Me a Hurricane, by Ellen Hagan
  • Eyes Wide Open: Going Behind the Environmental Headlines, by Paul Fleischman
  • Green Rising, by Lauren James
  • If Not Us, by Mark Smith
  • It’s Getting Hot in Here: The Past, Present, and Future of Climate Change, by Bridget Heos
  • Love in the Time of Global Warming, by Francesca Lia Block
  • The Carbon Diaries 2015, by Saci Llyod
  • The Renegades: Arctic Meltdown, by Jeremy Brown, David Selby and Katy Jakeway; illustrated by Katy Jakeway, Libby Reed and Ellenor Mererid
  • The Summer We Turned Green, by William Sutcliffe
  • We Are the Weather Makers: The History of Climate Change, by Sally M. Walker

Each book on this list has been carefully selected to align with the focus and learning outcomes of the respective CAPS phases. We encourage you to explore these resources as a way to enrich your classroom discussions, stimulate critical thinking, and, most importantly, inspire the next generation to take meaningful action for our planet’s future.