Brother Sun, Sister Moon: Saint Francis of Assisi's Canticle of Creatures by Katherine Paterson is an exquisite blend of writing and design that conveys the praise of the patron saint of ecology. The message for children: we are the brothers and sisters of all creatures in one divine family.
The Deer Watch by Pat Lowery Collins conveys the intimacy of a father-son relationship as they look for deer in the forest. They are not hunting but bringing their wonder alive in nature.
God's Paintbrush by Sandy Eisenberg Sasso salutes imagination as a very valuable spiritual faculty. This children's picture book allows kids to think about how they see God, including in nature, and the many ways they can paint with God's paintbrush.
Grandad's Prayers for the Earth by Douglas Wood celebrates the important role grandparents can play in the lives of their grandchildren. It also reveals the ways in which prayer is to be discovered in nature.
How Things Work in the Yard by Lisa Campbell Ernst enables children to look around their own yards for mysteries and delights they may have missed or ignored. Wonders abound all around us in the ordinary unfolding of our lives.
It's Our Nature by Rebeca Orozco offers a wealth of material that will allow children to come to a greater appreciation of the soulful gifts that animals possess. This is a charming work on animals as spiritual teachers.
John Muir: America's Naturalist by Thomas Locker is a tribute to the founder of the Sierra Club and his advocacy of the preservation of wilderness through a national park system. He is one of the heroes of the environmental movement.
A Leaf Can Be . . . by Laura Purdie Salas is an earth-cherishing resource that proclaims the connections leaves have with other elements of the natural world. They serve as a soft cradle, a rain stopper, an air cleaner, and an earth greener.
Old Turtle by Douglas Wood is a classic children's book about God and creation. When human beings are created, all the elements and animals remind them why they were put on Earth.
Once Upon a Northern Night by Jean E. Pendziwol delivers a creative look at this time of day. There are many little dramas played out nature while we sleep.
Outside Your Window: A First Book of Nature by Nicola Davies probes the surprises and developments of the four seasons, adding creative explanations of nature's ways. Families can use this children's book to become informed observers of what's happening outside their windows.
Rachel Carson: Preserving a Sense of Wonder by Joseph Bruchac conveys the life and work of this author (1907-1964) whose writing helped many to see that we must save the planet by changing our wasteful and destructive ways. Her story is enhanced by Thomas Locker's painterly illustrations.
Spring Blossoms by Carole Gerber show two young girls and their dog outside marveling at the blossoming trees in a park. This children's book illustrates how beauty stirs joy within us.
The Sun in Me: Poems About the Planet by Judith Nicholls is a primer on appreciating the wonders of the natural world. With 29 poems plus water color illustrations by Beth Krommes, this children's book is a gem.
The Sun Seed by Jan Schubert offers a wonderful understanding of Mother Earth as a loving and nurturing presence in the life of plants. It also covers the interdependence of all creation and the teachings of the seasons.
This Amazing World: Poems and Prayers about Everything Under the Sun by Lois Rock and Ruth Rivers contains 48 poems and prayers bearing witness to the abundant beauties and glories of our world. This book makes each day one in which we can become explorers on a new adventure.
What's Hiding In There? by Daniela Drescher challenges young readers to locate animals and others who are in hiding. None of these creatures are malevolent and even those who are out of sight are not doing so to scare us.
The Yellow Cab by Marcus Pfister focuses on a city cab who wants to save the rain forest and the animals threatened by the engines of so-called progress. It shows the power of imagination to bring about change in the world.
You Are Stardust by Elin Kelsey is wonder-inducing children's book about the spiritual practice of connections that link us with everything in the universe. We are connected to the stars, the dinosaurs, the flowers, the trees, the animals, and all our other neighbors.
Family Books
I Love Dirt! 52 Activities to Help You & Your Kids Discover the Wonder of Nature by Jennifer Ward is tailor-made for families that want to make the most of the natural world to promote exploration, exercise the imagination, and increase a sense of wonder.This book helps parents break the hold technology has upon so many kids that keeps them indoors.
Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder by Richard Louv is the breakthrough book alerting society to the dire side effects on today's children of having little or no direct contact with nature. In a concluding chapter, Louv examines the spiritual necessity of nature for the young.
The Nature Principle: Human Restoration and the End of Nature-Deficit Disorder by Richard Louv demonstrates how the nature principle ("reconnecting to the natural world is fundamental to human health, well-being, spirit, and survival") can improve how we live, work, play, exercise, explore, travel, and relax. The author shares many ideas on re-naturing our lives.
More Children's Books on Climate Change
