Like you, we celebrate Earth Day today and every day! We teach children how to care for ALL species, (plants, animals, and humans) that live on Earth, and we show how acting with kindness is the key. We are creating a new program for middle school students to teach them about consumerism, advertising, and an exploration of what really makes us likeable. You will be the first to know when we launch this exciting new program. In the meantime, below are book recommendations for Earth Day and beyond to inspire and encourage everyone to care for this magnificent planet that we have the honor of calling home.
All you need is a seed, sunshine, water, and soil and anyone can grow an anywhere farm, anywhere! “Anywhere Farm” is a fun book told in rhyme by Phyllis Root, who encourages everyone to nurture plants and grow them anywhere – “kale in a pail or corn in a horn.” The illustrations by G. Brian Karas are colorful and engaging – even a “Wow” from the children I read to when I turned to the full-page illustration of a thriving garden. The book encourages children to love and care for plants and shows how gardens bring us together to share our appreciation for the beauty of Earth.
Lush illustrations, beautiful poetry, and fascinating scientific facts makes the “Wisdom of Trees” a fabulous book to teach children how trees communicate, how their survival depends on all the species in their community, and how human survival depends on them. Lita Judge takes us on an amazing exploration into the fabulous world of trees.
Here and Now” inspires us to stay present in the here and now and encourages us to notice everything that is happening right now, and it also reminds us how much is happening outside our presence – under the soil, in the sky, in the galaxy. Written by Julia Denos, from a poem she wrote as part of her meditation practice, “Here and Now” is a real-time meditation for children and the illustrations celebrate all the wondrous splendor of Earth and all that is.
Stay Inspired!
Things you can do to help Earth:
Environmental Working Group has an array of guides to keep yourself and the planet healthy.
Grades of Green provides students with the mentorship, resources, and hands-on leadership training they need to discover their passion and turn it into environmental action.
Root and Shoots provides parents, youth, and educators actions to take, from one action to many there are several ways to be involved.
Things you can do to help HERO:
Donate and/or volunteer! We need volunteers to create social media content, help with community outreach, write grants, and work on fundraising. We appreciate all you do.