Dr. Erica Smithwick’s top 5 books for introducing your kids to climate change conversations.

Celebrate the beauty of our planet with our youngest readers with Mudpuppy’s Counting on the Earth board book. This beautifully illustrated board book teaches children their numbers from 10-1 with a final spread, “1 Earth that we all share!”

Why Erica Loves This Book: Sharing a book with your baby about celebrating the beauty of our planet is a wonderful way to introduce them to the wonders of nature and the importance of protecting the Earth.

This funny and factual picture book from Heart and Brain creator Nick Seluk explains the science behind the ocean: its plant and animal life, its contribution to the world, and what we can do every day to protect it. Humans wouldn’t be able to survive without a healthy ocean. That’s kind of a big deal.

Why Erica Loves This Book: This book helps children understand how the ocean affects weather patterns, supports marine life, and provides resources we rely on daily – and, in an age-appropriate manner, kids can start to grasp how climate change impacts the ocean – such as rising temperatures, coral bleaching, and sea level rise.

Based on the real-life Lights Out movement, this inspirational picture book shows how even the smallest of actions, like flipping a switch, can make a big difference in helping migrating birds.

Why Erica Loves This Book: By showing how light pollution affects migrating birds, we’re able to discuss how climate change impacts animal habitats and behaviors. Encouraging our kids to be mindful of their actions from an early age fosters a sense of environmental stewardship that can lead to lifelong habits of protecting the planet.

In Nature’s Best Hope (Young Readers’ Edition), Tallamy empowers kids to use their own yards to help combat the negative effects of climate change. He does so by breaking down complex concepts into simple terms and real-world examples that kids can easily grasp. Black and white photographs help further clarify concepts. In addition to sharing the science, Tallamy encourages kids to take direct action. Some of these ideas include planting an oak tree (one of the most important tree species) at home. If that’s too large of a task, he suggests they can plant asters—a beautiful flower whose pollen bees use to feed their young. By helping the next generation see that they have power and agency over our collective future, this empowering book will drive home the positive point that kids are truly nature’s best hope.

Why Erica Loves This Book: I love to garden and I love to garden with my family. This book is one of my favorites because it discusses how planting native species supports local ecosystems, we all have the power to combat climate change.

Time is running out for Sami and Yuki. Sami and his grandfather live in a village along the Indian Ocean. They earn their living by fishing. But the ocean is rising and each day they bring back fewer and fewer fish. Yuki lives in the far north of Canada where warming temperature are melting the ice. Polar bears have less food to hunt and are wandering into town looking for something to eat. Yuki is determined to do something to help the bears.

Why Erica Loves This Book: Graphic novels are a great way to make complex environmental issues more accessible and engaging.