Best green books for children – Wicked Leeks
The idea of snuggling up with my two curious and nature-loving children and a good book about wildlife or young climate heroes is appealing. But unless their vivid imaginations are captured, my efforts will be wasted.
Since youth climate strikes began, the number of new books for ‘budding eco-warriors’ being published has soared. But they won’t all be bestsellers – some are too dense and fact-heavy, others too abstract, some are just regurgitated articles about Greta, albeit abridged for a younger audience.
I truly believe in the power of books; they can be transformative, sometimes life-changing. But we mustn’t force worthiness on our children. Storytelling is a craft and if readers become transfixed by a book about a turtle entangled by a plastic bag, or empathise with a character saving the orangutans, they might well ponder the wider implications. Teaching kids they can make positive change is an empowering message, but first and foremost it must engage and entertain.
As Jacques Cousteau famously said, “people protect what they love”. From an early age, nurturing this fascination begins with embracing their sense of awe and wonder, not with the heavy burden of existential crisis. If a title screams ‘discover how YOU can look after the planet’ I usually pop it back on the shelf.
