Books to inspire young environmentalists

Worms Eat My Garbage: How to Set Up and Maintain a Worm Composting System

by Mary Appelhof and Joanne Olszewksi

If there’s such a thing as a composting classic, this book is it. Originally self-published by Appelhof, a self-described “Worm Woman,” in 1982, the 35th anniversary edition of this family friendly guide is a great introduction to the whys and hows of vermicomposting — one that is thoroughly researched, easy to follow and, somewhat surprisingly given its subject matter, pretty fun to read. Readers can wriggle their way through practical basics like choosing the right worm bin and how to use their vermicompost, digging up interesting worm facts en route. And lest you think this is the lone book dedicated to worms, there’s a surprisingly robust bibliography in the back.

(Speaking of worm lit, I’d be remiss if I omitted my personal favorite: “The Unfortunate Life of Worms” by Noemi Vola. This brightly illustrated book brims with information, though it’s ultimately more a worm’s-eye exploration of love and loss than a primer on putting wigglers to work. Still, it’s equal parts informative and whimsical and functions on multiple layers, both metaphorical and sedimentary — making it an excellent companion for the vermiculture-curious.)

Food for the Future: Sustainable Farms Around the World

by Mia Wenjen, art by Robert Sae-Heng

This beautifully illustrated picture book is a relatively new addition to the kid-lit canon. It offers a colorful armchair tour of sustainable farms around the globe, ranging from concrete-bound city gardens to farms under the sea. It tells the centuries-old stories of sustainable food-growing practices, and touches on farmers’ clever innovations to address the effects of climate change. The book is a helpful intro for very young kids who appreciate a sing-songy read-aloud, but independent readers (and their grownups) will appreciate the back matter with more information about sustainable farming practices, the various countries highlighted in the book, and more.

World Without Fish

by Mark Kurlansky, illustrated by Frank Stockton

“Most of the fish we commonly eat, most of the fish we know, could be gone in the next fifty years. … If this happens, many other fish that depend on these fish will also be in trouble. So will seabirds that eat fish, such as seagulls and cormorants. So will mammals that eat fish such as whales, porpoises, and seals. And insects that depend on seabirds, such as beetles and lizards. And mammals that depend on beetles and lizards. Slowly — or maybe not so slowly — in less time than the several billion years it took to create it — life on planet Earth could completely unravel.”

This is a stark beginning to a book that’s ostensibly for kids (albeit “big kids” ages 8 and up), but it is intended as a call to action, and it’s effective. Given that the book was published in 2014, its message is even more urgent today. Mark Kurlansky, who is best known for his bestselling culinary histories for adults, including “Cod,” “Salt” and “The Core of an Onion,” lays out a startling future world that feels at once bleakly dystopian and, more than a decade after publication, alarmingly prescient. Although on some level the book is “scary,” it’s essential reading for any middle schooler or teen interested in sustainability, and it clearly charts a way for readers to help us change course. Plus, the rich illustrations and assorted other visual devices – photographs, funky typefaces, and a 12-page graphic novel within the book — make “World Without Fish” a dynamic, multisensory experience that will draw in even reluctant readers. 

The Omnivore’s Dilemma, Young Readers Edition: The Secrets Behind What You Eat

by Michael Pollan

Michael Pollan published his instant classic “The Omnivore’s Dilemma,” which pulls back the curtain on the ways food is produced in this country, in 2007. Eight years later, in 2015, he published this gently abridged and simplified edition, which Babble.com (RIP) described thus: “Not bedtime reading, but certainly food for thought, made slightly easier to chew thanks to graphs, and drawings.” Indeed, like its older sister before it, this edition is a clear-eyed look at our broken food system — essential reading for the generation that will grow up most impacted by climate change and its effects on the foods we eat.

And now, for a smattering of cookbooks

There are so many wonderful cookbooks for kids, but my favorites tend to be vegetarian — not only because they teach children how delicious vegetables and fruits can be, but also because the recipes are generally easier to prepare and require less helicoptering than, say, ones involving raw chicken. There’s the added benefit of the “sneak-it-in” philosophy, wherein a kid makes or eats something so delicious, they don’t even recoil at the healthful produce hidden throughout. Here are some suggestions worth checking out:

“Pretend Soup” by Mollie Katzen and Ann Henderson, plus “Salad People” and “Honest Pretzels” by Mollie Katzen

“Fanny at Chez Panisse” by Alice Waters

“The Forest Feast for Kids: Colorful Vegetarian Recipes That Are Simple to Make” by Erin Gleeson