Every April, we honor our planet on Earth Day with a selection of works celebrating the natural world. With titles ranging from stories of wilderness survival to nonfiction works about conservation and sustainability, this Collection features a broad spectrum of ideas regarding nature and our role within it.
Publication year 1988
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Environment, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology
Tags Science / Nature, Animals, Anthropology, Anthropology, Biography
Publication year 1998
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Natural World: Environment, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Mothers
Tags Historical Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Class, Grief / Death, Race / Racism, Children's Literature, Realistic Fiction
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Environment, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Teams, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Children's Literature, Action / Adventure, Historical Fiction
Publication year 1991
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Natural World: Environment, Society: Colonialism, Society: Economics
Tags History: U.S., Business / Economics, Urban Development, Science / Nature, American Literature, History: World
Publication year 2016
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Indigenous, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Place, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Society: Economics, Society: Globalization, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Philosophy, Social Science, Politics / Government, Sociology
Publication year 1963
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Natural World: Environment, Society: Politics & Government, Identity: Indigenous, Natural World: Animals
Tags Science / Nature, Animals, Action / Adventure, Classic Fiction, Biography
Farley Mowat published Never Cry Wolf in 1963. The book is a non-fiction memoir of the 18 months he spent in the Barrens, a treeless area of tundra, studying arctic wolves for the Dominion Wildlife Service. Told that these wolves killed caribou for sport, Farley was surprised to discover that wolves never attacked humans and only culled the deer herds of unhealthy animals. Farley also encountered rampant inefficiency among his government colleagues, which he reports... Read Never Cry Wolf Summary
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Place, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Identity: Race, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Marriage, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: Nation, Emotions/Behavior: Regret
Tags Race / Racism, Historical Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Children's Literature, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 1984
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Natural World: Environment, Society: Community, Relationships: Family
Tags Realistic Fiction, Natural Disaster, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Historical Fiction, Action / Adventure
SummaryNight of the Twisters is a young adult realistic fiction novel written by award-winning author Ivy Ruckman. The book was the recipient of several awards, including the Golden Sower Award, the Iowa Children’s Choice Award, and the Sequoyah Children’s Book Award. It was also recommended as an Outstanding Science Trade Books for Children by the National Science Teachers Association and Children’s Book Council. A movie of the same name based loosely on the book was... Read Night of the Twisters Summary
Publication year 2010
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family, Natural World: Environment
Tags Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Relationships, Natural Disaster, African American Literature, Children's Literature, Realistic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Action / Adventure
Jewell Parker Rhodes’s Ninth Ward is a realistic middle grade novel that follows 12-year-old Lanesha, a resident of New Orleans’s Ninth Ward neighborhood, in the days surrounding Hurricane Katrina, a devastating storm that hit the Gulf Coast in 2005. Lanesha must rely on her resourcefulness, resilience, and fortitude to survive the storm and subsequent flooding of the Ninth Ward. First published in 2010 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, the book earned a School... Read Ninth Ward Summary
Publication year 1973
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Identity: Femininity, Identity: Race, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Identity: Indigenous, Natural World: Environment, Society: Class, Society: Immigration, Values/Ideas: Beauty
Publication year 2009
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Natural World: Environment
Tags Sociology, Education, Education, Climate Change, Biography
No Impact Man: The Adventures of a Guilty Liberal Who Attempts to Save the Planet, and the Discoveries He Makes About Himself and Our Way of Life in the Process is an autobiography published in 2009. Author Colin Beavan, tired of being a liberal who only lectures his wife about not wearing fur, decides to dedicate himself, his wife Michelle, and their toddler Isabella to a year of creating no impact on the environment. His... Read No Impact Man Summary
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Environment, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Values/Ideas: Fate, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Flora/plants, Natural World: Objects, Natural World: Place, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Historical Fiction, Science / Nature, History: World, Magical Realism
Publication year 2014
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Place, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Beauty
Tags Sports, Action / Adventure, Animals, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Travel Literature, Biography
No Summit out of Sight (2014) is a young adult memoir written by Jordan Romero and Linda LeBlanc. Jordan Romero is the youngest person to ever climb the Seven Summits. The novel explores themes including The Power of Setting and Achieving Goals, Focusing on a Personal Best, and The Value of Teamwork.This guide uses the 2014 Simon & Schuster edition of the memoir.SummaryFourth grader Jordan Romero gazes at a mural of the Seven Summits (the... Read No Summit Out Of Sight Summary
Publication year 1995
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Life/Time: Aging, Life/Time: Midlife, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Place, Self Discovery, Society: Economics, Society: Globalization, Society: Nation
Tags British Literature, History: World, Travel Literature, Humor, Biography
Publication year 1923
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Environment
Tags Lyric Poem, Science / Nature, Modernism, American Literature, Education, Education, Classic Fiction
Publication year 2008
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Disability, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Natural World: Environment, Relationships: Family, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Children's Literature, Fantasy, Mythology, Historical Fiction, Action / Adventure
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel/Book in Verse, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Place, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Animals, Science / Nature, Realistic Fiction, Action / Adventure, Children's Literature
Publication year 1807
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Aging, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Natural World: Environment
Tags Romanticism / Romantic Period, Education, Education, British Literature, History: World, Classic Fiction
Publication year 1820
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Environment, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Hope
Tags Lyric Poem, Romanticism / Romantic Period, British Literature
Percy Bysshe Shelley’s “Ode to the West Wind” is an exemplary piece of Romantic Era poetry. It explores such themes as personal freedom, creation and the craft of poetry, and the role of the poet in 19th-Century British society, among other themes. The speaker makes use of apostrophe and personification to paint a picture of the West Wind’s awesome powers. Moving through the tight terza rima form with playful alliteration, grandiose imagery gradually gives way... Read Ode to the West Wind Summary
Publication year 1686
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Place, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia
Tags Asian Literature, Lyric Poem, Japanese Literature, Animals
Many scholars agree that “Old Pond” (1686) by Matsuo Bashō is one of the most—if not the most—famous haiku of all time. The term “haiku” translates as “play verse,” and though “Old Pond” appears whimsical and simple—a frog jumping into water and the subsequent splash—Bashō utilizes various literary devices such as key words and onomatopoeia to ensure this three-line poem is both didactic and enjoyable. “Old Pond” is instructional, especially for its use of common... Read Old Pond Summary