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 1999
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Climate, Natural World: Environment, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology
Tags History: U.S., Health / Medicine, Animals, Action / Adventure, Children's Literature, History: World, Biography
Publication year 2015
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Self Discovery, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Society: Class, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Literature
Tags Sports, Travel Literature, Action / Adventure, Bullying, Arts / Culture, Class, Race / Racism, Relationships, Poverty, Politics / Government, Science / Nature, Social Justice, History: World, Biography
Barbarian Days: A Surfing Life is a 2015 memoir by William Finnegan, a writer for The New Yorker and the author of several social journalism books such as A Complicated War: The Harrowing of Mozambique and Dateline Soweto: Travels with Black South African Reporters. In Barbarian Days, Finnegan reflects on his upbringing in California and Hawaii, as well as his coming of age in the late 1960s. He relays his experience of the surfing counterculture... Read Barbarian Days: A Surfing Life Summary
Publication year 2013
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Music, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance, Action / Adventure
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Indigenous, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Identity: Gender, Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Natural World: Environment, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Siblings, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Historical Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Trauma / Abuse / Violence
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Natural World: Environment, Relationships: Family
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Allegory / Fable / Parable, Climate Change, Grief / Death, Mental Illness, Science / Nature, American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2014
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Teams, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Natural World: Place, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Birth, Natural World: Environment, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Identity: Mental Health, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Relationships: Mothers, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Apathy
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction
Bird Box is a 2014 post-apocalyptic, dystopian horror novel by Josh Malerman. The story follows a woman’s struggle to protect two children in a world where people are driven to violence by unseen monsters, touching on such themes as paranoia, raising children to deal with an uncertain future, and the dangers of exceptionalism. Bird Box won a Michigan Notable Book Award and was also nominated for the James Herbert Award as well as the Bram... Read Bird Box Summary
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Natural World: Environment
Tags Psychological Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2018
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Race, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Climate, Natural World: Environment, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Fathers, Society: Colonialism, Society: War
Tags Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Afrofuturism, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Children's Literature
Publication year 2025
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Environment, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Mothers, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Love / Sexuality, Romance, Survival Fiction
Publication year 1978
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Objects
Tags Science / Nature, Confessional
Publication year 2019
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Natural World: Environment
Tags Journalism, Russian Literature, Science / Nature, Business / Economics, History: World, Politics / Government
Blowout, Rachel Maddow's second nonfiction book, was published in 2019 by Crown Publishing Group. In it, TV host and political commentator Maddow interconnects a series of global events, all woven together by one common thread: the oil and gas industry. Through the various vignettes, Maddow offers readers a book that is part rallying cry, part exposé, and part investigative journalism. Blowout sheds light on forgotten news stories; From the opening anecdote about a Russian gas... Read Blowout Summary
Publication year 1982
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Place, Life/Time: The Past, Values/Ideas: Fate, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia
Tags Travel Literature, Action / Adventure, History: U.S., Race / Racism, American Literature, History: World, Biography
Blue Highways: A Journey into America (1982) is an autobiographical travelogue by American historian William Least Heat-Moon. The trip in question—a 13,000-mile circuit around the States—began in 1978, the book’s title deriving from out-of-the-way routes drawn in blue on an old road atlas. The author-narrator researches local history of the areas visited and interviews the many people he meets. Heat-Moon spent the subsequent years composing and revising the manuscript, and after a few rejections, it... Read Blue Highways: A Journey into America Summary
Publication year 2018
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Climate, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Food, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Grandparents, Relationships: Mothers, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Fantasy, Magical Realism, Children's Literature, Mystery / Crime Fiction
... Read Bob Summary
Publication year 1994
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Identity: Indigenous, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Natural World: Environment, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Self Discovery, Society: Colonialism, Society: Nation, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Children's Literature, Education, Education, History: U.S., History: World, Historical Fiction
Publication year 2022
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Natural World: Flora/plants, Natural World: Environment, Identity: Indigenous, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community
Tags Children's Literature, Education, Education, History: World, Science / Nature, Philosophy
Publication year 2013
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Natural World: Environment
Tags Science / Nature, History: World, Religion / Spirituality
Written in 2013, Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants is a nonfiction book by Robin Wall Kimmerer, a botanist and member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation. The work examines modern botany and environmentalism through the lens of the traditions and cultures of the Indigenous peoples of North America. Through a series of personal reflections, the author explores the connection between living things and human efforts to cultivate a more sustainable... Read Braiding Sweetgrass Summary
Publication year 2003
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Environment, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Action / Adventure, Children's Literature, Survival Fiction, Realistic Fiction
Brian’s Hunt (2003) by Gary Paulsen is the fifth and final book in the middle grade coming-of-age survival series, Brian’s Saga. It is preceded by Hatchet, The River, Brian’s Winter, and Brian’s Return. In Brian’s Hunt, Brian returns to the woods two years after his first wilderness survival experience. Paulsen, an experienced outdoorsman, highlights Brian’s preference for a simple life in nature over the hustle of the civilized world. The novel is praised for its... Read Brian's Hunt Summary
Publication year 1999
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Animals, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Realistic Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Science / Nature, Action / Adventure, Children's Literature, Classic Fiction
Brian's Return (1999) is a young adult fiction novel and the fourth book in author Gary Paulsen’s Hatchet series. Paulsen draws on his personal experiences from the wilderness to create Brian’s outdoor adventure and survival narrative throughout the series, stating in the author note, “Virtually all that happens to Brian in these books has happened to me at some point in my life” (112). Paulsen was awarded the Newberry Honor in 1988 for Hatchet, the first... Read Brian's Return Summary
Publication year 1996
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Beauty, Natural World: Environment, Life/Time: Coming of Age
Tags Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Realistic Fiction, Action / Adventure, Animals, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Classic Fiction
Brian’s Winter (1996), a young adult novel by Gary Paulsen, is the third book in the Hatchet series of survival stories. Brian’s Winter chronologically follows Hatchet, acting as an alternate ending to Hatchet in which Brian is not rescued, and must continue to survive in the woods through the winter. Paulsen uses his own firsthand knowledge of winter survival skills to create a vivid and realistic portrayal of winter in the Canadian woods.Other works by... Read Brian's Winter Summary
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Environment, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Action / Adventure