No catches, no fine print just unconditional book loving for your children with their favourites saved to their own digital bookshelf.
New members get entered into our monthly draw to win £100 to spend in your local bookshop plus lots lots more...
Find out moreThe non fiction books in this section all have a theme of conservation, raising environmental awareness and/or championing green issues.
This little volume is just the right size to fit into a pocket or backpack and it’s well worth young readers keeping it to hand at all times as it’s packed with advice on ways to be more green. Chapters include ‘Do You Live in a Green House?’, ‘Shopping for the Planet’ and ‘Stop Polluting the Planet’ and after describing the impact of the ways of life we all take for granted, they list things we can easily do to make a difference. These ‘over to you’ sections are practical, do-able and empowering. There’s a list of websites to visit at the end to find out more, as well as Planet Pledges to sign – one for the reader, one for the reader’s family. Accessible, informative and positive, this is a great book for anyone who cares about the future of our planet and highly recommended.
December 2019 Book of the Month | Greta Thunberg is the inspiration for this heartfelt and moving allegory. A little girl lives happily in a beautiful forest until the actions of neighbouring giants start to threaten her home and the wild animals who share it. The fictional Greta, like her real-life counterpart, begins a strike and is gradually joined by more and more people until the giants take notice. In this story they change their ways and everyone lives happily. Simply but powerfully the story explains the impact of human activity on the climate and our world, but reassures children that there’s something they can do: within notes about Greta Thunberg at the end is her quote, “No one is too small to make a difference.”
December 2019 Book of the Month | Handsomely illustrated this information book is full of stories of adventure and exploration and takes readers to some of the wildest, most distant places on the planet, from the polar regions to the deepest underground caves. Each location is brought to life through maps and the geographical vital statistics but most vividly through the stories of the men and women who were among the first to explore them. Expect to get up close to the Matterhorn, the Arabian Desert and both poles while learning too about the threats to these beautiful places from climate change. Tyler’s striking graphic illustrations make the information even more memorable and there’s a useful glossary too.
Plastic pollution and global warming are huge issues facing the world today. This book offers a simple introduction to these issues, answers children’s questions in a clear and balanced way.
Twenty Inspiring Stories of People Saving Our World | Timely and inspirational, this edifying exposition of twenty individuals who are actively working to save our world will surely chime with a generation of young readers who’ve grown up mindful of climate change and will be acutely aware of – if not also engaged in – contemporary climate activism movements. The familiar names of David Attenborough and Greta Thunberg are covered, with fascinating information about their backgrounds and the pivotal moments that set them on their earth-saving quests. Lesser-known but equally as inspirational figures are presented too, such as Isabel Soares of Portugal who pioneered a scheme to cut down food waste (“beautiful people eat ugly fruit”) and Amelia Telford, a young woman with Aboriginal roots whose clever actions as a teenager - and beyond - brought climate change and the voice of Indigenous Australians to the attention of the Australian Prime Minister. Throughout the tone is – importantly and commendably – engaging and easily readable yet refreshingly grown-up, in that its audience of young readers are never talked-down to about big issues. The book must also be commended for Jackie Lay’s illustrations and its smart design, with pithily inspirational quotes opening each person’s entry. Teeming with heart, hope and humanity, this non-fiction treasure is ideal for reading alone or using in the classroom.
In these challenging times for our planet, children feel a particular pressure to take action. This book offers them the information they need to understand the issues as well as ideas and advice on the steps they themselves can take to improve things. It’s practical and pragmatic, reassuring and inspiring. Written in partnership with environmental charity ClientEarth it’s particularly good on how mass democratic campaigns like petitions can really make a difference, stressing to young readers that individual voices all count. It’s also packed with ideas for things they can easily do now, whether that’s recycling more or growing your own vegetables. The information is clearly laid out and very easy to digest. As Brian Eno explains in his introduction, becoming a Guardian of the Planet needn’t be as daunting as it sounds, especially if we all work together.
October 2019 Book of the Month | A Julia Eccleshare Pick of the Month October 2019 | Follow in Greta Thunberg's footsteps and join the global mission to save our planet from climate change. With in-depth text and data, this necessary and timely book will answer readers' questions on what climate change means, what its consequences will be, and what must be done to protect our world.
September 2019 Book of the Month | From its dedication to Sir David Attenborough – ‘the most awesome human who has ever lived’ – this brilliant information book strikes exactly the right note, laying out the huge problems we and our planet are facing from plastic but at the same time showing us how we can change our behaviour to really make a difference, while still living a fun and happy life. Author, former McFly and Busted member Dougie Poynter makes sure the tone is friendly and accessible, while keeping a focus on the big issues, and what we need to do about them. He’s invited contributions from a range of scientist and campaigners, who all show that taking action is far more doable than we think. It makes for really lively, stimulating and inspiring reading, the kind of book we all need in our lives right now.
Every young person will have heard of Greta Thunberg, the schoolgirl whose strikes for the climate have developed into a world-wide movement and put young peoples’ voices at the heart of the efforts to protect our planet. This book tells Greta’s story, explaining how a wary, quiet girl from Sweden has found the courage and determination to stand up for what she knows is crucial to the future of every one of us. It’s an inspiring story, and unique to Greta, but it also demonstrates how together we can all make a difference, and work towards the future we want. In addition to Greta’s story, there’s a chapter explaining the science of global warming, notes on what we can do as individuals and suggestions for further reading. This could be the most important book your children will read all year.
As the issue of plastic pollution on land and in the oceans becomes ever more urgent, children need to understand what is going on, why and what steps they can do to change things. This book explains in clear text and abundant photographs what plastic is, how it is used, and why it’s a problem for the world. In addition to presenting the facts, it challenges young people to think about what they can do to help as well as including the latest information on plastic replacements – packaging made from seaweed for example. A useful, effective and stimulating information book.
A Julia Eccleshare Pick of the Month March 2018 Take a new look at some of the most common insects and mini-beasts around us in this fun to use information book about the habitats of beetles, bees, spiders, butterflies and more. Lift the flaps to find the out more about these insects’ homes and how they live. ~ Julia Eccleshare Julia Eccleshare's Picks of the Month for March 2018 The Lotterys Plus One by Emma Donoghue King Coo by Adam Stower Splish, Splash, Ducky! by Lucy Cousins We Are Not Frogs! (Little Gems) by Michael Morpurgo The Sorry Tale of Fox and Bear by Margrete Lamond Song of the Dolphin Boy by Elizabeth Laird What Do People Do All Day? (50th anniversary edition) by Richard Scarry Bird House by Libby Walden Bug Hotel by Libby Walden Alone Together by Clayton Junior The Lost Penguin by Claire Freedman
Red Alert! is inspired and endorsed by the 'Red List' database maintained by International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Currently the list includes over 70,000 species known to be at risk, but it grows larger all the time. Absolutely beautiful and perfectly targeted for its audience. We are delighted to be involved. - Dr Craig Hilton-Taylor, Head of Red List Unit, IUCN The IUCN Red List is supported by Sir David Attenborough.
An enchanting, strange and sometimes chilling tale, masterfully illustrated by Maurice Sendak.
May 2016 Non-Fiction Book of the Month The planet is under threat, but there are things we can all do to change that says this attractive guide book. It’s full of suggestions for practical – and enjoyable – things children can do to make a difference in their home or local area. There are projects to encourage wildlife for example, ideas for keeping rubbish out of landfill by turning it into something pretty or useful, and some clever gadgets to make that will help your family use less energy. With its clear, attractive design and easy to follow instructions this successfully challenges children to be more eco-friendly while having fun. There’s a useful list of websites offering more ideas and information at the back too. ~ Andrea Reece
Pull the tabs, lift the flaps and open up the amazing pops and discover the answers to lots of questions about being green and find out what you can do to help our planet stay green.