Age Level

Title

Author

Book Summary

Copyright/
Publisher/ISBN

Format

Youth--Ages
4-12

Agatha's Feather Bed

Agra Deedy, Carmen

This book explains that everything on the earth comes from something on the earth--silk from silkworms, cotton from a cotton boll...Click here to learn one way to use this in the classroom.

1994: Peachtree Publishers 1-56145-008-1

Illustrated
picture book

Youth—Ages 10 and 14

Earth Keepers

Anderson, Joan

This book introduces readers to the Hudson River, a New York City community garden, and to the Minnesota wilderness…and to people who are working to reverse destruction of natural areas.

1993: Gulliver Green Book, Harcourt Brace & Co., NY , NY 0-15-242199-8

91 pgs.
Nonfiction

Youth—Ages 7-12

Chattanooga Sludge

Bang, Molly

This book challenges students to be problem-solvers by telling them about a man who tried to clean poisons from the Chattanooga Creek.

1996: Harcourt Brace & Co., Orlando , FL 0-15-216345-X

47 pgs.
Nonfiction

Youth--Ages 6 and up

Common Ground The Water, Earth and Air We Share

Bang, Molly

This is a parable about sheep and the commons that they graze on. It helps see how daily actions impact us, and why we need to work together to preserve our common ground.

1997: Blue Sky Press, an Imprint of Scholastic Inc.: NY , NY 0-590-10056-4

Illustrated
picture book

Youth--Ages 6-9

Table Where Rich People Sit

Baylor, Byrd

A girl feels as though her family doesn't have enough money. As the family discusses this issue at their worn-out table, they determine that there is much value in the non-tangibles of their lives-the sunsets, the stars, the wind. The girl decides her family may indeed be rich after all.

1994: Aladdin Paperbacks/Simon & Schuster, NY , NY 0-689-82008-9

Illustrated
picture book

Youth--Ages 11- and up

Consumption and Waste

Bledsoe, Karen E.

This book explains how Americans' commercial society and, subsequently, consumption patterns, lead to waste. Addressed are waste patterns throughout history, waste reduction, electronic waste and hazardous waste.

2004: Perfection Learning, Logan , IA 0-7891-6121-4

48 pgs.
Nonfiction

Youth—Ages 4-8

Garbage Collectors

Bourgeois, Paula

Join garbage collectors and find out what happens to garbage after it leaves the curb.

1998: Kids Can Press Ltd., Buffalo , NY 1-55074-440-2

Illustrated
picture book

Adult

Consumer's Guide to Effective Environmental Choices

Brower, Michael and Warren Leon

The Union of Concerned Scientists' guide is well researched and practical. It offers information to help you set priorities and understand the environmental impact of your decisions.

1999: Three Rivers Press, NY , NY 0-609-80281-X

304 pgs.
Nonfiction

Youth--Ages 4 and up

Quiltmaker's Gift

Brumbeau, Jeff and Gail Marcken

A prince acquires many possessions, but in the end realizes that it is far better to give than to receive. Click here to learn one way to use this in the classroom.

2000: Scholastic Press
NY, NY 0-439-30910-7

Illustrated
picture book

All ages

The Education of Little Tree

Carter, Forrest and Rennard Strickland

Though classified as non-fiction in many libraries, critics confirm that this is a novel. The book tells the story of a young, orphaned boy who is adopted by his Cherokee grandparents and lives in the Appalachian mountains of Tennessee . "Little Tree" learns to hunt and survive in the mountains and to respect nature.

2003: University of New Mexico Press 0-8263-0879-1

216 pgs.
Fiction

Youth--Ages 4-8

Diary of a Worm

Cronin, Doreen

This book is about the hidden world of worms and their daily doings.

2003: Joanna Cotler Books (imprint of HarperCollins Publishers) 0-06-000150-X

Illustrated
picture book

All ages

Women in the Material World

D'Aluisio, Faith and Peter Menzel

This book has 375 full-color photographs, statistics and insights on the status of women around the work. It portrays differences and similarities in women's lives throughout the world.

1996: Sierra Club Books 0-87156-398-3

256 pgs.
Nonfiction

Adult

Affluenza: The All-Consuming Epidemic

de Graaf, John, David Wann, Thomas H. Naylor and David Horsey

This book addresses overconsumption and resulting damage to Americans' health, families, communities and the environment. Though humorous in places, it also has a "scolding" tone. Use in conjunction with Jim Twitchell's counter-point, Lead Us into Temptation , to foster critical thinking skills.

2002: Berrett-Koehler

288 pgs.
Nonfiction

Clips appropriate for 5th grade- adults

Affluenza: The All-Consuming Epidemic DVD

de Graaf, John and Vivia Boe

This program, hosted by National Public Radio's Scott Simon, looks at overconsumption and materialism. Click here for a summary of the program's contents. This summary allows educators to scroll through the program and play two- to 10-minute clips.

1997: KCTS Television

56 min., DVD or VHS

Clips appropriate for 5th grade- adults

Escape from Affluenza DVD

de Graaf, John and Vivia Boe

This program is a sequel to the PBS special, Affluenza. It shows ways people can reduce their consumption. Click here for a summary of Escape from Affluenza's contents. This summary allows educators to scroll through the program and play two- to 10-minute clips.

1998: John de Graaf and KCTS Television

56 min., DVD or VHS

Youth--Ages 4-8

Dougal The Garbage Dump Bear

Dray, Matt

Dougal, a stuffed bear, is left out in the rain, then tossed in the garbage. But workers at the landfill save Dougal and other stuffed animals from landfill death. Personification is used throughout.

2005: Kane/Miller, La Jolla, CA
1-929132-78-6

Illustrated
picture book

Youth—Ages 13 and up

How Much Is Enough

Durning, Alan

Durning argues that the fates of humans and the natural world depend upon humans' choices. His book focuses on consumption and its link to environmental degradation.

1992: WW Norton & Co., Inc., NY , NY
0-393-30891-X

200 pgs.
Nonfiction

Youth—Ages 8-13

50 Simple Things Kids can do to Recycle

Earthworks Group

This is a recycling guide written for kids.

1994: EarthWorks Press, Berkley , CA
1-879682-00-1

144 pgs.
Nonfiction

Youth--Ages
9-14

Hoot

Hiaasen, Carl

Roy Eberhardt moves to Florida , and hates it. But things start looking up as he discovers intriguing Florida creatures-"potty-trained alligators, a beleaguered construction foreman, some burrowing owls, a fake-fart champion, a renegade eco-avenger, some slippery fish, a sinister pancake PR man and several extremely poisonous snakes." (book jacket)

2002: Alfred A. Knopf/Random House Children's Books

292 pgs.
Fiction

Youth--Ages 5-9

Wake Up, World!

Hollyer, Beatrice

This book provides information about the day in the live of children around the world.

1993: Puffin 0-8050-6293-9

Illustrated
picture book

Ages 13-18, Adult

Paper or Plastic Searching for Solutions to an Overpackaged World

Imhoff, Daniel

If you want to research packaging, start with this book. Imhoff provides background about packaging and its lifecycle, suggest ways to use less packaging, and dreams of a future "beyond the box."

2005: Sierra Club Books, San Francisco, CA
1-57805-117-7

227 pgs.
Fiction

Youth--Ages
8-12

Children Just Like Me

Kindersley, Barnabas and Anabel

The book describes the lives of children around the world, and includes photos of their families, their homes and schools, foods they eat, and other aspects of their lifestyles.

1995: Dorling Kindersley Publishing 0-7894-0201-7

Illustrated
picture book

Youth--Ages
7-10

The Wartville Wizard

Madden, Don

Wartville is being buried in trash. Then, one day, an old man realizes he can clean up Wartville. He involves the entire community in this solution.

1986: Aladdin Paperbacks 0-7857-0925-8

Illustrated
picture book

Youth--Ages
11-14

I Want to be an Environmentalist

Maze, Stephanie

Environmental careers are profiled in the context of ecological issues. Colorful format.

Harcourt

48 pgs.
Nonfiction

Youth--Ages
4-8

Beatrice's Goat

McBrier, Page

This recounts a true story about a girl, given the right tools, who was able to help lift her family from poverty. Click here to link to Read to Feed, where copies of this book are available free-of-charge.

Atheneum Books
for Young Readers
0-689-82460-2

Illustrated
picture book

Adult

Cradle to Cradle, Remaking the Way We Make Things

McDonough, William and Michael Braungart

This book proposes re-thinking of the industrial and economic system so that principals of nature are used and waste is eliminated.

2002: North Point Press

208 pgs.
Nonfiction

All ages

Material World: A Global Family Portrait

Menzel, Peter

This is a photographic look at 30 families, their homes and their possessions. The families represent 30 United Nations countries. Beautiful photos, brief but compelling narratives and fascinating statistics about these 30 countries, the energy they use, population per capita, income, etc.

1994: Sierra Club, San Francisco , CA
0-87156-437-8

255 pgs.
Nonfiction

Ages 10 and up

Touching Spirit Bear

Mikaelsen, Ben

A cruel delinquent faces the challenges of living on a remote Alaskan island, a Native American option to jail. The boy, Cole, learns a lot during his efforts to survive…and the story should hold a 7 th grade boy's interest, as it's a bit gory.

2001: HarperTrophy, a division of HarperCollins , NY , NY
0-380-80560-X

240 pgs.
Fiction

Adult

Branded: The Buying and Selling of Teenagers

Quart, Alissa

The author gives examples of ways that branding of products occurs, and provides information about marketing to younger audiences.

2003: Perseus Publishing

256 pgs.
Nonfiction

Curriculum for Grades 8-12

The Life Cycle of Everyday Stuff

Reeske, Mike and Shirley Watt Ireton

This curriculum offers ways to explore the science of consumer products. Life cycles, design, manufacturing and redesign are several of the seven units included in this guide.

2001: National Science Teachers Association, Arlington, VA
0-87355-187-7

95 pgs.
Nonfiction curriculum guide

Adult

Garbage Land
On the Secret Trail of Trash

Royte, Elizabeth

Royte leads readers through the life of garbage...to meet an odor chemist, neighbors to landfills, scientists trying to revive polluted areas; paper, steel, aluminium and plastic industry professionals... Royte reminds us that our decisions havea very real impact.

2005: Little, Brown and Co., NY, NY
0-316-73826-3

311 pgs.
Nonfiction

Youth--Ages 11 and up

Seven Wonders: Everyday Things for a Healthier Planet

Ryan, John C.

This book offers seven good-news things that can help improve the environment. Ceiling fans, bicycles and condoms are three examples. A positive, uplifting environmental book amidst a slew of depressing books.

1999: Sierra Club Books, San Francisco , CA
1-57805-038-3

98 pgs.
Nonfiction

Youth--Ages 11 and up

Stuff: The Secret Lives of Everyday Things

Ryan, John C. and Alan Thein Durning

The book describes the life cycle, during production, of common products such as t-shirts, cola and French fries.

1997: Northwest Environment Watch, Seattle , WA 1-886093-04-0

86 pgs.
Nonfiction

Ages 14 and up

Do Americans Shop Too Much?

Schor, Juliet B., Joshau Cohen, Joel Rogers

This book offers varying perspectives on consumption in America —a good “point”/“counterpoint” book to invoke critical thinking about public policy, economics, social inequality and marketing.

2000: Beacon Press,
Boston , MA
0-8070-0443-X

96 pgs.

Youth--Ages 10 and up

Downsiders

Shusterman, Neal

In this novel, a world exists beneath the sewer grates of New York City . The residents are called "Downsiders," and are prohibited from entering the "Topside." Yet, a young girl and boy, one from the Topside and one from down under, meet and learn about each others' worlds. Downsiders, for example, create works of art from the Topsiders' trash.

1999: Simon and Schuster , NY , NY

Fiction

Youth—Ages 4-10

Rot ‘n Roll

Slaughter, Stan

This illustrated songbook includes music notation and guitar chords for songs about composting and recycling. Also available are CDs with the same songs. Click here for a short English Language Arts lesson using “Landfill Blues.”

1995: Tall Oak Productions, Kansas City , MO stan@stanslaughter.com

Songbook

Youth--Ages
8-12

If the World Were a Village

Smith, David J.

If 6 billion people on the planet were a village of 100, what would it look like? The book explains whom lives in the village, where they live, how fast the village is rowing, what languages are spoken, what religions are practiced and more.

2002: Kids Can Press, Tonawanda , NY
1-55074-779-7

Illustrated
picture book

Youth--Ages 4-8

Joseph Had a Little Overcoat

Taback, Simms

Joseph had an overcoat, it gets old and shabby, but he keeps re-making some-thing of it until he has nothing. Then he even makes some-thing out of that.

1999: Viking, NY , NY
0-670-87855-3

Illustrated
picture book

Youth--Ages
13-18

The Gospel According to Larry

Tashjian, Janet

A first-person narrative from a 17-year boy's perspective. "Larry" wants to make a positive difference in the world, and he uses tools such as the web to accomplish his mission.

2001: Henry Holt & Co.

227 pgs.
Fiction

Youth--Ages
13-18

The Cost of Cool DVD

Tobias, Micheal

This production addresses the environmental cost of "cool." It focuses on teenagers' buying patterns and needs versus wants. Teenagers are interviewed, the life cycle of a t-shirt is shown.

2001: Population Communications International and Cognizant Media Ltd.

26 min., DVD, Video

Adult

Lead Us Into Temptation

Twitchell, Jim

Twitchell offers differing perspectives from Schor and de Graff (authors of other books on this resource list). He believes shopping may be an act of self-identification. Though radical in its own right, Twitchell offers research to back claims. Use in conjunction with de Graaf's Affluenza to foster critical thinking.

2000: Columbia University Press, NY , NY
0-231-11518-0

310 pgs.
Nonfiction

Youth--Ages 7 and up

Just a Dream

Van Allsburg, Chris

Walter doesn't care muct about the environment, but one night when he falls asleep, his dreams help him understand what the future will be like, depending upon the choices made in the present.

1990: Houghton Mifflin Co.: Boston
0-395-53308-2

Illustrated
picture book

Youth--Ages 4-8

Just Enough and Not Too Much

Zemach, Kaethe

A man has all he needs, and then decides he needs more. After acquiring many new things, his house is crowded and he decides that he was happier with less, so gives it all away.

2003: Scholastic Press, NY , NY
0-439-37724-2

Illustrated
picture book