Reading List for K-2nd Grade

Books are the gateway to exploration and learning for young children. Encourage a love of reading with this book list of climate-related stories and nonfiction texts. Enhance reading comprehension skills such as character analysis and retelling while exploring the best books from organizations such as Climate Science and Epic! Books. Explore the following books and watch even your most reluctant readers fall in love with reading!

Energy Books by Epic! 

These simple picture books explore the concepts of renewable and nonrenewable energy resources. These books are ideal for grade K, 1st grade, and 2nd grade reading levels. These books serve as an excellent read-aloud option, fostering comprehension and listening skills.

Farming in Bangladesh

A true story that young readers will find compelling as they learn about the impacts of sea level rise on farming communities in Bangladesh. There are three versions of the text representing varying Lexile levels.

My Green Space

In this must-read digital book and accompanying lesson materials, young children will learn about green spaces. The story encourages students to think about how the green spaces around them make them feel.

Saving Planet Earthly

An engaging children's book providing a clear introduction to climate change's causes, consequences, and solutions, suitable for read-aloud sessions and discussions with your kindergarten through second grade students.

Bee and Me

This animated video, based on a wordless picture book by Alison Jay, tells the story of a young girl who befriends a bee. The girl realizes that the bee is not happy living away from the natural world, so together they plant flower seeds all over the city. 

Storytime with Dr. Jane

This resource allows students from kindergarten to second grade to explore the world of animal and nature conservation. Students can watch Jane Goodall read a new book each week, selected from some of her favorite children’s books.

Sven's Search for Clean Energy

This is an online picture book about the adventures of Sven and Earthly as they learn about fossil fuels, their negative impacts on the environment, and clean energy sources such as wind, water, solar, and nuclear.

Kids Can Change the World

In this digital picture book Ava, an Indigenous girl from Canada, and her friend Earthly discover that children around the world are working to make the Earth healthier.

Andrea & Flavio's Fantastic Forest Farm

This picture book tells the story of Andrea, Flavio, and Earthly as they explore sustainable farming methods in Brazil. 

Adesh's Deep Sea Dive

This digital picture book is set on the coast of Sri Lanka, where a boy named Adesh learns from his oceanographer neighbor about climate change, sea level rise, biodiversity loss, and unhealthy living conditions for sea life. 

Tuyen's Tremendous Trash Tour

In this digital picture book, Tuyen and Earthly tour Vietnam and learn about different types of waste and where they end up. By reading this book, students learn about the consequences of improper waste disposal on the environment. 

More Than Trees: A Story of Oregon Forests

This nonfiction picture book expands the background knowledge about the many animals, plants, and environments in forests, including the canopy, tree trunks, shrub layer, forest floor, and streams. Kindergarten through second grade readers will develop a connection to the natural world around them.

My Hearing Spot: Decodable Reader

This decodable reader describes a person using a ‘sit spot’ or a quiet place in nature to observe and notice animals and plants in their area. This encourages students to notice the natural world around them and engenders a desire to protect the Earth. Students will phonics skills such as decoding words with -r controlled vowels. 

Closing Thoughts

Encourage a love for reading while fostering environmental consciousness with our carefully selected Kindergarten, First Grade, and Second Grade reading list. Let these stories inspire young minds to become passionate advocates for a sustainable future while building key literacy skills.