Topic: Nature and civilisation
List of entries
Marshall’s Walkabout is a survival novel following two young siblings, Mary and Peter, from America, who, after a plane crash, are stranded in the Australian Outback. Plagued by starvation and exhaustion, their chances of survival in these unknown and strange lands seem to be low until they meet an Aboriginal boy who takes the role […]
This heartwarming story shows the beauty of non-traditional families and can help introduce this topic to young readers. The Central Park Zoo houses all kinds of animals, the penguins being among the ones that love living in pairs. Roy and Silo, two male penguins, are in love and desperately want a little penguin of their […]
The series Little People, Big Dreams offers a wonderful introduction to various historical figures for young readers. And there are so many to choose from! Whatever the child’s field of interest is, there is a role model out there just waiting to be discovered. The beautiful illustrations accompany the accessible text written specifically with young […]
This wonderfully illustrated book is all about the beauty of helping others. George the giant just got a brand new outfit that finally makes him feel good about himself again. But what makes him feel even better is helping out others. So when he gives all of his new clothes away to different animals, he […]
When everyone in London goes to sleep, the animals come out to play. And although London’s animals do not usually get along, they gather for a celebration of peace and harmony once a year. But when a discussion begins about what the most beautiful place in London is, things get a little tense… This bilingual […]
“Well that is Planet Earth. Make sure you look after it, as it’s all we’ve got.” This beautifully illustrated book presents Earth as something precious that needs to be protected by all generations. The story shows both the beauty of the world as well as its problems while staying optimistic, for: “Though we have come […]
This humorous story of two fox cubs is the perfect introduction to graphic novels for younger readers. Nancy and Ted, two young foxes, have always lived in the Big City. However, they are driven away by the terrifying street cat Princess Buttons. They seek refuge in the countryside, but Grimwood isn’t as peaceful and quaint […]
In this beautifully illustrated picture book, a sloth shares his wisdom with the other jungle animals. They don’t understand why he does everything so… slowly. But given enough time to answer, the sloth explains that he isn’t “lazy” but just wants to take time to enjoy life. A reminder we could all use now and […]
“This is how I speak. Even the river stutters. Like I do.” This beautifully illustrated children’s book tells the story of a young boy finding his voice. Struggling with stuttering, he feels uncomfortable speaking in front of the class. He finds comfort in driving out to the river with his father, where he’s told that […]
“Yes, that day they both learned that, no matter your size, we all have a mouse and a lion inside.” In this adorably illustrated children’s book, a mouse sets out on a mission to learn how to roar. He’s tired of being ignored by other animals and is convinced that, if he could only roar […]
This picture book is a fable of colonisation. While both the writer and the illustrator live in Australia, the stylised illustrations and the abstract descriptions manage to provide a more general understanding of the experience of a culture feeling overrun by another. The story is told from the perspective of numbat-like creatures who experience how […]
This heart-warming picture book on being different, feeling isolated and finally finding friends and acceptance follows a bear who always wanted to be a rabbit. Born as a bear but identifying as a bunny, Bunnybear experiences peer pressure from the other bears, who tell him to stop hopping around and twitching his nose as rabbits […]
Mad Libs is a game that shows how a simple concept can lead to endless possibilities. Each page of a Mad Libs booklet offers a new story in the shape of a “fill in the blanks” text. Behind each gap, you’re told what kind of a word is supposed to fill it: an adverb, a […]
Fitting in can be hard for anyone. However, in a world of blue bunnies and yellow birds, feeling like you belong is extra tough. One day, the most peculiar green little creature hatches, with a fluffy tail and adorable little wings. Not this, not that… It’s Neither! Feeling out of place among the bunnies and […]
This inspiring picture book illustrates the real-life story of Jadav Payeng, who grew 1,300 acres of forest to protect the environment. “In India, on a large river island, among farms and families hard at work, there lived a boy who loved trees.” Jadav becomes alerted when he finds out that animals are dying around his […]
This empowering picture book calls the readers attention to environmental pollution and eco-activism. In the second volume of the series, Rocket, a young girl, who loves science and astronomy, visits her grandparents who live on a Caribbean island. When she stumbles upon a baby turtle, who is trapped in a plastic bag, she discovers that […]
This eco-critical picture book tells the story of climate activist Greta Thunberg for young readers. Once upon a time, the greedy giants, who built large cities and factories, threaten the forest’s biodiversity. They started to log down the trees, as they need more wood for their business. First, Greta is the only one, who stands […]
This eco-critical fable in rhymes explores industrial, economic and environmental issues. The Lorax is a creature that speaks for the trees and is the opponent of the Once-ler who cuts down the trees destroying the habitat of many animals and polluting the environment. The beautifully illustrated children’s book and its movie adaptation (2012) are well-suited […]