Just last month, in honor of the original Earth Day (March 21st. Who knew?…), Laurie J. Edwards provided both a glimpse into the history of Earth Day and a terrific list of Earth Day-themed books. So, now that we’ve arrived at the current Earth Day (NOTE: If you’re not reading this post on April 22nd, just pretend, okay? . . .), I’d like to offer four additional middle-grade novels that might fit your reading list as you celebrate the one and only planet we have to call home.
Flush by Carl Hiaasen
Casino boat. Toilets. Raw sewage. What more could you possibly need to know?
One White Dolphin by Gill Lewis
There’s a reef in peril from dredging. Then a baby albino dolphin gets caught in an old fishing net, setting off a series of events that may change everything.
Something Stinks! by Gail Hedrick
For seventh-grader Emily Sanders, the mystery begins with some dead fish washing ashore on her uncle and aunt’s farm. But when Emily chooses to investigate, she doesn’t just lose friends—she also makes enemies.
Night of the Spadefoot Toads by Bill Harley
When fifth-grader Ben Moroney’s family moves from Arizona to Massachusetts, Ben has to leave behind the desert home and environment he loves. Then his new fifth-grade science teacher, Mrs. Tibbets, introduces him to the endangered spadefoot toad, and Ben finds something he cares about. Then the toads’ habitat is threatened, and Ben’s impulsive act to save it may instead lead to losses Ben never intended.
Do you have a favorite middle-grade novel that fits this Earth Day list? Feel free to leave a comment and post the title and author below!
Along with his MUF posts, T. P. Jagger can be found at www.tpjagger.com, where he provides brief how-to writing-tip videos as The 3-Minute Writing Teacher plus original readers’ theatre scripts for middle-grade teachers. He also has a 10-lesson, video-based creative writing course available at Curious.com.
