One of my favourite things as a parent is story time with my daughter. Running a small business and taking care of my family means life can get hectic. Story time is a lovely quiet time my daughter and I share where the demands of the outside world are switched off for a little while and we get lost in the magic of a wonderful book together.

Being an eco-conscious Mum I’m always on the look out for beautiful books that help to nurture aware, responsible little people by inspiring them to care for the environment and those around them.

Here are some of my favourites:

“What does it mean to be Green?” by Rana DiOrio

This bright, colourful story, explains in fun kid-friendly ways what it means to be green by helping children to look at the everyday things they do with environmentally friendly glasses.

“Sofia’s Dream” by Land Wilson

This is a beautiful bedtime story about a little girl called Sofia who befriends the Moon. Through her friendship she sees the Earth from the Moon’s perspective and is inspired to do what she can to protect it.

“Our big home” by Linda Glaser

Our big home is one you’ll love just as much as your kids. The words and images are simply beautiful and serve as a lovely introduction for children in understanding the interconnectedness of all life.

“The Tomorrow Book” by Jackie French

Australian author Jackie French, won the Wilderness Society’s Environment Award for Children’s Literature for this fantastic story of a young prince who wants to create a country where the future is environmentally focused. Printed on recycled paper, the story demonstrates in an imaginative and light-hearted way possible and practical solutions to water conservation, consumer waste, pollution and wildlife protection.

“Hairy Nose, Itchy Butt” by Elizabeth Frankel

This great little story follows the plight of Australia’s Southern Hairy-Nosed Wombat on a mission to track down his favourite scratching tree. The book was inspired by a desire to help raise awareness of the threats faced by one of our most loved marsupials. Part of the royalties for every book sold are donated to the Conservation ARK for wombat conservation.

This is just a tiny snapshot of some the wonderful eco-conscious children’s literature that’s out there. I’d love to hear other recommendations! What are some of your favourite eco-friendly kids books?

Liane Shannon

Creative Director

www.masterandmiss.com.au