Lorax Still Best Book For Introduction to Environmentalism For Kids

After all of these years still have a soft spot for Dr Seuss, his books are all classics, although some of them haven’t aged quite as well. One however that is a must read for you and your kids is without a doubt The Lorax. There is no better way to begin an introduction to caring for the environment and environmentalism in general then reading The Lorax. Obviously the characters and the colors are recognizable and super kid friendly, appealing, but the story is also removed enough from our current environmental woes to keep it at arms distance. One of the big hangups I have with books on climate and the environment these days is they make it a little too real for kids, which can be a little frightening. There’s this careful dance you have to do where as a parent you want to educate your kid but you also don’t want to freak them out too much. Deforestation, chopping down trees, over consumption, all of these topics are covered but also in a fictionalized world. It’s easy to have a conversation with your kid afterwards without having to say something to the effect of, this is happening right now and we need to worry about it.

Curious about other books that I think are pretty good on the topic, read my Best Books For Teaching Kids About Conservation.