a landscape of mountains, trees, and water in Yosemite

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April is Earth Month! Today’s blog post highlights diverse books for Earth Month, celebrating the people who have made a difference in the fight for a healthy planet.

five children's book covers about diverse people to read about for earth month

The History of Earth Month

Earth Month is an expansion of Earth Day, started in 1970 by Junior Senator from Wisconsin, Gaylord Nelson. The 1960s and 1970s saw massive student-led anti-war protests, and Senator Nelson saw the potential of gathering the energy from the students into protecting the earth as well.

The first Earth Day was April 22, 1970, between mid-terms and finals for maximum opportunities for student participation. Senator Nelson had coordinated with student activist Denis Hayes to create a “teach-in” across multiple universities, to educate about the threats to the environment and ways to protect it. Service projects to clean up trash happened across the country.

In a rare moment of nationwide solidarity, dozens of organizations focused on protecting the earth all combined to celebrate Earth Day and call for more regulations. This teamwork led to the founding of the Environmental Protection Agency As the movement grew, so did the timeframe. April was officially designated as Earth Month in 1990.

Check out these diverse books for Earth Month, and all the people who have made a difference to protect the planet.

Note: The Radical Agenda believes in supporting independent bookstores over big box stores, so we share book links using Bookshop.org. Click on the picture to order your copy of the books that catch your eye, and thank you for supporting small businesses around the country!

We are Water Protectors by Carole Lindstrom, illustrated by Michaela Goade

Check out the full review of this book here.

The Tree Lady: The True Story of How One Tree-Loving Woman Changed a City Forever by H. Joseph Hopkins, illustrated by Jill McElmurry

The story of how Kate Sessions transformed a barren landscape in San Diego, California, into Balboa Park.

A woman lays down in a clearing, surrounded by tall trees. Scrolling letters spell out "The Tree Lady"

Spring After Spring: How Rachel Carson Inspired the Environmental Movement by Stephanie Roth Sisson

Watch and listen to the book read on Youtube.

Grandma Gatewood Hikes the Appalachian Trail written and illustrated by Jennifer Thermes

A grey-haired lady is shown hiking across varied terrain with her walking stick, hat, and a small bag of belongings
An illustrated Greta Thunberg, wearing her hair in braids and holding a sign that says "Our House is ON FIRE" is surrounded by other children holding protest signs

Our House is On Fire: Greta Thunberg’s Call to Save the Planet by Jeanette Winter

The Intersectional Environmentalist: How to Dismantle Systems of Oppression to Protect People and Planet by Leah Thomas

A bit different from the usual recommendations here because this is more of an instructional manual, but centers on intersectionality, which is a commonly overlooked in the study of environmentalism!

A simple cover shows a rainbow. Black letters over the rainbow say "The Intersectional Environmentalist" How to Dismantle Systems of Oppression to Protect People and Planet" by Leah Thomas
Two birds perch on the letters of the cover, which say "Rachel Carson and the Power of Queer Love" by Lida Maxwell

Rachel Carson and the Power of Queer Love by Lida Maxwell

Rachel Carson’s love for the planet inspired the environmental protection movement. This is the story behind her book, Silent Spring.