Inspiring Picture Books About India

The Forest Man: The True Story of Jadav Payeng by Anne Matheson and Kay Widdowson

Only by growing plants, the Earth will survive.

                                                        Jadav Payeng   

Young Jadav and his family lived on a river island in India filled with many animals and exotic birds until heavy rainfalls caused by monsoons washed away the forests, leaving only sand. The birds and animals had no shade or trees to use for shelter. 

When he was fourteen years old, Jadav began planting trees like mango and banyan trees. He even brought insects and fertilizer to the island to help his forest grow. 

Today, people from all over the world can visit Jadav's beautiful forest and observe the animals that live there. 

Children will love the colorful illustrations of animals in Jadav's garden that include Indian elephants, wild water buffalo, chitals, and bengal tigers. This inspiring picture book shows how Jadav Payeng worked to restore a functioning ecosystem on his beloved island.  

Picture Books for Earth Day

Earth Day began in 1970 and is celebrated annually on April 22nd. This global event raises awareness about environmental issues and encourages action to protect our planet, with the goal of inspiring people to take care of the Earth and its natural resources. These illustrated books from our collection explain the origins of Earth Day and the history of the environmental movement in the United States.

Black Beach: A Community, an Oil Spill, and the Origin of Earth Day by Shaunna and John Stith; Illustrated by Maribel Lechuga

After a devastating oil spill off the coast of Santa Barbara in 1969 that harmed wildlife and habitats, local citizens, including school children, joined clean up crews to try to help. They picked up debris, rescued seabirds covered in oil, and collected oil in bottles to send to politicians in Washington. Those small actions led to more people across the country taking actions to help the environment. Twenty million people celebrated the first Earth Day on April 22, 1970. Black Beach explains how children helped draw attention to environmental issues and includes practical ways to protect our environment.