18 Books by Latino Authors That Prove Every Day Is Earth Day
Earth Day is a global celebration that honors our planet. It’s a day when people come together to reflect on how we can better care for the Earth. From planting trees and reducing waste to advocating for cleaner air and water.
But at its heart, Earth Day is really about reminding us that we can make a difference.
Importantly, caring for the Earth isn’t just a one-day event — it’s a lifestyle we embody every day. You can plant a garden, start a compost bin. Or maybe you can participate in a community clean-up, or spend time learning about indigenous environmental practices.
We can create a ripple effect that benefits our communities and future generations. When we treat Earth Day as a daily practice, we teach ourselves and others that protecting the planet is an ongoing act of love and responsibility. The key is to find actions that fit into your life. Because when caring for the planet feels meaningful and doable, it becomes second nature.
For families, reading books about nature or doing crafts with recycled materials can be a fun way to spark conversations about caring for the planet. I am thrilled to share books that celebrate the environment, written by Latino authors. Enjoy picture books, middle-grade novels, and young adult page-turners that remind us to cherish Mother Nature.
Picture Books for the Youngest Tree-Huggers in your Familia (4-8 years old)
Paula’s Patches by Gabriella Aldeman, with illustrations by Rocío Arreola Mendoza, was inspired by her daughter, whose pants frequently tear.
In the story, Paula’s pants rip at school. She tries everything to hide the hole. Until she realizes her classmates have their own imperfections too, from stained shirts to worn backpacks. Gabriella shared, “When I was a child, I felt self-conscious about my clothes. I wanted to create a character that would overcome feeling embarrassed. Additionally, and most importantly, I wanted Paula’s Patches to celebrate the value of mending. And serve as a starting point for discussion of consumerism, throwaway culture, and fast fashion.”
At home, her family prioritizes fixing items and reducing waste, often resulting in fun and quirky projects. “I’m also constantly washing and reusing sandwich bags,” she added. It’s a thoughtful, timely story that encourages kids to be resourceful and kind to themselves and the planet.
Cool Green: Amazing, Remarkable Trees is a celebration of some of the world’s most incredible trees, told through the eyes of a landscaper and his curious granddaughter.
Lulu wrote and illustrated this book, inspired by an exhibit that revealed how trees communicate through a fungal network. “I was in awe. I’m an avid gardener and keen observer of flora,” she said. “On long walks through National Parks, I began to wonder. Which is the tallest tree on Earth, the thickest, the most colorful, the one that harks [back] to the time of the dinosaurs? To weave the information I gathered into a book that makes a young reader fall in love with what trees do for humans. And the Earth was the challenge I relished.”
Lulu has composted for decades—first in her backyard, now in her city rooftop bin. “The compost we make enriches the soil in my container vegetable garden. Good for the environment, good for my plants!” she shared.
Our Roof Is Blue by Sara E. Echenique, illustrated by Ashley Vargas, is a heartfelt story of two siblings rebuilding their lives after Hurricane Maria devastates their home in Puerto Rico.
The book centers around family, imagination, resilience, and the human impact of climate change. “I grew up with hurricanes,” she shares, “but the storms we’re seeing now are stronger because of climate change. Maria destroyed entire neighborhoods. The storm decimated the electrical grid. And left the entire island of 3.4 million people without power and more than half of them without water.”
Tragically, over 3,000 people died. After visiting Puerto Rico and seeing a sea of blue tarp roofs, Sara decided to write the book. Especially after reading about the emotional effects the storm had on children. Sara is passionate about sustainability, supporting eco-conscious businesses, avoiding single-use plastics, and using bamboo products. She also uplifts organizations like Techos pa’ mi gente (“Roofs for My People”). The nonprofit is working to replace temporary tarp roofs with permanent housing for families still recovering years after the storm.
Alberto Salas Plays Paka Paka Con La Papa by Sara Fajardo, illustrated by Juana Martinez-Neal, is a joyful picture book celebrating culture and conservation.
Set in the Andes, Peruvian agronomist Alberto Salas is on an adventurous game of paka paka con la papa. It’s a hide-and-seek mission to find and protect wild potatoes from extinction. Sara calls the book her “love letter to the Andes and its people.”
Inspired by her father’s stories and her heritage, she felt a deep connection to Alberto’s passion for the Quechua language, potatoes, and Mother Earth (Pacha Mama). “I wanted to give the world an Andean hero,” she says. “One that the child within me could be proud of and that other Andean children could admire. Of course, I also relished the opportunity to let the world know that Peru is the epicenter of the potato. And that every time you enjoy a French fry or mashed potatoes, you have the Andes to thank.” The story highlights our responsibility to protect the Earth’s gifts.
Tumble, written and illustrated by Adriana Hernandez Bergstrom, is a poetic story about the unexpected journey of a lone tumbleweed as it makes its way across the desert, teeming with life.
The simple language makes it perfect for newly independent readers. The COVID-19 pandemic inspired Adriana to write this book. “After e-learning one day, my kiddo turned to me and challenged me to a duel with the prompt ‘tumble’!” This exercise took Adriana back to her first time seeing a real-life tumbleweed.
Speaking with biologists and park rangers, she learned that “the term is generic and covers plants that spread seeds by tumbling in the wind.” Kids are such a great source of inspiration for books. Adriana shared how she cares for the environment: “I buy mostly secondhand clothing for our family. Additionally, I strive to minimize food waste, so I encourage my family and me to eat our leftovers. When we were still in Florida, we had a composting worm bin. We’re still trying to figure it out here in the frozen north!”
The Tree of Hope by Anna Orenstein is the true story of an ancient and beloved banyan tree and the Puerto Rican community that fought to save it in the wake of Hurricane Maria.
This picture book recounts the devastating impact of Hurricane Maria and the resilience of the people who continue to rebuild to this day.
Anna shared, “I passionately recycle and always try to repair rather than replace, even when it’s cheaper to buy new. I also strive to be intentional with my savings, spending, and investments, supporting financial institutions and companies whose policies align with my values. While it’s not always easy—especially in today’s shifting economic and policy landscape—I do my best to vote with my money, knowing that every choice has an impact.”
Middle Grade Books for Environmentalists and Adventure Seekers (8-12 years old)
Turtles of the Midnight Moon by Maria Jose Fitzgerald is a captivating eco-mystery set in Honduras.
It weaves magic, adventure, and heart into one story. When sea turtle eggs go missing from Barana’s coastal village, she teams up with Abby, an American girl visiting her father’s homeland, to crack the case.
As they follow the clues, the girls discover the power of friendship, courage, and community. This story is a beautiful celebration of protecting nature and building meaningful connections.
The Enchanted Life of Valentina Mejía by Alexandra Alessandri is about a twelve-year-old Valentina, who dreams of becoming an artist.
However, her Papi is obsessed with hunting Colombia’s legendary creatures. With rumors of a patasola sighting—a vampire woman with one leg—Valentina and her brother, Julián, are drawn into the Andes.
Suddenly, an earthquake strikes and the siblings fall into an alternate Colombia, where all the myths their father told them about are real. Their only way home is through the Madremonte, the mother and protector of the earth. She controls the only portal back to the human world, but she despises humans and will do whatever it takes to defend her land.
Valentina and Julián must embark on a dangerous journey to find Madremonte — or risk being trapped forever and never seeing their Papi again.
Lola by Karla Arenas Valenti tells the story of a ten-year-old who has always believed in magic.
Her home in Mexico City is wrapped around a magical and towering tree full of wonders — a sandbox that reveals hidden treasures and playful chaneques that only she can see. But since her brother Alex has been sick, the magical tree is now dying too.
Certain that the two are connected, Lola seeks answers from a grocery store oracle, who tells her to follow the chaneques into a hidden world called Floresta — a place full of myths, monsters, and wonders. There, Lola discovers the key to saving her brother — but standing in her way is Floresta’s young queen.
To save Alex and the magical tree, Lola must be brave, trust her instincts, and face her greatest fears before time runs out.
The Last Beekeeper by Pablo Cartaya takes place in a future shaken by climate disasters. Yolanda Cicerón believes that nature is dangerous and something to be feared.
Her life in the Valley is brutal and harsh, so she dreams of leaving her farm to live in Silo – an advanced town where only the smartest are worthy of calling it home. But first, Yoly must prove she belongs there.
Yoly is well on her way until she discovers her family cannot afford to pay for her schooling. Forced to take matters into her own hands, she accidently uncovers the dangers lying inside Silo’s walls – ones that threaten the entire Valley. As she cracks long-guarded secrets, Yoly and her loved one are in danger.
Can the rediscovery of a long-extinct species – the honeybees – be the key to pulling the Valley out from under Silo’s thumb, or will they destroy what remains of Yoly’s future?
Forest World by Margarita Engle is a lively middle-grade novel in verse that tells the story of a Cuban-American boy’s first visit to his family’s village in Cuba.
Edver isn’t happy about being shipped off to Cuba to visit his father, a man he barely knows. Yet, now that travel laws have changed and it’s a lot easier for divided families to be reunited, his mom thinks it’s time for some father-son bonding.
Edver doesn’t know what this summer has in store, but he definitely didn’t expect to meet a sister he didn’t know existed. Luza is a year older and excited to see her little brother, until she realizes how different their lives have been.
Looking for anything they might have in common, they sneak onto the internet and accidentally catch the interest of a dangerous wildlife poacher. Will they be able to save Cuba’s jungles?
Bold, Brilliant and Latino: Meet 52 Latino and Hispanic Heroes from Past and Present, written by Alyssa Reynoso-Morris and illustrated by Sol Cotti
Meet 52 Latino Heroes from all walks of life: fearless changemakers, sporting legends, fashion icons, political leaders, renowned writers, musicians, artists, scientists, and environmentalists saving the planet. Have you heard of Mario Molina or Francia Elena Márquez Mina? What about AOC?
Mario José Molina-Pasquel Henríquez was the first Mexican-born scientist to receive a Nobel Prize in Chemistry. Francia Elena Márquez Mina is an Afro-Colombian lawyer and human rights and environmental activist. And Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) introduced the “Green New Deal,” a comprehensive set of laws aimed at creating millions of environmentally friendly jobs.
The goal of the book is to inspire the next generation of changemakers.
Young Adult and Adult Novels for Environmental Protectors and Conservationists (13+ years old)
This Is The Year by Gloria Munoz is a YA sci-fi novel told in prose and verse.
Julieta Villarreal is a teen mourning the loss of her twin and struggling with the impacts of climate change. She is recruited by Cometa—a private space program—to leave a deteriorating Earth and establish humanity’s first extraterrestrial settlement. Unexpectedly, she finds hope in friendship and first love.
As Juli wrestles with the decision to leave or stay and fight for her community, the story explores grief, climate justice, immigration, and resilience.
Gloria Munoz, a Florida-based writer and mother, was inspired by the visible toll of climate change in her city. “We see the threat of climate change each year during hurricane season and live in a state of recovery and preparation,” she shared.
Writing this book became a way to process deep questions about home, sustainability, and her child’s future. Gloria practices environmental care in daily life—buying less, gardening, volunteering with conservation groups, and participating in beach cleanups to support post-hurricane recovery.
Running by Natalia Sylvester is a compelling coming-of-age novel about finding your voice, especially when it means speaking out against someone you love.
Mariana Ruiz has always supported her father, Senator Anthony Ruiz, in his political career. But when he launches a campaign for president, Mari learns more about her father’s political stances, especially about environmental issues. She realizes she needs to stand up for her beliefs. Natalia was inspired by a real 2018 Florida bill that would have allowed companies to dump treated sewage into aquifers.
“It took one veto—and the many, many voices of all who called their lawmakers, protested, and spoke up against the bill—to make a difference,” she said.
Natalia also practices sustainability in her everyday life through thrifting—a habit she loves for its environmental impact and creativity, noting that 85% of textiles end up in landfills each year. “Every time I find a unique piece, it feels like finding treasure.”
When the Tides Held the Moon, written and illustrated by Vanessa Vida Kelley, is a beautifully illustrated adult novel set in 1910s New York.
It follows Benigno “Benny” Caldera, an orphaned Boricua blacksmith whose artistic ironwork provides him with an unexpected family within a traveling circus. He discovers that the tank he crafted is meant to imprison a living merman captured from the East River. The merman, named Río, is more than a spectacle—he is compassionate and deeply human.
As Benny and Río grow close, their friendship transforms into a profound love. But freeing Río would mean betraying the only family Benny has ever known and risking everything they’ve built together. The novel explores themes of love, sacrifice, and liberation. Río serves as a powerful metaphor for the destruction wrought by capitalist greed—he is a mystical being who purifies water, yet suffers under human exploitation and environmental harm.
Vanessa Vida Kelley weaves myth, queerness, and cultural identity into a tender, timely story that asks: what would you risk to free the one you love—and yourself?
We only have one planet, so we’re all affected by climate change
The above list focuses on Latino authors only because our voices and stories deserve to be heard.
However, given the way climate change affects us all, I have included some non-Latino authors below. We need to come together, listen to diverse perspectives, and create equitable solutions that take us all into consideration.
Harlem Grown: How One Big Idea Transformed a Neighborhood is a picture book that tells the inspiring true story of how one man made a big difference in a neighborhood.
Tony Hillery invited students from an underfunded school to turn a vacant lot into a beautiful and functional farm. By getting their hands dirty, these kids turned an abandoned space into something beautiful and useful while learning about healthy, sustainable eating and collaboration.
We Are Water Protectors is written by Carole Lindstrom and illustrated by Michaela Goade.
This New York Times bestselling and Caldecott Medal-winning picture book celebrates Indigenous-led movements worldwide. It is more than a book. It is an urgent rallying cry to safeguard the Earth’s water from harm and corruption, inviting young readers everywhere to join the fight.
Paradise on Fire by Jewell Parker Rhodes is a gripping middle-grade survival story about resilience, identity, and climate justice.
Haunted by the fire that took her parents, Addy is sent by her grandmother to a summer wilderness program. There, she and five other Black city kids learn camping, hiking, fire-starting, and teamwork skills that become essential when a disastrous fire strikes. Will Addy be able to lead her friends to safety? Can she use her street smarts, wilderness skills, and spiritual intuition to survive?
