Green Earth Book Awards 2026

The Green Earth Book Award (GEBA) is the first environmental stewardship book award in the United States with the goal of sparking children’s interest in environmental issues. The award has been granted to authors and illustrators since 2005. Books that best convey a message about environmental stewardship are recognized each year on Earth Day, April 22. The judges, a diverse group including education professionals, librarians, and scientists, review hundreds of books searching for those that capture environmental concepts such as celebrating nature, defending the environment, and bringing awareness and inspiration about the environment to children and young adults. 
The GEBA features six categories: a) young adult fiction, b) picture book intermediate, c) children’s non-fiction, d) children’s fiction, e) young adult non-fiction, and f) picture book primary. For each category, there is one award winner, several honor books, and recommended reading. The GEBA award winners for 2026 are shared.

Armando and the Amazing Animal Race. Diana Schaffter. (2025). Sea Otter Press.

Join Armando, an animal enthusiast, as he competes in the I-SAW Amazing Animal Race, a contest to locate and photograph the world’s most endangered animals. Armando becomes interested in the race when he uncovers a letter from his mother, who died when he was young. With the help of his quirky grandmother, Granny B, and unbeknownst to his father, Armando journeys across several continents meeting a host of characters, both nefarious and well-meaning. The author interweaves several storylines in this fast-paced adventure: Armando’s animal quest, a mystery surrounding his mother, and Armando’s relationship with his father and his friend, Jinny. The author uses artwork in the form of journal entries, maps, letters, and tickets to present key artifacts to help readers feel immersed in the story.  (Gr 3 Up)

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The Buzz on Wild Bees: The Little-Known Pollinators that Keep Our Planet Humming. Kira Vermond. Illus. by June Steube. (2025). Owlkids Books. 
The Buzz on Wild Bees is a delightful overview of backyard bees, the less famous pollinators that make up more than 90 percent of all bees on Earth. Information about backyard bees and their contributions to the world is examined. Each page features a different topic about these insects, including their appearance, habitats, and how their presence affects world food production (their famous cousin, the honeybee).  In addition, several specific types of wild bees and their specialist behaviors are introduced. We meet the leafcutting bee (slices up leaves for nesting material), the cellophane bee (dried bee created goo resembles cellophane), the vulture bee (chows down on dead animals), and the “baddest (wild) bee in town,” parasitic bees (3,700 species that benefit from a host). The author shares concerns about the decimation of wild bee populations and ways that humans can “BEE part of the solution.” The illustrations accurately portray various wild bees, and the information presented is well researched. In addition, the book includes several text features such as a glossary and table of contents.  (Gr K Up)

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Climate Is Just the Start. Mikaela Loach. (2025). Bright Matter Books.

Mikaela Loach, a leading climate justice advocate, writes as if she is speaking with a friend; she gives her reader time and space to feel strong emotions about climate changes and contributing factors. Many of the topics shared in Loach’s book can be challenging for readers, especially those addressing the negative effects of capitalism and continuing societal inequities (by design). Loach also writes about the Global South and its significant contributions to sustaining the Global North, especially the detrimental effects on the lives and environment of those living in the Global South. Loach effectively addresses these potentially controversial topics by sharing the stories of children and young adults who have been affected by climate change. Loach’s book is a good introduction to climate justice because she presents the information as a solvable issue. Her book ends as she suggests “turning ‘me’ into ‘we’.” (Gr 5 Up)

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The Dead of Summer. Ryan La Sala (2025). PUSH. 

This thriller looks at the insidious effect of a climate disaster through the eyes of several teenagers trapped on the island, Anchor’s Mercy, which is being overcome by a supernatural plague rising from the sea. Anchor’s Mercy is known as a weekend getaway for those seeking adventure, but the full-time residents of this seasonal retreat experience high occurrences of cancer and other deadly illnesses from a chemical spill in the 1960s. Ollie Veltman is the main protagonist, and he, with his friends, seeks to discover how they can save their island and prevent their loved ones from becoming “weepers.” The author effectively builds the suspense as they move the plot between the past and present using narration and interviews. In addition, the author addresses the complicated topic of keeping environmental disasters a secret. (Gr 8 Up)

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Mara Plants a Seed. Robert Furrow & Donna Napoli. Illus. by Melissa Bailey. (2025). Science Naturally! 

Mara presents a delightful character who looks at the “tired and sad” empty lot through the eyes of a gardener. She imagines the sunflower seeds she plants pushing up through the soil, beautifying the forgotten lot. After Mara plants her seeds, numerous other visitors deposit seeds, bones, and worms that work to enrich the earth’s soil, making it rich, airy, and ready for additional plants. The illustrations are exquisitely detailed, accurately capturing the physical details of animals, people, and flora. As other flowers erupt from seed in the empty lot, Mara patiently observes her sunflower progressing through its stages and finally becoming the dominant feature in the empty lot, “a mystery, a quiet, generous secret created by so many, kept by the earth, savored by all.” (PreK Up)

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Safe Crossing. Kari Percival. (2025). Chronicle Books.

An informative book that details the seasonal migration of amphibians from the Upland Woods to the Vernal Pools. Every year the Amphibian Migration Team gathers to assist the amphibians as they cross a busy road, keeping records of those that make it and those that do not. The young citizen scientists of the Amphibian Migration Team see the disruption caused by humans to the animals’ historic migration path and suggest a solution: “they need their own safe crossing.” The author accurately depicts the process for proposing a wildlife tunnel to a local city council, including coordination with several government departments, contractors, reporters, and conservation groups. The illustrations are colorful, and the drawings of the amphibians accurately portray the salamanders and frogs depicted. The text features include a glossary with several entries featuring illustrations. The back matter shares details about amphibian life cycles, species fun facts, wildlife crossing structures, and becoming a community scientist. (Gr K UP)

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Georgia Bunnell, Ph. D., is an assistant professor in the Department of Education, Development, Teaching, and Learning at Central Washington University, where she teaches undergraduate courses in literacy instruction and children’s literature.