Curated by Milo Ono, Collection Services Supervisor

April is a time to celebrate the Earth, its land, creatures and climate as it marks the arrival of Earth Month. In honor of the planet we call home, here are five book recommendations to help us appreciate and honor all that Earth has done for us.

Generation Dread: Finding Purpose in an Age of Climate Anxiety
By Britt Wray

As climate change continues to wreak havoc on communities close and far, you have likely felt emotions about the current or future state of the earth. In Generation Dread, Wray offers readers realistic strategies to take care of themselves, stay connected to others, and find purpose amid climate change, climate disasters, and climate anxiety.

Irreplaceable: a collective praise poem for Great Salt Lake
Composed by Nan Seymour

In recent years, the Great Salt Lake has become in danger of drying up, exposing greenhouse gasses and toxic dust, and no longer being able to support the organisms—including humans—that depend on it. Faced with these stark possibilities, many Utah residents voiced praise for the Lake and expressed the importance of protecting it. In irreplaceable, nan seymour captures and connects these voices to create what seymour describes as “a community prayer for the replenishment of an ecosystem on a precipice.”

Atlas of a Threatened Planet: 150 Infographics to Help Anyone Save the World
By Esther Gonstalla

If you’re a visual learner who’s interested in understanding the world’s climate, ecology, and infrastructure, this book is for you! Atlas of a Threatened Planet illuminates our changing world through concise definitions, simplified diagrams, and visually interesting infographics that are easy to understand, and concludes with a hopeful call to action.

Soil: The Story of a Black Mother’s Garden
By Camille T. Dungy

Camille T. Dungy recounts her experience as a Black mother, gardener, and resident of the predominately white community of Fort Collins, Colorado. Not only was Fort Collins’ population largely homogeneous when Dungy moved there in 2013, so too were the community’s restrictions on gardening. In Soil, Dungy reflects on the obstacles she faced while creating her pollinator garden, as well as the hope, beauty, and diversity her garden represents.

How to Be a Good Creature: A Memoir in Thirteen Animals
By Sy Montgomery

Get to know thirteen unique, lovable, life-changing animals that happened to cross paths with nature writer Sy Montgomery. Discover how each animal, in their own way, exemplifies how be a “good creature” in this short, heartwarming book, with delightful illustrations by Rebecca Green.