4th & 5th Grade

Berkeley Unified School District is committed to developing the climate literacy of its students. On November 3, 2021, the BUSD Board of Education passed the BUSD Climate Literacy Resolution, which is dedicated to educating students about the causes of climate change, its potential for harm, actions needed to ensure a livable future, and the intersections of race and environmental justice as a civil rights issue. 


These reading lists, organized by grade level, represent books published recently designed to educate and empower students to be leaders in the climate justice movement.


All of these books are available through Berkeley school libraries or through Berkeley Public Library as a physical and/or digital book. For more information about any of these books, or to check one of them out, ask your school librarian.

Autumn Peltier, Water Warriorby Carole Lindstrom
Genre: NonfictionFormat: Picture Book
Published: 2023
Climate Action: The Future is in Our Handsby Georgina Stevens
Genre: NonfictionFormat: Illustrated Nonfiction
Published: 2021
Climate Action: What Happened and What We Can Doby Seymour Simon
Genre: Nonfiction
Published: 2019
Climate Change and Extreme Weatherby Isaac Kerry
Genre: Nonfiction
Published: 2022
Climate Change Migrantsby Isaac Kerry
Genre: Nonfiction
Published: 2022
Emperor of the Ice: How a Changing Climate Affects a Penguin Colonyby Nicola Davies
Genre: NonfictionFormat: Picture Book
Published: 2023
The First Rule of Climate Clubby Carrie Firestone
Genre: FictionFormat: Chapter Book
Published: 2022
Great Carrier Reefby  Jessica Stremer
Genre: NonfictionFormat: Picture Book
Published: 2023
If Elephants Disappearedby Lily Williams
Genre: NonfictionFormat: Picture Book
Published: 2019
Kids Fight Plasticby Martin Dorey
Genre: NonfictionFormat: Illustrated Nonfiction
Published: 2019
The Last Plastic Straw: A Plastic Problem and Ways to Fix itby Dee Romito
Genre: NonfictionFormat: Illustrated Nonfiction
Published: 2019
No World Too Big: Young People Fighting Global Climate Changeby Jeanette Bradley
Genre: Poetry Format: Picture Book
Published: 2021
Nowhere Better Than Hereby Sarah Guillory
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Published: 2023
Audiobook available
Old Enough to Save the Planetby Loll Kirby
Genre: Collective BiographyFormat: Illustrated Nonfiction
Published: 2020
Our House is On Fireby Jeanette Winter
Genre: BiographyFormat: Picture Book
Published: 2019
What Poo Can Do: How Animals are Fighting the Climate Crisisby Yolanda Ridge
Genre: Nonfiction
Published: 2024
Wildfireby Breena Bard
Genre: Realistic FictionFormat: Graphic Novel
Published: 2019

How do I read these books?

Many of these books are available through Berkeley school libraries as a physical and/or ebook. For more information about any of these books, or to check one of them out, ask your school librarian.

For more information and instructions on accessing ebooks and audiobooks, visit our Digital Books page.

At a time when so many small businesses are struggling to keep their doors open, we also encourage folks to support our local bookstores: 

Ashay by the Bay, Bandung Books, Eastwind Books, Marcus Books, Moe’s Books, Mr. Mopps, Books Inc., Pegasus Books and Mrs. Dalloways.