High School

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.

The 21: The True Story of the Youth Who Sued the U.S. Government Over Climate Changeby Elizabeth Rusch
Genre: Nonfiction
Published: 2023
All We Can Save: Truth, Courage, and Solutions for the Climate Crisisby Ayana Elizabeth Johnson & Katharine K. Wilkinson
Genre: Essays
Published: 2020
A Bigger Pictureby Vanessa Nakate
Genre: Memior
Published: 2021
Braiding Sweetgrassby Robin Wall Kimmerer
Genre: Nonfiction
Published: 2022
Down Came the Rainby Jennifer Mathieu
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Published: 2023
How to Change Everything: The Young Human's Guide to Protecting the Planet and Each Otherby Naomi Klein
Genre: Nonfiction
Published: 2021
Imaginary Bordersby Xiuntecatl Martinez
Genre: Essay
Published: 2020
No One is Too Small to Make a Differenceby Greta Thunberg
Genre: Speeches
Published: 2019
No Planet B: A Teen Vogue Guide to Climate Justiceby Teen Vogue
Genre: Nonfiction
Published: 2021
Not Too Late: Changing the Climate Story from Despair to Possibilityedited by Rebecca Solnit & Thelma Young Lutunatabua
Genre: Essays
Published: 2023
Save the People! Halting Human Extinctionby Stacy McAnulty
Genre: Nonfiction
Published: 2022
The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History (Young Readers Adaptation)by Elizabeth Kolbert
Genre: Nonfiction
Published: 2024
Taking on the Plastics Crisisby Hannah Testa
Genre: Essay
Published: 2020
A Terrible Thing to Waste: Environmental Racism and Its Assault on the American Mindby Harriet A. Washington
Genre: Nonfiction
Published: 2019
This Book Will Save the Planet: A Climate-Justice Primer for Activists and Changemakersby Dany Sigwalt
Genre: Nonfiction
Published: 2022
Urgent Message from a Hot Planet: Navigating the Climate Crisisby Ann Eriksson
Genre: Nonfiction
Published: 2022
We Are All Greta: Be Inspired to Save the Worldby Valentina Giannella
Genre: Nonfiction
Published: 2019
Youth to Power: Your Voice and How to Use Itby Jamie Margolin
Genre: Nonfiction
Published: 2020

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.