By Susan Corapi, Trinity International University, Deerfield, IL & Annette Y. Goldsmith, Sephardic Temple Tifereth Israel, Los Angeles, CA

With the recent Presidential decision to withdraw from the United Nations Paris Agreement that supports changes for restoring health to the climate, grassroots action becomes more vital than ever. There has been an uptick in publishing books that highlight environmental concerns and kids taking action to address local issues that impact the health of nature and the planet. This set of books inspires, informs and empowers young readers by telling how youth from around the world have creatively recycled waste (Flipflopi), invented ways to minimize or reuse waste (The Last Straw) and taken a stand to prevent further damage to the environment (Autumn Peltier). Earth day is April 22, 2025–a great day to read one of these books!

WOW Dozen features a list of 12 global books for children and adolescents around a theme, topic, issue or personal favorites. Each Dozen consists of ten newly-published titles with two older “must have” books. Please share or recommend additional books that fit the theme in the comments section or on social media using #WOWDozen. Use the printer icon in the upper left corner of this post to print or save this list as a PDF.​

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• Themes: Anna Cunha, Annette Y. Goldsmith, Autumn Peltier Water Warrior, Bridget George, Carole Lindstrom, Christiane Engel, Christopher Lloyd, Colleen Larmour, Debasmita Dasgupta, Dipesh Pabari, Flipflopi, Frances Stickley, Ganesha Goes Green, Imogen Foxell, It's Up to Us: Building a Brighter Future for Nature, Jeanette Bradley, Kari Percival, Keila V. Dawson, Lakshmi Thamizhmani, Last Straw: Kids vs Plastic, Linda Ravin Lodding, Lindsay H. Metcalf, Look Look, Love the Earth, Maybe You Might, Mellons Build a House, Michael Machira Mwangi, Nik Neves, No World Too Big: Young People Fighting Global Climate Change, Our Green City, People & Planet, Robin Jacobs, Safe Crossing, Susan Corapi, susan hood, Tanya Llyod Kyi, Tim Hopgood, Uma Krishnaswami, Uma Krishnaswamy
• Descriptors: WOW Dozen