Every April, we honor our planet on Earth Day with a selection of works celebrating the natural world. With titles ranging from stories of wilderness survival to nonfiction works about conservation and sustainability, this Collection features a broad spectrum of ideas regarding nature and our role within it.
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Environment, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Identity: Masculinity, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Teams, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 1998
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Environment, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Identity: Indigenous
Tags Magical Realism, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 1800
Genre Essay / Speech, Nonfiction
Themes Natural World: Environment, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Literature
Tags Arts / Culture, Romanticism / Romantic Period, Education, Education, British Literature, Philosophy, Philosophy, Classic Fiction
“Preface to Lyrical Ballads” is an essay by the English Romantic poet William Wordsworth. In 1798 Wordsworth wrote, with Samuel Taylor Coleridge, the poetry collection Lyrical Ballads. Believing that the poems were so novel in theme and style that they required some explanation, Wordsworth wrote a prefatory essay to accompany the second edition of the poems in 1800; he then expanded the essay for the third edition of 1802.The “Preface” is often considered a manifesto... Read Preface to Lyrical Ballads Summary
Publication year 1917
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Place, Natural World: Environment, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Society: Class, Society: Community
Tags Free verse, Urban Development, Modernism, Classic Fiction
Publication year 2000
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Environment
Tags Science / Nature, Modern Classic Fiction
Published in 2000, Prodigal Summer is Barbara Kingsolver’s fifth novel. Heavily influenced by Kingsolver’s childhood experiences and current home in Appalachia, as well as her studies of ecology and evolutionary biology, Prodigal Summer tells three intersecting stories that take place over one “prodigal summer” in rural Appalachia. Set in the fictional Zebulon County, Prodigal Summer is as much a story of the natural world, and its progression over one fertile and flowering summer, as it... Read Prodigal Summer Summary
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Space & The Universe, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Natural World: Environment
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Climate Change, Health / Medicine, Science / Nature, Technology, American Literature, Fantasy, Action / Adventure
Publication year 2005
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Identity: Race, Society: Community, Natural World: Environment
Tags Realistic Fiction, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction, Arts / Culture
Publication year 1916
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Environment
Tags Lyric Poem, Relationships, American Literature
Publication year 1813
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Place, Natural World: Environment, Life/Time: The Future, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Society: War
Tags Narrative / Epic Poem, Christian literature, Poetry: Dramatic Poem, Mythology, Fantasy, Philosophy, Politics / Government, Military / War, History: World, Science / Nature, Religion / Spirituality, Grief / Death, Romanticism / Romantic Period, British Literature, Health / Medicine, Philosophy, Food, Classic Fiction
Publication year 2025
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Natural World: Environment, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Natural World: Animals, Self Discovery
Tags Memoir / Autobiography, Nature Writing, Animals, Science / Nature
Publication year 1992
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Space & The Universe, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Life/Time: The Future, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Food, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Teams, Self Discovery, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Society: Economics, Society: Immigration, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy
Red Mars, a 1992 science fiction novel by Kim Stanley Robinson, is the first book in the Mars trilogy about settling and terraforming the planet Mars. Red Mars follows the first 100 people who land on Mars and begin the complex process of terraforming the planet. In 1993, Red Mars won the Nebula Award and the British Science Fiction Association Award. This guide uses the 2009 HarperVoyager edition.Content Warning: The source material and guide feature depictions... Read Red Mars Summary
Publication year 2009
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Gender, Natural World: Environment, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Women's Studies (Nonfiction), British Literature, History: World, Historical Fiction
Remarkable Creatures (2009), a novel by Tracy Chevalier, is historical fiction that explores the unlikely friendship between Mary Anning, a working-class woman with a passion for fossil hunting, and Elizabeth Philpot, an unmarried middle-class woman. The novel is set against the backdrop of the rigid societal conventions of 19th-century England. When Mary uncovers a prehistoric fossil on the cliffs of Lyme Regis, her discovery ignites enthusiasm in the scientific community and threatens her village’s deeply... Read Remarkable Creatures Summary
Publication year 1982
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Aging, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Appearance & Reality
Tags Science / Nature
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Mental Health, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Teams, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose
Tags Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Narrative / Epic Poem
Publication year 1980
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Language, Natural World: Environment
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Disability, Science / Nature, Technology, American Literature
Riddley Walker (1980) is a dystopian science fiction novel by Russell Hoban. The novel is famous for its use of a phonetic, idiosyncratic version of English, spoken by the characters who live in a post-apocalyptic society. Riddley Walker won numerous awards, including the Nebula Award for Best Novel in 1981.Plot SummaryA young boy named Riddley Walker lives in Inland, the name given to the south of England 2,000 years after a nuclear war sent human... Read Riddley Walker Summary
Publication year 1904
Genre Play, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Values/Ideas: Fate, Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Environment, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Siblings, Society: Nation
Tags Play: Tragedy, Irish Literature
Riders to the Sea (1904) is a one-act Irish play by John Millington Synge, originally performed in the Abbey Theatre in Dublin. The play portrays the events of one day in the cottage of a low-income family living on Inishmaan, one of the Aran Islands off the west coast of Ireland, as they cope with the loss of male relatives to the rough waters between the islands and mainland Ireland. This short play incorporates themes... Read Riders to the Sea Summary
Publication year 2018
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Natural World: Climate, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Natural World: Environment
Tags Science / Nature, Climate Change, Journalism, History: World, Politics / Government
Publication year 2010
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Grandparents, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Fame, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Flora/plants, Natural World: Food, Natural World: Place
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Crime / Legal, Modern Classic Fiction, Drama / Tragedy
IntroductionEmma Donoghue’s Room is a 2010 novel about a boy named Jack who lives in a single room with his mother, Ma. Room is a crime thriller novel that explores themes of trauma, innocence, and adaptability through the eyes of five-year-old narrator, Jack. Room has received many awards, including the ALA Alex Award, the Indies Choice Book Award for Fiction, and The New York Times Book Review Best Book of the Year award. Room was... Read Room Summary
Publication year 1872
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Environment, Society: Immigration, Society: Colonialism, Society: Politics & Government, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance
Tags Classic Fiction, Auto/Biographical Fiction, Travel Literature, Humor, American Literature, History: World, Historical Fiction, Western, Action / Adventure
Roughing It (1872) is the second major work by American humorist Mark Twain (Samuel Langhorne Clemens). It recounts his experiences during the Nevada silver rush of the 1860s. After his failed attempts to make a fortune as a miner, Twain would later achieve prominence as a lecturer and writer. He initially drew acclaim for his fanciful short story entitled “The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County” (1865). His best-known titles include The Innocents Abroad (1869)... Read Roughing It Summary
Publication year 2002
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Environment, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Animals, Action / Adventure, Fantasy