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 1999
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Environment, Relationships: Friendship, Society: War
Publication year 1919
Genre Short Story, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Place, Natural World: Environment, Values/Ideas: Beauty
Tags Modernism, Education, Education, British Literature, History: World, Classic Fiction
“Kew Gardens” is a short story by British author Virginia Woolf, published privately in 1919 before appearing in Monday or Tuesday, Woolf’s 1921 collection of short stories. The story explores themes such as Moments of Being, The Connection Between Humanity and Nature, and Interpersonal Conflict.Other works by this author include The Duchess and the Jeweller, A Haunted House, Between The Acts, and Orlando.This guide refers to the version of “Kew Gardens” available in Project Gutenberg’s... Read Kew Gardens Summary
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Natural World: Environment, Relationships: Friendship, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Humor, Animals, Fantasy, Children's Literature
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Identity: Language, Identity: Race, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: The Future, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Climate, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Food, Natural World: Place, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Food, Love / Sexuality, Modern Classic Fiction, LGBTQ
Publication year 2005
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Natural World: Environment, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: The Future
Tags Parenting, Education, Psychology, Children's Literature, Education, Science / Nature, Psychology
Publication year 2000
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Climate, Society: Colonialism, Society: Economics
Tags History: World, Politics / Government, Business / Economics, Science / Nature, Sociology, Indian Literature, Chinese Literature
Publication year 1855
Genre Poetry Collection, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Future, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Place, Natural World: Space & The Universe, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Society: Nation, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: New Age, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags American Literature, Philosophy, Classic Fiction, Free verse, Love / Sexuality, Grief / Death, Science / Nature
The first edition of Leaves of Grass, by Walt Whitman, was published in 1855. A slim volume of 95 pages, it contained 12 untitled poems and a 10-page preface, also untitled. The poem that came to be known as “Song of Myself” took up more than half of the book. Although Whitman designed, financed, and published Leaves of Grass himself, there is no author’s name on the title page. However, the frontispiece features a picture of Whitman: He... Read Leaves of Grass Summary
Publication year 1990
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Environment, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Values/Ideas: Fate, Natural World: Place
Tags Lyric Poem, Science / Nature
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Music, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Environment, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Mothers, Identity: Race, Identity: Language, Society: Community
Tags Realistic Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Historical Fiction, Grief / Death, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Music
Publication year 2005
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Natural World: Environment, Society: Globalization, Society: Economics, Natural World: Climate
Tags Business / Economics, Biography
Publication year 2013
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Natural World: Environment, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Society: Community
Tags Science / Nature, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Biography
Publication year 2017
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Environment, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Society: Nation, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Joy
Tags Climate Change
Publication year 2018
Genre Novel/Book in Verse, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Natural World: Environment
Tags Historical Fiction, Survival Fiction, WWII / World War II, Action / Adventure, Children's Literature, Military / War, History: World
Publication year 2002
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Literature, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Natural World: Environment, Relationships: Marriage
Tags Free verse, Lyric Poem, Play: Comedy / Satire, American Literature, Love / Sexuality
Publication year 1871
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: Education, Relationships: Friendship, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Masculinity, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Teams, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Children's Literature
Publication year 1997
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Food, Natural World: Place, Society: Politics & Government, Society: Economics, Society: Education, Society: War, Society: Nation
Tags Science / Nature, Health / Medicine, Politics / Government, Social Justice, Education, Education, Gender / Feminism
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Identity: Race, Natural World: Environment, Relationships: Family, Society: Community
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, History: World, Historical Fiction, Western, Fantasy
Publication year 1956
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Identity: Indigenous, Natural World: Environment, Relationships: Friendship
Tags Action / Adventure, Historical Fiction, Survival Fiction, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Classic Fiction
Lost in the Barrens is a 1956 middle grade novel based loosely on the lived experiences of author Farley Mowat. Mowat’s experiences in the remote wilderness of northern Canada inspired an adult version of the saga, People of the Deer (1952), and the children’s adaptation. He is known for blending survival narratives with intricate details about the Canadian northern wilderness. Mowat is best known for Never Cry Wolf (1963), which Disney adapted for film in... Read Lost In The Barrens Summary
Publication year 2013
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Art, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Natural World: Environment, Life/Time: The Future
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy
Margaret Atwood’s novel MaddAddam, published in 2013, completes her post-apocalyptic MaddAddam trilogy that begins with Oryx and Crake (2003) and continues with The Year of the Flood (2009). The trilogy takes place in the aftermath of a destroyed technological dystopia, a world in which corporations have totalitarian control. Atwood, an award-winning Canadian author, has been a prolific writer of poetry, short stories, novels, and many other forms since the early 1960s. She is known for... Read MaddAddam Summary
Publication year 2025
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Natural World: Environment, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Mothers
Tags Domestic Fiction