Exploring Environmental Empathy in Action With Children's Books

"Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not." (from The Lorax, Dr. Seuss,)"I am the Lorax. I speak for the trees. I speak for the trees for the trees have no tongues." (from The Lorax, Dr. Seuss,)Adults and children around the world are actively engaged in making the environment a better place. Their efforts include recycling, adopting whales and acres of the rain forest, as well as, cleaning up after oil spills and revitalizing eco-systems. This caring for the environment is what is defined in this article as "environmental empathy in action." Environmental empathy in action occurs when a person realizes that there is an environmental problem, is concerned about the problem, and then actively tries to solve the environmental problem.In addition to defining environmental empathy in action, this article highlights both fiction and nonfiction children's books where the characters are actively trying to protect the environment. These stories, which contain characters engaged in what is termed environmental empathy in action, provides a springboard for discussing both environmental issues and ways in which people are trying to solve these issues. A reference list of children's books is included at the end of the article.