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Any early childhood educator knows that the single most important thing a parent can do for their child’s cognitive development is read to them. Any environmentalist knows that rainforest destruction is a huge contributor to climate change. Combine children’s literature with rainforest sourced fibers, and what is good for your child’s developing mind is bad for the planet.

According to the Rainforest Action Network (RAN):

Eleven of the nation’s largest children’s book publishers are receiving grades on their roles in rainforest protection today. In a new report and consumer guide released by the Rainforest Action Network (RAN), “Rainforest-Safe Kids’ Books: How Do Publishers Stack Up?” leading book publishers are being ranked based on their paper policies and purchasing practices. The consumer guide follows a report launched by the environmental group in May finding that a large number of kids’ books sold in the United States are now being printed in Asia using paper that is closely linked to the loss of rainforests in Indonesia.

Seven publishers, including Candlewick Press, Hachette Book Group, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Macmillan, Penguin Group USA (Pearson), Scholastic and Simon & Schuster, were “recommended” to consumers this holiday season for their strong environmental practices. Two publishers, Disney Publishing Worldwide, and HarperCollins, were rated as companies to “avoid.” Two lone publishers, Random House and Sterling Publishing, earned a “could do better” mark. For the consumer guide and more information about which publishers are “rainforest-safe,” visit http://ran.org/bookguide.

The following are ten children’s books for different ages that we love and found on RAN’s approved list:

1. [amazon_link id=”0547297769″ target=”_blank” ]Curious George Plants a Tree[/amazon_link]
2. [amazon_link id=”0394823370″ target=”_blank” ]The Lorax[/amazon_link]
3. [amazon_link id=”0316015474″ target=”_blank” ]The Curious Garden[/amazon_link]
4. [amazon_link id=”B001R57JSI” target=”_blank” ]The Tree[/amazon_link]
5. [amazon_link id=”143912566X” target=”_blank” ]The Story of Stuff[/amazon_link]
6. [amazon_link id=”1897093640″ target=”_blank” ]Robinson Crusoe[/amazon_link]
7. [amazon_link id=”0545139708″ target=”_blank” ]Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows[/amazon_link]
8. [amazon_link id=”0545128285″ target=”_blank” ]Tales of Beedle the Bard[/amazon_link]
9. [amazon_link id=”B003BV22SI” target=”_blank” ]Tess of the D’Ubervilles[/amazon_link]
10. Bunny’s Garden (Pat the Bunny)

It’s crazy to think our children’s books are “contributing to the loss of Indonesia’s or other endangered rainforests”.  Thankfully RAN makes it easy for consumers to search for green books.

Of course, don’t forget Eco Libris Green Books Campaign is another great resource for finding planet-friendly books.