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Environmental Novels: Home

A guide to juvenile, young adult, and adult novels with environmental themes, generally focused on pollution.

Introduction

Environmental issues provide the backdrop for an array of novels, from suspense to romance to comedy. This bibliography includes books for young adults and adults. When looking at your library for fiction with environmental themes, some of the following subject headings may be helpful: 

  • Eco-fiction
  • Environmental protection – Fiction
  • Hazardous wastes – Fiction
  • Industrial pollution – Fiction
  • Offenses against the environment – Fiction
  • Pollution – Fiction 

For an excellent list of picture books with environmental and nature themes, see Childsake's Nature and the Environment Booklist.

This list was compiled by Charlotte Roh, Lauren Bordson, and Laura L. Barnes.

Environmental Book Festivals

The popularity of environmentally-themed fiction has grown such that many literary festivals now have environmental themes. There are even environmental book festivals and awards that are a great resource for environmental books. They include:

Eco-Fiction Trends and Criticism