(The selection of Pagan-specific children’s books is sparse. While they do exist, they are often hard to find or not well written. There are, however, many wonderful mainstream books containing Pagan themes or promoting Pagan values. Here’s is a growing list by subject. I have read all of these many times to my own children as well as groups of kids. They are all well-loved, child-approved and educator-endorsed:)
General Environment and Nature:
Eric Carle, The Tiny Seed
Nancy Luenn, Mother Earth
Denise Fleming,Time to Sleep
Denise Fleming,In the Tall Tall Grass
Denise Fleming, In the Small Small Pond
Denise Fleming, Where Once There Was a Wood
Debra Frasier, Out of the Ocean
Debra Frasier, On the Day You Were Born
Schim Schimmel, Dear Children of the Earth
Ezra Jack Keats, Over in the Meadow (a poem by Wadsworth)
Dr. Seuss, The Lorax
Bette Killion, The Same Wind
Thomas Locker,Where the River Begins
Animals:
Eric Carle, Mr. Seahorse
Eric Carle, The Very Hungry Caterpillar
Eric Carle, Panda Bear, Panda Bear (A tribute to endangered species)
(NOTE: Other books by Eric Carle include: Slowly, Slowly Said the Sloth, The Very Busy Spider, The Very Grumpy Ladybug, The Quiet Cricket, The Greedy Python, Does a Kangaroo Have a Mother too?)
Janell Cannon, Verdi
Janell Cannon, Stellaluna
Leo Lionni, Inch by Inch
Janell Cannon, Crickwing
Leo Lionni, A Color of His Own
Craig and Isabella Hatkoff, Owen and Maze
(NOTE: The Hatkoffs have authored other books about animals such as Winter’s Tail, Knut etc.)
Moon Books:
Kevin Henkes,Kitten’s 1st Full Moon
Jane Yolen,Owl Moon
Frank Asch, Happy Birthday, Moon
Frank Asch,Moondance
Seasons:
Ellen Jackson,Winter Solstice
(NOTE: Jackson wrote one book for all 4 quarters.)
William T. George, Winter at Long Pond
Ezra Jack Keats, A Snowy Day
Carl Sams, A Stranger in the Woods: A Photographic Nature Fantasy
World Mythology, Culture and Folklore:
Eric Carle, Treasury of Classic Stories for Children
Eric Carle, Dragons, Dragons & Other Creatures
Jan Brett, The Trouble With Trolls
Jan Brett, The Mitten
(NOTE: Jan Brett, a phenomenal artist, has published many European folktales and stories similar to those listed above as well as her own.)
Tomie de Paola, The Legend of the Blue Bonnet (Comanche, Native American)
Tomie de Paola, Jamie O’Rourke and the Pooka (Irish)
(NOTE: Tomie de Paola shared folklore or created stories based on folklore from around the globe including the Strega Nona series, about an Italian Witch Crone, and the tales of Egyptian friends, Bill & Pete.)
Verna Aardema, Bringing the Rain to Kapiti Plain (West Africa)
Verna Aardema, Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People’s Ear (West Africa)
Lydia Dabovich, Polar Bear’s Son (Inuit)
Gerald McDermott, Anansi (Ashanti of Africa)
Gerald McDermott, Raven (North West Native American)
(NOTE: Gerald McDermott brings to life the folklore of indigenous cultures with his art and words)
Lloyd Alexander, The House Gobaleen (Irish)
Patricia Polacco, Babushka Baba Yaga (Russian)
(Most of these books are geared at the 2-8 year olds. All are storybooks.)