Top 5 books about children and nature, chosen by CC Harrington

Charlotte’s Web by EB White

I loved this book as a child and love it even more as an adult and a writer. It’s about children and animals, but it’s also about the nature of life, death and the beauty of the natural world. 

Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo

This book is moving, funny, poignant and wise. Set in a fictional town in Florida, it follows a 10-year-old girl who finds a stray dog in a supermarket. The dog helps the child come to terms with her mother’s abandonment and forge new friendships. I loved it.

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The Last Bear by Hannah Gold, illustrated by Levi Pinfold

This touching book about a child who forms a connection with a stranded polar bear speaks to conservation issues, nature, loss, love and empathy. 

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Song For a Whale by Lynne Kelly

My daughter loves to read, and this remains one of her all-time favourites. A 12-year-old deaf girl is determined to help a whale that struggles to communicate with his own species.  

Wildoak by CC Harrington

OK… so I’m biased, but I passionately believe in everything this book stands for. It’s about a child, a snow leopard and ancient forest. It’s about the interconnectedness of all sentient beings to nature and the need for greater empathy towards one another. 

Wildoak by CC Harrington is out now (Chicken House, £7.99). You can buy it from The Big Issue shop on Bookshop.org, which helps to support The Big Issue and independent bookshops.

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