The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost ↠ Not only is this a beautiful poem, but it’s FULL of absolutely gorgeous nature imagery. Frost definitely had a knack for poetic works, but he’s well known for his use of nature and landscape descriptions to discuss political and social issues appearing at the time. Though the poem may not be about how to save the planet, the beautiful way the forest and the narrators surroundings are described makes one WANT to care for the environment a bit more. Maybe the two roads the reader is deciding between are whether to follow the easy route or take the challenge in nurturing the Earth.

The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett ↠ Oh my goodness … the landscape, the weather changes, the GARDEN … they’re all so beautifully and magically described! It’s a wonderful coming of age story but there’s also a lot of attention towards the weather and landscape to emphasize the messages and themes happening in the story … this really helps associate the wildlife and environment with the human characters, showing yet again this beautiful harmony between the two. The more the characters care for the garden, the better and more beautiful it grows … which we need to do for the entire planet.

Pax by Sara Pennypacker ↠ I just recently finished this book and my, there’s a LOT of “circle of life” focus. Pennypacker discusses this importance of being “two but not two” … how we are unique individuals with our own dreams and goals and aspirations, but we are also something much greater. We are connected to the wildlife and the marine life and the environment … we feed off of one another in order to survive. Which means the Earth needs to do this too … but with our wars and destruction and need to create even if it destroys more, we’re neglecting Mother Nature … and it shows. Hopefully the children of today will see this and make better judgement calls for the future.

Fauna by Alissa York ↠ This was an assigned read for me back in university, and I remember falling absolutely in-love with it. It’s an incredibly powerful and moving story that demonstrates to readers how connected we all are. Humans, animals, the planet … we are all in this “circle of life” (if you will) where we are associated with one another whether we like it or not. Thus, we have a responsible to care and nurture the wildlife and the environment … we do live on it and honestly, the world will go on fine without us … but we can’t without it.