Genre: Children’s Eco-Adventure

Nature Ninja Saves the Natural World by Tania Moloney, featuring illustrations by Jelena Sardi, is a lively eco-adventure that invites young readers to see their backyards as the first frontier of environmental change. The book follows the young, intrepid Nature Ninja as they transform ordinary days into extraordinary opportunities for making a difference, showing that even small hands can leave a lasting impact.

Grassroots Eco Heroes

The heart of this tale beats with an urgent yet approachable message: environmental change begins at home. While larger ecological challenges loom, this story zeroes in on accessible actions that kids can take, like creating habitats for bees or preserving greenery in their immediate surroundings. The backdrop of the Ninja’s backyard serves as a microcosm for larger ecological principles, gently introducing children to ideas like biodiversity and conservation through imaginative play. The whimsical dynamic between Nature Ninja, the sagacious Boobook the Owl, and the ever-loyal Stick adds depth to the narrative, grounding its educational themes in playful camaraderie.

Through its richly detailed illustrations and buoyant storytelling, the book effortlessly intertwines joy and responsibility. The Nature Ninja’s journey reflects the real-world power of collective small actions, such as planting trees or building homes for pollinators, which science recognizes as essential to maintaining healthy ecosystems. This story doesn’t shy away from its ultimate goal: to inspire readers to rethink their roles as stewards of the planet. With vivid imagery and rhythmic language, it fascinates young minds and empowers them to act, turning simple backyard activities into profound ecological victories.

This story contains no upsetting content, making it a safe and uplifting read for all ages. A figurative summation could be, “This book plants seeds of wonder that bloom into forests of hope and action.”

Does this book deserve the Words of the Earth’s Book of the Earth Award? Absolutely. Its ability to distill complex ecological themes into digestible, actionable steps for young readers aligns perfectly with the award’s mission. Beyond its environmental message, the book excels as a storytelling masterpiece that sparks curiosity, fosters understanding, and encourages proactive care for our shared home. By championing the ethos that change starts small, this delightful work creates a legacy of impact that transcends its pages.

View the book on Goodreads.

About the Book of the Earth Award

Book of the Earth Award winners are works of fiction and nonfiction that exemplify the intricate connection between literature, the natural world, and the boundless realms of human thought. These pieces explore our planet’s ecosystems, environmental challenges, and the imaginative possibilities that shape our understanding of ourselves and our planet as well as its past, present, and future. Here, we also feature books that honor, reflect, or draw inspiration not only from Earth’s ecosystems, landscapes, and elemental forces but also from the vastness beyond—outer space, alternative dimensions, and imagined worlds. Yet, even when venturing far beyond our planet, every Book of the Earth Award winner remains grounded, conceived by minds shaped by the Earth and its diverse experiences.

This collection brings together narratives that inspire thoughtful reflection on our relationship with Earth and our place in the cosmos. Whether exploring our natural world or imagining distant galaxies, these stories highlight how deeply the roots of human imagination are planted in the Earth. From classic environmental writing to modern fiction, poetry, and speculative tales, the series offers a rich concoction of ideas that celebrate the beauty, complexity, and challenges of our planet and beyond.

By blending reality with imagination, our featured pieces illuminate how literature can help us explore both the wonders of our world and the mysteries of the universe. Through these stories, we discover hope, innovation, and the potential for harmonious coexistence, while envisioning futures that inspire change and reflecting the choices we must make today on our home planet.

To nominate a book, submit it through our Review Requests page.