Manfish: A Story of Jacques Cousteau has quickly become a favorite bedtime book in our household.

I’ve started collecting children’s books – both literature and crafts books – with an environmental theme for our kids’ library. Here is a brief list of what I’ve found so far, with reviews.

Manfish: The Story of Jacques Cousteau by Jennifer Beme boasts incredible artwork and a gentle message packaged with M. Cousteau’s biography. I’ve wrapped it up with the equally gorgeous Ocean Seasons by Ron Hirschi for a beautiful and educational ocean-themed kids’ birthday gift.

Another lavishly-illustrated picturebook series to look for is Barbara Bash’s series on trees of different continents and the ecosystems they create. The watercolours are breathtaking. So far I have In The Heart Of The Village: The World of the Indian Banyan Tree, and Tree Of Life: The World of the African Baobab. I think I’ll give the kids the rest of the set as a Christmas gift. (more…)