What an Owl Knows by Jennifer Ackerman

With over 260 species of owls located around the world, these birds are often considered enigmatic and mysterious. Owls have been the inspiration for art and folklore through the centuries, and scientists are still just figuring out things like how owls communicate with one another, or why Snowy Owls go further North in the Winter. Ackerman sheds light on just some of the things owl experts have learned about these birds and how they are studied.

The Intersectional Environmentalist by Leah Thomas

Whether you are reading this with your book club or independently, this book is a great resource if you are looking for a starting point on how to become active in the environmental movement. Starting off with the history of the environmentalism and civil rights movement, then moving into how the environment impacts various communities, the book is interspersed with moments for self-reflection and discussion. The book itself is a short read at 136 pages, and the second half of the book is a tool kit for readers to learn more and to provide support within their community.

The Hidden Life of Trees by Peter Wohlleben, translation by Jane Billingshurst

Reading this book made  me want to run into the woods to see everything that Wohlleben describes, and I hope it gives you the same feeling. This book provides careful reflection of how humans understand trees, and how we expect trees to behave versus what trees actually need. Hidden Life is available as an audiobook, how I read it, a graphic novel, and has also inspired a documentary. No matter what kind of reader you are, this is a great pick.

The Serviceberry by Robin Wall Kimmerer

Did you think I wasn’t going to mention thee Robin Wall Kimmerer? Of course I am! Best known for her work Braiding Sweetgrass, Kimmerer expands on the idea of how people interact with their ecosystems by looking at the serviceberry. In the book, she discusses how trading goods and services directly without money can expand our relationships. Written in her usual lyricism and accompanied by gorgeous illustrations, this book is a short yet impactful read. 

Beaverland by Leila Philip

If you’re in the mood for a deep dive into a particular topic, this is the book. Philip goes through not only the environmental impact of beavers, but also the cultural impact they have, reaching as far back as the Middle Ages. The book utilizes four years of interviews where Philip integrates herself into various communities that are all connected to the beaver, as well as extensive historical research on human interactions with the rodent.