This week we’re focusing on the biggest story in the world - climate change. The planet is reaching crisis point and time is running out to make the changes that are crucial if our planet is to survive (such as keeping fossil fuels in the ground).

But what on earth have books got to do with the environment? Stories. The power of a story. As TheBookAddictedGirl blogs:

“It makes climate change interesting. It makes us understand how vital environmentalism is. It makes us think. It makes us act. We need to look at all the mistakes made in books that lead to these dystopian worlds and we need to change them.”

So this week we’re celebrating the positive power of stories, whether dystopian YA fiction, picture books, poetry or classic reads, to bring home what we risk losing - and what we can do about it. And it’s International Earth Day on Wednesday 22 April too.

There’s tons of exciting stuff coming up this week - here’s an overview of what’s planned. We’ll be adding live links to this list as features are published so keep checking back.

Monday 20 April

• Previewed above! Don’t miss TheBookAddictedGirl on dystopian fiction and why it’s time to read, sit up, learn and then take action before its too late.
  
• Which are the best eco books? Recommendations from authors and young readers on the books that made them really think about the environment. Please share yours on Twitter @GdnChildrensbks or email us childrens.books@theguardian.com with the heading “Eco books”
• Book Doctor prescribes the best books to help younger children understand climate change.
  
• Helen Peters, who saved her own family farm from flooding and then based a story on her experience, shares her top 10 tips for eco-activists of all ages.
  

Tuesday 21 April

• Nine-year-old author of The Epic Eco-Inventions, Jona David, writes about why children need to stand up for the environment.
• Piers Torday, author of The Last Wild trilogy, explains why writing about climate change isn’t fantasy or sci-fi (plus, free read! We’ve got the first chapter of his new book, The Wild Beyond).
  
• Site member HighKick has interviewed Helen Skelton - former Blue Peter presenter and Amazon kayaker and now author - about her new book, which is set in the Amazon. Plus, read the first two chapters of Amy Wild!

Wednesday 22 April (Earth Day)

• Discover the eco and writing inspiration of Saci Lloyd, author of The Carbon Diaries.
  
• Debi Gliori shares sketches and background work for her eco-picturebook The Trouble with Dragons in a gorgeous gallery.
  
• Teen site member Delve into Dystopia on how she’s called to the wild side.

Thursday 23 April

• Top 10 cli-fi reads from Sarah Holding, author of the SeaBEAN trilogy.
  
• Fancy writing an eco-adventure? Don’t miss Red Rock author Kate Kelly’s top tips.
  
• Gorgeous animals...and a serious message: endangered animals gallery from WWF (and what you can do).
• Join in our live twitter chat from 7-8pm tonight, using the hashtag #GdnEcoChat and discuss eco reads and writing with top authors including Frank Cottrell Boyce, Sarah Crossan, Saci Lloyd, Tony Bradman, Sarah Holding, Kate Kelly, eco expert Leo Hickman and the head of climate change at WWF UK, Emma Pinchbeck. You can read our live blog – with minute by minute updates and extra info – here.

Friday 24 April

• Which countryside idyll from children’s fiction would suit you best? Take our quiz to find out.
  
• Discover eco-poetry and beautiful illustrations in our All the Wild Wonders gallery.
  

Saturday 25 April

• Author Maria Snyder blogs about how she used her background as a meteorologist to inform her dystopia.
  

Sunday 26 April

• How to draw an enchanted forest, a drawing lesson by queen of colouring books, Johanna Basford.

We are looking forward to everyone joining in with our eco-themed week. Have you read books with environmental themes that you want to tell us about? Do you have questions or comments? More books to recommend? Then what are you waiting for? Email childrens.books@theguardian.com.