The personification of nature in myth and folklore represents some of humanity’s earliest attempts to explain and interpret natural phenomena. Varying between cultures and traditions, people have looked at the world and seen more than just nature; they have seen possibility, power, and even deities. If you’re interested in reading about the names and faces authors have given to these elemental forces, these ten books will send you on a mythical journey through our planet Earth!
Gaia Girls: Enter the Earth by Lee Welles
Elizabeth Angier, a girl who is just happy that school is out for the summer, looks forward to working on the family farm with her best friend Rachel and her dog Maizey. She doesn’t expect her world to suddenly and quite literally shake, threatened by the arrival of Harmony Farms, a corporation set on turning family farms into factories. When her best friend moves away and the word spreads of the farm land being sold, Elizabeth meets Gaia, a real entity of the Earth, manifested into life as a talking otter. Gaia gifts Elizabeth the ability to sense, feel, hear, and even shift the earth itself. Elizabeth now must decide if she will use these gifts to confront the Harmony Farms to protect her home and the natural land.
The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang
In a world where gods were so powerful that they could burn entire cities to ash through a single person. Rin, a peasant girl who earns a spot in an elite military academy, discovers she can channel the power of the Phoenix, the god of war. When her country descends into a bloody conflict, she quickly finds that these powers come at a cost. She now must decide the lengths she’s willing to go for her people with her humanity on the line and a vengeful god inside her.
Troubled Waters by Sharon Shinn
After the death of her father, Zoe Ardelay is met with unpleasant news that she has been chosen to become the King’s fifth wife. Upon discovering that she is Coru Prime, ruled by the element of water, she quickly understands that the royal court is not where she belongs. What begins as a call to destiny and an opportunity to escape it, Zoe finds herself returning to the palace, not as a bride but a symbol of power. From royal secrets to the mysterious nature of her past, Zoe must confront harsh betrayals and the pull of her elemental power, water.
Earth and Air by Peter Dickinson
This book consists of a collection of short stories that depict the Earth and air as living forces and beings. Rich with myth, folklore, and a hint of sci-fi elements, these tales explore how these natural elements are not the backdrop of a story but true living beings themselves. From trolls to talking owls, this book has it all! If you enjoy stories with lots of world-building and emotional depth, then Earth and Air may be fit for you!
The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin
Set in a land called the Stillness, the earth is considered both a guardian and a threat. There exists a group of people called orogenes, who can manipulate the Earth as they please, which is something many people fear and put restrictions on. This story follows a woman with a secret power, who is on a mission to find her missing daughter. Along the way, she encounters a variety of obstacles, including the harsh reality of what it means to be someone who weilds this Earth power.
The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden
This story follows Vasilisa, a young girl living in a remote Russian village on the cusp of an enchanted forest with endless winters. She and her siblings grew up listening to the fairy tales told by their nurse, Vasilisa, especially loving the story of Frost, a winter demon rumored to claim souls. When Vasilisa’s father remarries a woman from Moscow, who turns their lives and village upside down, it is up to her to embrace her secret gifts to confront a powerful spirit commonly known as the Bear.
Furies of Calderon by Jim Butcher
In the empire of Alera, almost everyone is born with a bond with specific elemental spirits called furies, who are of earth, fire, air, and water. However, among these people is Tavi, a young boy who stands out for having none. When war breaks out and ancient enemies threaten his home and well-being, Tavi must survive without any magic or spirits in a world reliant on them. Relying on his pure determination and bravery, this story delivers a high-stakes mythical adventure with elements gone wild!
Fire by Kristin Cashore
Set in Dells, a monster-ridden world filled with beautiful and elemental creatures. Fire is the last human monster, recognized by her fiery hair and the superhuman ability to sway the minds of others; she is deemed equally fascinating and dangerous. She lives in constant indecisiveness, wanting to hide away from the world or to use her powers for the greater good. When the threat of war looms over her homeland, she is quickly pushed into the fray, having to risk being perceived as the monster everyone expects her to be in order to secure the safety of the kingdom.
Drinking the Midnight Wine by Simon R. Green
When Toby Dexter, an ordinary bookshop clerk, mustered the courage to confess to his secret crush, he followed her through a solid wall, finding himself in the parallel dimension, Mysterie, where monsters, beasts, gods, and magic are very much real. What he thought was a harmless crush turned into a dangerous twist of fate when the demon, the serpent’s son, returned. After he learns of the threats this demon has on both worlds, he is forced into a reality-bending choice: remain mortal and return home, or embrace his newfound role and enter a cosmic battle.
The Island of Missing Trees by Elif Shafak
On the divided island of Cyprus, lived two teenagers, a Greek Cypriot and a Turkish Cypriot, who met and fell into a forbidden romance in the back of a tavern they thought of as home. A fig tree that had pushed its way through bore witness to everything, from their romantic meetings to their eventual downfall. When a civil war breaks out, the fig tree becomes more than a witness; it becomes a thoughtful and mysterious narrator who represents a figure bridging events from the past and present together. After several years pass, Ada Kazantzaki seeks answers to her family’s complicated past, despite never traveling to Cyprus, to further understand her tangled identity.
Whether you’re reading for the fiery gods, mythical beasts, or sentient trees, one thing is abundantly clear: the elements, though wild in nature, have a voice that is alive and powerful. Are you ready to explore the world of these mythical interpretations of nature? Go ahead, the Earth is awaiting your arrival!
If you’re interested in cultural traditions and stories of nature in myth, check out these Native American mythology books here.
Read books like this and more on our Bookshop bookshelf, Mythos & Legends Unveiled: A Cultural Tapestry of Tales.
