Books for Young Children about Nature
Compiled by Meredith MacMillan
Alphabet books
Discovering Nature’s Alphabet. K. Castella & B. Boyl. 2006. Heyday Books. Ages 7 and up.
Eric Carle’s ABC. E. Carle. The World of Eric Carle series. 2007. Grosset & Dunlap. Ages 3 and up.
Gone Wild: An Endangered Animal Alphabet. D. McLimans. 2006. Walker Books. Ages 4–8.
Animals and their habitats
Nibble Nibble. M.W. Brown. Illus. W. Minor. 2007. Young Scott Boooks. Ages 4–8.
Owl Moon. J. Yolen. Illus. J. Schoenherr. 1987. Philomel. Infancy through preschool.
In the Small, Small Pond. D. Fleming. 1998. Henry Holt. Ages 4–8.
Tails. M. Van Fleet. 2003. Red Wagon Books. Infancy through preschool.
In the Tall, Tall Grass. D. Fleming. 1995. Henry Holt. Ages 4–8.
Birds
The Best Nest. P.D. Eastman. 1981. HarperCollins Children’s Books. Ages 4–8.
Feathers for Lunch. L. Ehlert. 1996. Voyager Books. Ages 3–8.
Urban Roosts: Where Birds Nest in the City. B. Bash. 1992. Little, Brown. Ages 4–8.
Butterflies
Butterfly Colors. H. Frost. 2000. Capstone Press. Ages 4–8.
Caterpillar Spring, Butterfly Summer. S. Hood. 2003. Reader’s Digest Children’s Publishing. Infancy through preschool.
Camping
We’re Going on a Bear Hunt. M. Rosen. Illus. H. Oxenbury. 2003. Aladdin. Infancy through preschool.
Countryside
Night in the Country. C. Rylant. Illus. M. Szilagyi. 1991. Ages 4–8.
A Drive in the Country. M.J. Rosen. Illus. M. Burckhardt. 2007. Candlewick Press. Ages 4–8.
Information books
About Birds: A Guide for Children. C. Sill. Illus. J. Sill. 1997. Peachtree Publishers. Ages 4–8.
Amazing Butterflies and Moths. Eyewitness Juniors series. J. Still. 1991. Random House Children’s Books. Ages 5–8.
Are You a Ladybug? Backyard Books series. J. Allen. Illus. T. Humphries. 2003. Kingfisher. Ages 4–8.
Be a Friend to Trees. Let’s-Read-and-Find-Out, Stage 2 series. P. Lauber. Illus. H. Keller. 1994. HarperTrophy. Ages 4–8.
Bugs are Insects. Let’s Read and Find Out, Science 1 series. A. Rockwell. Illus. S. Jenkins. 2001. HarperTrophy. Infancy through preschool.
DK Big Readers: Bugs! Bugs! Bugs! J. Dussling. 2001. DK Children. Ages 4–8.
From Egg to Robin. Science Emergent Readers series. S. Canizares & B. Chessen. 1998. Scholastic. Ages 4–8.
Milkweed Visitors. M. Holland. 2006. Bas Relief Publishing Group. Ages 3–12.
Taking Root. Rookie Read-About Science series. A. Fowler. 2000. Children’s Press. Ages 4–8.
Insects
Bug Hunt. N. Twinem. 1999. Grosset & Dunlap. Ages 4–8.
Bugs and Slugs. J. Tatchell. Illus. J. Torode. 1999. E.D.C. Publishing. Ages 3–8.
The Very Lonely Firefly. E. Carle. 1995. Philomel. Infancy through preschool.
Seeds, plants, and flowers
Flower Garden. E. Bunting. Illus., K. Hewitt. 2000. Voyager Books. Ages infancy through preschool.
Jack’s Garden. H. Cole. 1997. Mulberry Books. Ages 4–8.
A Seed Is Sleepy. D.H. Aston. Illus. S. Long. 2007. Chronicle Books. Ages 4–8.
Sun and the moon
I Took the Moon for a Walk. C. Curtis. Illus. A. Jay. 2005. Barefoot Books. Ages 4–8.
Sun Song. J. Marzollo. Illus. L. Regan. 1997. HarperTrophy. Ages 4–8.
Under the Sun. E. Kandoian. 1989. Penguin Young Readers Group. Infancy through preschool.
Trees and leaves
The Great Kapok Tree: A Tale of the Amazon Rain Forest. L. Cherry. 1990. Gulliver Green. Ages 4–8.
Leaf Man.L. Ehlert. 2005. Harcourt Children’s Books. Ages 4–8.
Look Inside a Tree. G. Ingoglia. Illus. M. Gomboli. 1989. Penguin Group. Infancy through preschool.
Weather and seasons
The Boy Who Didn’t Believe in Spring. L. Clifton. Illus. B. Turkle. 1992. Puffin. Infancy through preschool.
Come On, Rain! K. Hesse. Illus. J.J. Muth. 2000. Scholastic. Ages 4–8.
Little Cloud. E. Carle. 2001. Putnam Juvenile. Ages 4–8.
Seasons Board Books. C.L. Demarest. 1996, 1997. Red Wagon Books. Infancy through preschool.
The Snowy Day. E.J. Keats. 1962. Viking Press. Infancy through preschool.
Woods
The Lorax. Dr. Seuss. 1971. Random House. Ages 4–8.
In the Woods: Who’s Been Here? L.B. George. 1998. HarperTrophy. Infancy through preschool.
And Magazines
Wild Animal Baby. Ages 1–4; Your Big Backyard. Ages 3–7; and Ranger Rick. Ages 7 and up. Published by the National Wildlife Federation.
National Geographic Little Kids. Ages 3–6; and National Geographic Kids. Ages 6–14. Published by the National Geographic Society.
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Meredith MacMillan is an editorial associate with NAEYC in Washington, D.C
Beyond the Journal—Young Children on the Web, January 2008.
Copyright © 2008 by the National Association for the Education
of Young Children. See
Permissions and Reprints online at www.journal.naeyc.org/about/permissions.asp.
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