 A
Butterfly Is Patient
by Dianna Hutts Aston, Sylvia Long
Ages 5–8
This beautiful and informative
book celebrates the world of butterflies. Arranged
under simple headings (A butterfly is helpful.
A butterfly is poisonous.) the development, habits,
migration, and unique features of butterflies are
presented in a manner that is both scientific and
artistic. |
|
 Whitefoot:
A Story from the Center of the World
by Wendell Berry, Davis Te Selle
Ages 8–12
The tiny mouse, Whitefoot,
is comfortable in her nest in the woods, which she
knows is the center of the world. When a flood carries
her far from home, she must use all her skills to survive.
David Te Selle’s beautifully detailed realistic drawings
highlight Whitefoot’s exploration of a whole new world. |
|
 Seasons
by Blexbolex
Ages 4–up
This stunning picture book explores
the cyclical nature of life by examining the seasons. Beautiful
prints present simple yet detailed views of landscapes, objects,
and people during different times of the year, encouraging
readers to notice subtle details. As time passes and the seasons
rotate, a sense of the permanence of the cycle of change is
revealed. |
|
 Discovering
Nature’s Alphabet
by Krystina Castella, Brian Boyl
Ages 6–12
Created by a husband and wife team, this unique
book presents letters of the alphabet found in the natural world. The
92 color photographs are neither staged nor retouched, and are spectacular
examples of the wonders of nature waiting for the careful observer. Not
intended for those just learning the alphabet, this beautiful book may
inspire older children to search out letters in their own natural surroundings. |
|
 How
We Know What We Know About Our Changing Climate: Scientists
and Kids Explore Global Warming
by Lynne Cherry & Gary Braasch
Ages 10–14
Hopeful tone and comprehensive
resource list. |
|
 Redwoods
by Jason Chin
Ages 4–8
A young boy finds a book titled Redwoods on
a subway bench and is amazed to find his own picture on the
cover. As he reads, he is immersed in the history of the redwoods.
When he leaves the train, the boy finds himself in the middle
of a redwood forest in California. Beautiful and realistic
watercolors accompany the interesting and accurate information. |
|
 Farm
by Elisha Cooper
Ages 4–8
This beautifully illustrated book is
a tribute to family farms. Beginning in March and ending in
November, the quietly poetic text follows a family of four
through their daily life, introducing the land, buildings,
and animals that fill this family’s modern rural life. |
|
 Bees,
Snails, & Peacock Tails: Patterns & Shapes… Naturally
by Betsy Franco, Steve Jenkins
Ages 4–8
This inviting book explores geometry
in the natural world. The layout of the rhymes often
echoes the shapes pictured in the stunning cut-paper
collages. |
|
 Planting
the Wild Garden
by Kathryn O. Galbraith, Wendy
Halperin
Ages 4–8
This lighthearted book explains
how the seeds of wild plants are spread by wind, rain,
birds, and animals. Delicate pencil and watercolor
illustrations capture the large scale forces of nature
as well as close ups of tiny seeds and plants. |
|
 Optical
Illusion Play Pack
by Martin Gardner
Ages 10–up
Packaged with 40+ punch-out pieces,
readers are challenged to re-create optical illusions,
experiencing rather than simply observing these illusions
aptly explained by puzzle master and mathematician Gardner. |
|
 Old
Bear
by Kevin Henkes
Ages 3–8
A hibernating bear dreams of
a spring when he was a cub, followed by dreams of summer,
fall, and winter in this beautifully illustrated book
about the annual cycle of seasons. |
|
 Can
We Save the Tiger?
by Martin Jenkins, Vicky White
Ages 5–8
Incredible artwork and a good
balance between good and bad news about the tiger and
other endangered species make this book an enjoyable
and excellent resource. Other species featured are
the partula snail, white-rumped vulture, and American
bison. |
|
 Just
a Second
by Steve Jenkins
Ages 4–8
This thought-provoking book examines
diverse events that occur in the space of a second, a
minute, an hour, etc. In one second, a black mamba snake
can slither 24 feet while a cheetah can sprint 100 feet.
In one week a ladybug will eat more than 500 aphids.
Fascinating observations like these will inspire readers
to think about time and the world in new ways. |
|
 Wild
Wings
by Gill Lewis, Yuta Onoda
Ages 4–8
Iona (11) moves in with her
grandmother, who is considered crazy by the children
in the small village in Scotland. Most other children
avoid Iona, but her discovery of an osprey nest on
her classmate Callum’s farm sparks a friendship. The
two name the endangered bird Iris, and keep the nest
a secret until Iris becomes entangled in a fishing
line. A naturalist saves Iris and tags her, allowing
the two children to track the osprey’s migration from
Scotland to Africa online. |
| |
|
 The
Way We Work
by David Macaulay
Ages 10–up
This comprehensive and entertaining
illustrated guide to the workings of the human body is
the result of years of research. Seven sections move
from the structure of a cell through the systems of the
body. The full color drawings present information in
a friendly way, but the language is often highly technical.
Motivated teens will love this book. |
|
 What
the World Eats
by Peter Menzel, Faith D’Aluisio
All Ages
Twenty-five families in 21 countries
around the world are photographed surrounded by a week’s
worth of food. The multi-generational portraits provide
an avenue for exploring each family’s hopes and struggles
while gently raising issues about global food supplies.
Family recipes, maps, and county information reveal provocative
statistics. (adapted from Hungry
Planet) |
|
 Over
and Under the Snow
by Kate Messner, Christopher Silas
Neal
Ages 4–8
A small girl and her father
cross-country ski through a snowy forest, spotting
the occasional animal. Cutaway illustrations reveal
other creatures sheltered under the snow in this evocative
and elegant book. |
|
 Come
See the Earth Turn
by Lori Mortensen, Raul Allen
Ages 6–10
Léon Foucault was a sickly
child, a poor student, and a drop-out from medical
school—not a natural candidate for fame. Drawn to science
as an adult, Foucault began to perform experiments.
Though scientists at the time were certain that the
Earth did spin around an axis, no one could prove it
until Foucault made an incredible discovery that demonstrated
the Earth’s rotation—Foucault’s Pendulum. This accessible
account of Foucault’s discovery is beautifully illustrated
with Raul Allen’s dramatic paintings. |
|
 Out
of Sight
by Pittau & Gervais
Ages 4–8
More than 50 animals hide in
this oversized guess the animal book. Large flaps offer
visual clues about the animals concealed underneath,
and cutouts reveal hints of the snouts and limbs of
the hidden animals. Fascinating details about the animals
accompany this beautiful book that challenges the reader
to see animals in new ways. |
|
 Bird,
Butterfly, Eel
by James Prosek
Ages 6–10
A barn swallow, monarch, and
American eel spend their summer at the same coastal
farm in New England. In the fall, they migrate to three
distant and different places. The beautifully detailed
watercolors complement the simple text. |
|
 Fletcher
and the Falling Leaves
by Julia Rawlinson, Tiphanie Beeke
Ages 3–8
The young fox Fletcher is concerned
when leaves begin to fall from his favorite tree. His
mother assures him that it is only autumn, but to Fletcher
the tree does not seem at all well. He tries to capture
the leaves and stick them back on, but eventually the
twig breaks off. The next day a beautiful sight reassures
him that the tree is fine. The beautiful illustrations
echo the magical transformation of the seasons. |
|
 Fletcher
and the Springtime Blossoms
by Julia Rawlinson, Tiphanie Beeke
Ages 3–8
When Fletcher the young fox sees
the first spring blossoms flying through the air, he
is sure that the snow has returned. At first annoyed
by the false alarm, Fletcher’s friends soon join him
in romping through the petals. Tiphanie Beeke’s beautiful
illustrations celebrate the season and give each animal
a distinctive personality. (follows Fletcher
and the Falling Leaves) |
|
 The
Cuckoo’s Haiku:
and
Other Birding Poems
by Michael J. Rosen, Stan Fellows
Ages 6–10
Poet and birder Rosen captures
the essence of more than 20 common North American birds.
Designed like a birding notebook, each haiku is accompanied
by Fellows’s beautiful watercolors of the birds in their
habitats plus notes about their behavior and traits. |
|
 Red
Sings from Treetops: A Year in Colors
by Joyce Sidman, Pamela Zagarenski
Ages 4–8
Stylized figures move through colorful
illustrations celebrating the four seasons. The unrhymed
poems are filled with imaginative uses of color words to
highlight each season. (2010 Caldecott Honor Book) |
|
 Dark
Emperor and Other Poems of the Night
by Joyce Sidman, Rick Allen
Ages 6–10
This collection of poems celebrates
nocturnal life in the forest from various point of
view including the prey of a horned owl, a baby porcupine,
a night spider, the moon. Each poem is illustrated
with a detailed print and accompanied by a short factual
note about the subject, beautifully blending poetry,
science, and art. |
|
 Ubiquitous:
Celebrating Nature’s Survivors
by Joyce Sidman, Beckie Prange
Ages 6–10
This book of poems pays tribute
to biologically successful life forms from lichens
to mollusks to ants to coyotes. Arranged in order of
each survivor’s first appearance, each spread features
fascinating facts, beautifully colored linocuts, and
a poem which echoes a trait of the subject. The melding
of art, science, and poetry stimulates the eye, ear,
and mind. |
|
 A
Tree Is Nice
text by Janice Udry, illustrations
by Marc Simont
Caldecott Medal 1957
Ages 4–8
This book explores all the benefits that
trees bring us in simple text suitable for young readers. The
elongated shape of the book allows the beautiful illustrations
to capture the graceful height of trees. |
|
 Dr.
Frankenstein’s Human Body Book
by Richard Walker
Ages 10–up
Dr. Frankenstein invites readers
to join him as he creates a human being. From atoms and
the skeleton to tissues and muscles, this anatomy book
is as fascinating as science fiction. Gothic fonts and
illustrations blend with state of the art images from
gamma scans and other advanced technology. |
|
 Bugs
by the Numbers
by Sharon Werner & Sarah Forss
Ages 6–12
The bugs in the book are created
using only numbers. A mosquito silhouette is composed
of 75s since a mosquito can detect human breath from
75 feet away, and a group of ladybugs are created from
numbers that match the number of spots on their wings.
This creative book also includes interesting facts
about the featured bugs. |
|
 City
Dog, Country Frog
by Mo Willems, Jon J Muth
Ages 4–8
City Dog, enthusiastic about
his new life without a leash, meets Country Frog in
the spring and the two frolic throughout the summer
and fall. But winter finds Country Frog’s favorite
rock empty. In the spring, City Dog meets a new friend
and extends the same welcome he received from Country
Frog. Beautiful watercolors expand the emotional depth
of this simple story about the transitory nature of
the seasons and the cycle of life. |
|
 Meadowlands:
A Wetlands Survival Story
by Thomas F. Yezerski
Ages 5–8
The 20,000 acres of wetlands
in New Jersey, known as the Meadowlands, were once
home to a rich variety of plants and animals. But in
the 400 years since the European explorers first arrived,
the habitat has been dammed up, drained, logged built
over, polluted, and nearly destroyed. But signs of
life remained under bridges, on the edges of parking
lots, and beside train tracks, and with the help of
activist groups, government organizations, and ordinary
people, the Meadowlands is beginning to come back to
life. |
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