Nature: Our Green World

Sharp eyes are needed to see most of the well-camouflaged creatures in the Costa Rican rainforest presented in stunning, realistic illustrations. A simple, repeated sentence lets emerging readers know what (e.g., bird, snake) to look for in each double page spread. The animals are specifically identified on the final page.

As the seasons change, a large black bear prepares for hibernation. In his search for a den, he startles a bobcat, a grouse, and other smaller animals. Striking watercolors and brief text, drawn from the artist's observations of a bear behind his Vermont home, explain the balance found in nature and the cycles of life.

The many ways seeds get to where they can grow is revealed in poetic language enhanced by understandable illustrations. Though the information is brief, the sound of the words makes this a unique introduction to this cycle in nature.

Green grass is wide and fresh and clean for a family to play in, and brown dirt is perfect for digging a garden. But when gray buildings start to rise up and a whole city builds, can there be any room for green space? The neighborhood children think so, and they inspire the community to join together and build a garden for everyone to share in the middle of the city.

An introduction to the water cycle and water conservation for the youngest readers. Join a young girl as she explores her surroundings and sees that water is everywhere. But water doesn't always look the same, it doesn't always feel the same, and it shows up in lots of different shapes. Water can be a lake, it can be steam, it can be a tear, or it can even be a snowman.

Caroline doesn't see much of the name of their new street, Meadowview, as she and her family move to their new suburban neighborhood. When she saves a single flower from the lawn mower, she starts to change not only her backyard but ultimately the entire neighborhood. Soft illustrations and understated text convey story and an important concept.

A dazzling celebration of the colorful variety in a flower garden and the cyclical excitement of gardening. A young child relatesthe yearly cycle and process of planning, planting and picking flowers in a garden. Mother and child plant bulbs in fall, order seeds from catalogs in winter, eagerly anticipate the first shoots of spring, select seedlings in summer and then "watch the rainbow grow."

Giant redwoods are usually found in the Northwest United States, so how does a boy on a New York subway get to the redwoods canopy? That's just what happens in this informative, illustrated journey from underground to atop the world's tallest trees. The redwoods can be found in national parks in northern California and southern Oregon.

George Washington Carver was always curious and grew into a recognized scientist in spite of the challenges of the time in which he lived. His life and accomplishments become accessible to younger children through the voice of a tree planted by young George, augmented by child-like full color illustrations.

Sorell, a citizen of the Cherokee Nation, offers readers a look at contemporary Cherokee life as she follows a family through the seasons of the year as they take part in ceremonies and festivals. The book opens, “Cherokee people say otsaliheliga to express gratitude. It is a reminder to celebrate our blessings and reflect on struggles—daily, throughout the year….” 

Two people in bright, stylized garb sail to the islands known as the Galapagos. On successive days of the week, they see a variety of the animals that live there with the repeating refrain, “We’re sailing to Galapagos….I wonder who we’ll see.” End notes describe in greater detail the location and inhabitants of the Galapagos as well as a brief piece about Charles Darwin who sailed there.

As a young boy in medieval Italy, Leonardo Fibonacci thought about numbers day and night. He was such a daydreamer that people called him a blockhead. He realized that many things in nature, from the number of petals on a flower to the spiral of a nautilus shell, seem to follow a certain pattern. 

 

Chavela loves chomping chicle — chewing gum and blowing bubbles. One day, while out with her abuelita, she finds a mysterious kind of gum she has never seen before. She pops it in her mouth and blows a giant bubble that lifts her up into the air and carries her on a magical journey. Candy-colored paintings illustrate this fantastical story with an ecological twist. An afterword provides information on natural chewing gum, the rainforest, and sustainable farming, as well as music to a traditional Latin American folksong.

When Old MacDonald tires of cutting his large suburban lawn, he gets a goat and then a very smart little red hen. When compost and manure are added — and in spite of neighbors' concerns — MacDonald has a thriving farm to everyone's delight! This lively, rhyming tale with its exaggerated illustrations just may inspire suburban and perhaps urban gardening.

As an Indian storyteller guides a boat of children down the sea of grass, he reveals the story of the landscape's formation of what was to become a subtropical national park home to many unique animals. This carefully crafted and handsomely illustrated cautionary tale urges conservation, as the future of the Everglades depends on it.

Martin shares the remarkable life story of former professional basketball player Will Allen, urban farmer and food educator. Straightforward prose and colorful illustrations done in muscular ink lines express the energy and confidence of the book’s subject as he works alongside smiling grownups and kids. Abundant back matter includes information about Allen’s work. [School Library Journal]

To help baby loggerhead turtles find their way back to the sea, a group of children involve the entire town as they launch their Lights Out for Loggerheads campaign. By showing the multiple channels that the students work through to raise awareness (posters, fliers, bake sales, a town meeting, the local newspaper, and the Internet), kids can learn about accessible, affordable ways to raise issue awareness in communities. 

As a Galápagueña, Valentina spends her days observing the natural world around her. This bilingual story was inspired by the childhood of Valentina Cruz, whose family was one of the first permanent inhabitants of the Galápagos. Valentina is now a biologist and naturalist guide who has dedicated her life to the conservation of the islands.

Follows a year in the life of a willow ptarmigan, giving young children a delightful introduction to the animal inhabitants of the far northern wilderness of Alaska and the Arctic.

This guide to making the world a better place is packed with inspiring ideas and tips for kids who want to know how to make a difference. Full of positive encouragement to find something you're passionate about and how to get started on making a big difference through small actions, thifact book for kids is a treasure trove of information and great advice.

In this cumulative tale, Jack plants, tends and harvests his garden. Not only will readers follow Jack's activities, they'll learn about gardens and gardening in this informative and animated book through text and highly detailed and well-labeled illustrations. (The author's background as a science teacher is pleasantly evident.)

Did you know dandelions thrive on all seven continents? The cheery blooms are among the most resilient and adaptable in the world. In this lyrical book, learn how the crafty plant travels on the wind and hitches rides in all manner of ways in order to spread far and wide. Includes a map and backmatter on dandelions.

Get an introduction to the concept of wetlands (swamps have trees, and marshes do not) and learn the differences between between the fresh-and saltwater varieties of each. Find out about the amazing array of plants and animals found in these ecosystems and how these areas store freshwater, prevent flooding and erosion, and serve as a refuge for migratory animals. A map of swamps and marshes in North American and a fact sheet on wetlands are included.

Miss Rumphius leaves the world more beautiful with an unusual legacy. This gentle story can relate to not only the language arts, but to dreams, legacies, and the environment.

One 11 year-old girl can make a difference, as young ornithologist and artist Olivia Bouler has proven, raising more than $175,000 for the Gulf Coast oil spill recovery. Oliviacreated more than 500 bird paintings to raise money, many of which are captured in this lavish picture book that recaps her valiant campaign to save birds affected by the spill. Written in her own words, this unique introduction to backyard and endangered birds features Olivia's hand-drawn illustrations, bird facts, and full-color photos celebrating Olivia's campaign. 

Discover the plants and animals that make up the rich, interconnected ecosystem of a mountain pond. Over the pond, the water is a mirror, reflecting the sky. But under the pond is a hidden world of minnows darting, beavers diving, tadpoles growing.

Wangari Maathai's native Kenya was a changed land, literally blowing away because its trees and growth had been destroyed. Rather than complain, she started a reforestation effort for which she was the first African woman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize. Handsome illustrations combine with crisp text to tell the story of one person's impact.

Rachel Carson was a shy child, always drawn to nature. She grew up to become a professional biologist and enter a field with few women and write a book that changed the way people looked at the environment. Soft, cartoon-like illustrations and straightforward narrative present an overview of Carson's life; sources are included at the end.

Celebrate young climate change activists in this charming story about an empowered girl who shows up, listens up, and ultimately, speaks up to inspire her community to take action against climate change. After attending a climate march, a young activist is motivated to make an effort and do her part to help the planet... by organizing volunteers to work to make green changes in their community, from cleaning a lake, to planting trees, to making composting bins, to hosting a clothing swap and more! 

Examine each double page spread in this oversized book. See the realistically pictured animals and where they live. Make up or find a story about them. If you’re curious, you can look in the back for the names of the real animals. Handsome scenes from different natural environments make this a book to examine again and again.

This love letter to Earth is an exploration of the beauty and complexity of the world around us. Remarkable photographs and a rich, layered text introduce concepts of science, nature, geography, biology, poetry, and community.

When a fog rolls into Icyland, it prevents Warble, a small yellow warbler, from enjoying his favorite pastime: human watching. No one else he talks with seems concerned about the growing fog until he meets the Red-hooded Spectacled Female, a young girl who has also noticed the growing fog. Warble and the girl take this weather seriously and team up to draw attention to the situation, taking the first and important step of raising awareness with others. Sharing this touching, funny title is sure to lead discussion about observing changes in our climate and the environment.

This rhyming read-aloud celebrates how we’re all connected under the sun. As readers are introduced to people and places all over the world and throughout history, the refrain, “The sun shines everywhere,” reminds us that the sun is something that we all need and that we all share.

Ernest Everett Just was not like other scientists of his time. His keen observations of sea creatures revealed new insights about egg cells and the origins of life. He persisted in his research despite the discrimination and limitations imposed on him as an African American. 

This look at one local farm presents a look at work on a farm raising food and animals while protecting the environment. Handsome photographs show the uniqueness of the seasons.

Grassland ecosystems can be found on nearly every continent. Countless animals and plants live in them. So what difference could the loss of one animal species make? Follow the chain reaction, and discover how important honey bees are.as pollinators of wildflowers and crops and sources of food for creatures higher up in the food chain.

This book is a good introduction to the effects people can have on the environment. The simple text introduces the plants and animals that once thrived in a wooded area before their habitat was changed to build a housing development. The book features Fleming's distinctive lush collage illustrations.

Anyone can get involved in gathering data for ongoing, actual scientific studies such as the Audubon Bird Count and FrogWatch USA. Just get out into a field, urban park, or your own backyard. This book, full of engaging photos and useful tips, will show you how.

Sophisticated haiku and illustrations done with colored pencil explore the Earth inside and out. The limited colors used in impressionistic illustrations complement the poetry’s brevity. The intriguing collection concludes with factual narrative and further resources.

Short poems (haiku) were written in response to but also evoke creatures shown in crisp close-up photographs of small animals and insects in their natural surroundings. This collection and others by Yolen/Stemple introduce information about nature, and could be used as part of the science curriculum.

A lively introduction to voting, democracy, and activism for kids. Should an ancient monkey puzzle tree be cut down to make room for exciting new classrooms? In this spirited picture book, students must work together to come to an agreement—but it’s not as easy as it seems! The message of this book, which focuses on a student body’s divided opinion about an issue vital to its future, is that disagreements can lead to fruitful discussion, better understanding and great ideas.

The Great Auk was a northern penguin that lived and thrived in the cold waters of the Atlantic. Learn how the extinction of the Great Auk led to the birth of the conservation movement. Laws were eventually passed to prevent the killing of birds during the nesting season, and similar laws were later extended to other wildlife species.