So You Want to Be an Owl


Jane Porter - 2021
    Study hard, and soon you'll be a first-rate member of Team Owl! This engaging nonfiction picture book is full of vibrant, humorous illustrations and owl lessons that will have readers eagerly practicing their hoots, toe swivels, and alertness (even if they can't grow feathers).

Listen to Our World


Bill Martin Jr. - 2016
    From the jungle to the mountains to your own backyard, listen and you just might hear the sounds they make!

The Big Book of Birds


Yuval Zommer - 2019
    Yuval Zommer’s distinctive illustrations show off some of the most colorful, flamboyant, impressive, and wacky birds of the sky. Picture-book charm pairs with informative nonfiction to make a beautiful, large-format title for parents to share with young children and for older children to read by themselves.The book draws in children and parents alike with captivating information about and charming illustrations of hummingbirds, peacocks, flamingos, bald eagles, secretary birds, puffins, red-crowned cranes, and more. The book also invites young bird-watchers to protect birds where they live and make their gardens bird-friendly. The text is chatty, funny, and full of remarkable facts.Yuval Zommer’s illustrations and fresh approach are what make this series feel distinct. His glorious and quirky pictures appeal to young children, who will relish the flighty questions and pithy facts about the most exciting creatures of the sky.

I, Fly: The Buzz About Flies and How Awesome They Are


Bridget Heos - 2015
    Flies are so much cooler! They flap their wings 200 times a second, compared to a butterfly's measly five to twelve times. Their babies—maggots—are much cuter than caterpillars (obviously). And when they eat solid food, they even throw up on it to turn it into a liquid. Who wouldn't want to study an insect like that?In an unforgettably fun, fact-filled presentation, this lovable (and highly partisan) narrator promotes his species to a sometimes engrossed, sometimes grossed-out, class of kids.

The Elephant Scientist


Caitlin O'Connell - 2011
    This observation would guide the scientist to a groundbreaking discovery about elephant communication: elephants actually listen with their limbs.

The Illustrated Compendium of Amazing Animal Facts


Maja Säfström - 2016
    Did you know that an octopus has three hearts? Or that ostriches can't walk backward? These and many more fascinating and surprising facts about the animal kingdom (Bees never sleep! Starfish don't have brains!) are illustrated with whimsical detail in this charming collection.

Aviary Wonders Inc. Spring Catalog and Instruction Manual


Kate Samworth - 2014
    has offered bird lovers a unique opportunity: Assemble your own bird from stunningly beautiful and carefully hand-crafted parts. The birds can even be taught to fly and to sing! This slyly satirical crafter's delight is offered as the perfect antidote to extinction of birds in the wild.Brilliantly illustrated with oil paintings and filled with laugh-aloud asides as well as sobering facts about extinct species, this mock catalog is a clever send-up of contemporary sales spin and a thought-provoking look into an all-too-possible future.

Why Oh Why are Deserts Dry?: All About Deserts


Tish Rabe - 2011
    Learn about deserts, what they are and what animals live in them with the Cat in the Hat.

You Are Never Alone


Elin Kelsey - 2019
    This book draws examples from the clouds and the cosmos, the seafloor and the surface of our skin, to show how we are never alone: we are always surrounded and supported by nature. Whether it's gravity holding us tight; our lungs breathing oxygen synthesized by plants; the countless microorganisms that build our immunity; or the whales whose waste fertilizes the plankton that feed the fish we eat: nature touches every aspect of how we live.Using lyrical text grounded in current science alongside detailed diorama art, this book presents the idea that we thrive through connections to the land and sea and sky, and togetherness is key to nature. It encourages inquiry-based learning, inviting readers to wonder, ask questions, observe the natural world, and engage with big ideas. An author's note at the end offers more insight into the research behind the text.

Galápagos Girl/Galápagueña


Marsha Diane Arnold - 2018
    She greets sea lions splashing on the shore, scampers over lava rocks with Sally-lightfoot crabs, and swims with manta rays. But Valentina also understands the fragility of this wondrous world, and she makes a solemn promise to protect the islands and her animal friends.This delightful 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. Whimsical illustrations by Pura Belpré Honor recipient Angela Dominguez transport readers to these unique islands, which shelter a diverse number of plant and animal species, many found of which can be found nowhere else on the planet. Come discover this beautiful world with Valentina and her animal friends!

Birds of a Feather: Bowerbirds and Me


Susan L. Roth - 2019
    And yet Susan L. Roth and the remarkable bowerbird are truly birds of a feather. Sibert Medalist Susan L. Roth is like a bowerbird, a small black bird found in Australia and New Guinea that builds elaborate structures from various materials they find near their habitats.Though Susan creates books to attract readers and bowerbirds build bowers to attract a mate, both get their ideas from the world around them and the materials they find. Both love colors. No two of their respective creations are alike. And most importantly, both Susan and the bowerbirds aspire for their finished works to be greater than the sum of their parts.Complete with engaging backmatter and dazzling artwork crammed full of so much to look at, this visually delightful picture book from award-winning author and artist Susan L. Roth is a fascinating comparison of art we create and art we find in nature.

Dinosaurs


Kathleen Weidner Zoehfeld - 2011
    In this Level 1 reader, youngsters learn all about the terrifying giants that once roamed the Earth—maybe even as close as their own backyard! They'll be wowed by new information and eye-popping illustrations from National Geographic, a trusted source of children's nonfiction content.National Geographic supports K-12 educators with ELA Common Core Resources.Visit www.natgeoed.org/commoncore for more information.

Beavers


Rachel Poliquin - 2018
    He may not be as mighty as a lion or as dangerous as a shark. He may be squat and brown. But never underestimate a beaver. I can almost hear you saying, "But aren't beavers just lumpy rodents with buck teeth and funny flat tails?" Yes, they are! And believe it or not, those buck teeth and funny flat tails are just a few of the things that make beavers extraordinary.

What's Inside a Flower?: And Other Questions about Science & Nature


Rachel Ignotofsky - 2021
    Learning how flowers grow gives kids beautiful building blocks of science and inquiry.In the launch of a new nonfiction picture book series, Rachel Ignotofsky's distinctive art style and engaging, informative text clearly answers any questions a child (or adult) could have about flowers.

Sea Horse: The Shyest Fish in the Sea


Chris Butterworth - 2006
    Do you see an eye like a small black bead peering out at you? Linger for a while and discover the secrets of the sea horse - one of the shyest fish in the sea. With a head like a horse, a tail like a monkey, and a pouch like a kangaroo, the sea horse acts like a chameleon, changing color to ward off danger or to show that he and his mate are a lifelong pair. Watch their fascinating mating dance, as the two of them twine their tails together and twirl, before she places her eggs in his pouch to be born. Could there be a more intriguing creature of the sea?