Fine Feathered Friends: All About Birds


Tish Rabe - 1998
    After a quick lesson on just exactly what a bird is, they go motoring around the world to observe our fine feathered friends in their natural habitats. Time flies, and soon it's late, but the Cat saves the day by shifting his vehicle into Fine Feather All-Weather Flying Machine mode and winging Dick and Sally back home.

111 Trees: How One Village Celebrates the Birth of Every Girl


Rina Singh - 2020
    This is the story of Sundar Paliwal, who is from a small Indian village ruled by ancient customs. As he grows to be a man, Sundar suffers much heartbreak and decides it is time for change to come to his village. Sundar is determined to live in a place where girls are valued as much as boys and where the land is not devastated by irresponsible mining. Sundar's plan? To celebrate the birth of every girl with the planting of 111 trees. Though many villagers resist at first, Sundar slowly gains their support. And today, there are over a quarter of a million trees in his village, providing food, water and opportunities for women to earn a living. His efforts have turned a once barren and deforested landscape into a fertile and prosperous one where girls can thrive.Based on true events in the life of Sundar Paliwal, and written in collaboration with him, Rina Singh's uplifting story shows how one person can make a difference in a community. Beautiful illustrations by Marianne Ferrer sensitively bring the evolution of the village to life. With strong links to the science curriculum, this book offers lessons on environmental awareness, sustainability and stewardship, as well as the concept of ecofeminism. It also explores ideas of social development, community and culture, and the character education traits of responsibility and cooperation. A thoroughly researched author's note with photographs and more information about the village of Piplantri is included.

The Mangrove Tree: Planting Trees to Feed Families


Susan L. Roth - 2011
    The families were hungry, and their goats and sheep were hungry too. Then along came a scientist, Dr. Gordon Sato, who helped change their lives for the better. And it all started with some special trees.These are the trees, Mangrove trees, That were planted by the sea.With alternating verse and prose passages, The Mangrove Tree invites readers to discover how Dr. Sato's mangrove tree-planting project transformed an impoverished village into a self-sufficient community. This fascinating story is a celebration of creativity, hard work--and all those mangrove trees that were planted by the sea!

Once Upon a Time There Was and Will Be So Much More


Johanna Schaible - 2021
    Millions of years ago, dinosaurs lived on Earth. Thousands of years ago, people built towering pyramids. Ten years ago, the landscape looked different. A month ago, it was still summer. A minute ago, the light was turned off. Now! Make a wish! What will you be doing in a week? How will you celebrate your birthday next year? What will you discover when you are older? What will hold you in awe forever? Moving inexorably from an age primeval into a future filled with questions, Johanna Schaible brings her beautiful collage artwork to an exploration of time that melds a conceptual vision with a physical one. With each page turn, the pages gradually become smaller--showing more and more borders from the past--until they reach the present moment, then grow larger again as time expands into a future full of possibilities.

Do You Know Which Ones Will Grow?


Susan A. Shea - 2011
    School Library Journal declared it "a standout concept book [that's] engaging, fun . . . and a favorite for storytimes or one-on-one settings." (App also available.)

When Emily Was Small


Lauren Soloy - 2020
    Small when her mother tells her not to get her dress dirty, small when she's told to sit up straight, small when she has to sit still in school.But when she's in the garden, she becomes Small: a wild, fearless, curious and passionate soul, communing with nature and feeling one with herself. She knows there are secrets to be unlocked in nature, and she yearns to discover the mysteries before she has to go back to being small . . . for now.When Emily Was Small is at once a celebration of freedom, a playful romp through the garden and a contemplation of the mysteries of nature.

Maple


Lori Nichols - 2014
    She and her tree grow up together, and even though a tree doesn’t always make an ideal playmate, it doesn’t mind when Maple is in the mood to be loud—which is often. Then Maple becomes a big sister, and finds that babies have their loud days, too. Fortunately, Maple and her beloved tree know just what the baby needs.

Tomorrow I'll Be Brave


Jessica Hische - 2018
    This uplifting and positive book encourages kids to promise that tomorrow, they will try new things, do their best, and be brave.Tomorrow I'll be all the things I tried to be today: Adventurous, Strong, Smart, Curious, Creative, Confident, & Brave.And if I wasn't one of them, I know that it's OK.Journey through a world filled with positive and beautifully hand-lettered words of widsom, inspiration, and motivation. As this book reminds readers, tomorrow is another day, full of endless opportunities--all you have to do is decide to make the day yours."Jessica Hische, one of the great designers and typographers, now shows herself equally adept at creating gorgeous and immersive images for young readers. This is a joyous burst of color."--Dave Eggers, author of Her Right Foot

Life-Size Zoo: From Tiny Rodents to Gigantic Elephants, An Actual Size Animal Encyclopedia


Teruyuki Komiya - 2008
    Giraffes have eyelashes. Sloths hang from trees for days at a time without going to the bathroom. These are just some of the insights featured in Life-Size Zoo. Acclaimed wildlife photographer Toyofumi Fukuda visited Japan's premier zoos to capture remarkably vivid and detailed close-up photographs of 21 animals, from pandas and meerkats to giraffes, rhinos, and elephants (adult and baby). Each photograph is accompanied by a profile including body length, weight, and natural habitat, as well as fun facts about the animal.

Drawn from Nature


Helen Ahpornsiri - 2018
    Using nothing but pressed plants, this journey through the seasons captures the wonder and magic of the natural world between the pages of a book. This standout title with beautiful nonfiction text will take readers through an extraordinary year in the wild.

City Dog, Country Frog


Mo Willems - 2010
    “You’ll do,” Frog says, and together they play Country Frog games. In summer, they meet again and play City Dog games. Through the seasons, whenever City Dog visits the country he runs straight for Country Frog’s rock. In winter, things change for City Dog and Country Frog. Come spring, friendship blooms again, a little different this time.Mo Willems’ spare, poignant text and Jon J. Muth’s expressive watercolors team up to tell a story that will resonate with readers of all ages.

The California Naturalist Handbook


Greg De Nevers - 2013
    It is a hands-on guide to learning about the natural environment of California. Subjects covered include California natural history and geology, native plants and animals, California's freshwater resources and ecosystems, forest and rangeland resources, conservation biology, and the effects of global warming on California's natural communities. The Handbook also discusses how to create and use a field notebook, natural resource interpretation, citizen science, and collaborative conservation and serves as the primary text for the California Naturalist Program.

13 Ways to Eat a Fly


Sue Heavenrich - 2020
    Science meets subtraction as a swarm of flies buzzes along, losing one member to each predator along the way. Includes a guide to eating bugs, complete with nutritional information for a single serving of flies."--

The Curious Garden


Peter Brown - 2009
    one garden at a time.While out exploring one day, a little boy named Liam discovers a struggling garden and decides to take care of it. As time passes, the garden spreads throughout the dark, gray city, transforming it into a lush, green world. This is an enchanting tale with environmental themes and breathtaking illustrations that become more vibrant as the garden blooms. Red-headed Liam can also be spotted on every page, adding a clever seek-and-find element to this captivating picture book.

Nerdy Babies: Ocean


Emmy Kastner - 2019
    Check out animals, plants, and fish that live in the ocean. Plus, learn about the unique ecosystem in this simple text written in question and answer format. With bright artwork by Emmy Kastner, this will be a book that the very littlest nerds will want to return to again and again. Stay curious. There’s more to learn about everything!