How to Find a Bird


Jennifer Ward - 2020
    And listening. And staying quiet, so quiet you can hear your own heartbeat. Soon you’ll see that there are birds everywhere—up in the sky, down on the ground, sometimes even right in front of you just waiting to be discovered! Young bird lovers will adore this lushly illustrated introduction to how to spot and observe our feathered friends. It features more than fifty different species, from the giant whooping crane to the tiny ruby-throated hummingbird, and so many in between, and a detailed author’s note provides even more information about birding for curious readers. This celebration of the wondrous variety, colors, and sounds of the avian world is sure to have children grabbing their binoculars and heading outside to explore.

A Nest for Celeste: A Story About Art, Inspiration, and the Meaning of Home


Henry Cole - 2010
    She lives alone, quietly weaving baskets with creative flair under the floor boards of the Oakley Plantation. However, Celeste’s world turns upside down with the arrival of the great naturalist John James Audubon and his assistant Joseph, who have come to study and paint the birds of the Louisiana bayou. Their arrival coincides with Celeste’s sudden displacement from her home below to a guest room upstairs. There she watches young Joseph struggle to create the backgrounds for Audubon’s bird paintings. As the two homesick souls strike up a friendship, the mouse secretly puts her artistic skills to good use; she simultaneously helps Joseph improve his compositions while aiding the wounded birds that Audubon captures for his studies. Nearly every page of author-illustrator Henry Cole's fine novel combines text and remarkable drawn images to tell the story of a mouse in need of a home of her own from the tiny creature's unique vantage point.

Richard Scarry's Best Rainy Day Book Ever


Richard Scarry - 1974
    There are more than 500 wonderful things to make, play, and color. With just a few simple materials—and this book—children can keep themselves entertained for hours and hours!Richard Scarry has thrilled generations of children with his whimsical drawings and characters.

The Barn Owls


Tony Johnston - 2000
    The owls have nested there and have hunted in the fields and circled in the night skies as time slowly slipped by. Every night, as the moon rises, a barn owl awakens and flies out to hunt. Feathered against the endless starry night, he swoops and sails to the darkened wheat field below and catches a mouse in his nimble talons. With outstretched wings, this barn owl returns to his barn nest and his hungry family, repeating the ageless ritual his ancestors have practiced here, in this barn, for at least one hundred years. Following the life cycle of the barn owl, this gentle poem evokes a sense of warm sunshine and envelopes readers with the memory of the scent of a wheat field.

By the Light of the Harvest Moon


Harriet Ziefert - 2009
    One-by-one, leaf people emerge to celebrate the autumnal equinox. Mark Jones's rich pastel illustrations bring to life the mysterious and fleeting world of a gentle troupe of leaf characters, who will warm the hearts of all readers.

Bunny My Honey


Anita Jeram - 1999
    "Bunny, my Honey," she says, showing him how to do special rabbity things, like running and hopping, digging, and twitching his nose, and thumping his great big feet. Bunny's best friends are Little Duckling and Miss Mouse. They play quack-quacky games, squeaky games, and thump-thump-thumpy games together. But one day Bunny runs too far on his own and gets lost in the deep woods. The more Bunny looks for his friends and his mommy, the more lost he becomes. Bunny cries, "I want my Mommy!" until, at last, she arrives to cuddle and kiss him and put her twitchy nose on his twitchy nose. A sweetly reassuring story by the illustrator of the award-winning GUESS HOW MUCH I LOVE YOU.

Dear Treefrog


Joyce Sidman - 2021
    . . Are you new here too? When a shy girl moves to a strange new home, she discovers a treefrog perched in a secret spot nearby and learns that sometimes, all it takes to connect with the people and the world around us is a little patience, a curious mind, and a willingness to see the world through a different perspective than your own.

Sammy The Sheep Dog (Adventures of Sammy The Sheep Dog, #1)


Rob Dallowe - 2015
    But why is it taking him so long to find a new owner? Join him on his adventure as he tries to find out. Perfect for bedtime reading and early readers, this delightful story introduces the incredibly cute puppy, Sammy The Sheep Dog. With beautiful illustrations by Gill Dallowe on every page, filled with fun and drama, this story will be a hit with all children who love animals.

The Little Cockroach


Susie Violet - 2020
    He loves Mexico but wants to explore the world. Amazing things happen to Pedro and his friend Enrico when they decide to leave their home in search of adventure. The Little Cockroach is a delightful bedtime story about determination, travel and adventure.

Animalium


Jenny Broom - 2014
    Open 365 days a year and unrestricted by the constraints of physical space, each title in this series is organized into galleries that display more than 200 full-color specimens accompanied by lively, informative text. Offering hours of learning, this first title within the series "Animalium" presents the animal kingdom in glorious detail with illustrations from Katie Scott, an unparalleled new talent.

Our Animal Friends at Maple Hill Farm


Alice Provensen - 1974
    Two dogs, five horses, a pig, some geese, lots of chickens, a few cows, a few goats, several sheep, and four special cats—these are the animals at Maple Hill Farm. With simple text that is both affectionate and wry, and irresistible illustrations that burst with personality, Alice and Martin Provensen bring their barnyard friends to life for the delight of animal lovers both young and old.

An Elephant Piggie Biggie Volume 2!


Mo Willems - 2019
    Titles include:I Am Going!We Are in a Book!I Broke My Trunk!Listen to My Trumpet!I'm a Frog!

Zonia's Rain Forest


Juana Martinez-Neal - 2021
    Every morning, the rain forest calls to Zonia, and every morning she answers. She visits the sloth family, greets the giant anteater, and runs with the speedy jaguar. But one morning, the rain forest calls to her in a troubled voice. How will Zonia answer?Acclaimed author-illustrator Juana Martinez-Neal explores the wonders of the rain forest with Zonia, an Asháninka girl, in her joyful outdoor adventures. The engaging text emphasizes Zonia’s empowering bond with her home, while the illustrations—created on paper made from banana bark—burst with luxuriant greens and delicate details. Illuminating back matter includes a translation of the story in Asháninka, information on the Asháninka community, as well as resources on the Amazon rain forest and its wildlife.

National Geographic Book of Animal Poetry: 200 Poems with Photographs That Squeak, Soar, and Roar!


J. Patrick Lewis - 2012
    Because if we’re talking about the best possible compliment to your eyes and ears alike, few have as many perks and grand moments as this." —School Library Journal starred review "Out of a windless August night/A luna moth in ghostly lightBeat softly on my window screen/Tick-tick-ticking-all silver green.She whispered secrets in my ear--/I am but a stranger here.The stars are scrawled across the sky/By ghostwriters, the Moon and I.You will not see me here tonight--/I have a thousand stars to write."What could be better than cuddling up with your child and this book on your lap and allowing your imaginations to soar with the words and images? Lovingly selected by U.S. Children's Poet Laureate J. Patrick Lewis and paired with vibrant animal photography, this collection of poems is an exuberant celebration of the animal kingdom and a beautiful introduction to this genre of literature. Designed for family sharing but targeted to ages 4-8, this dynamic, fresh, yet still classic collection of animal poems is a must-have for the family bookshelf.Featured poets include J. Patrick Lewis, Dorothy Aldis, Emily Dickinson, Benjamin Franklin, Robert Frost, Rudyard Kipling, Jack Prelutsky, Elizabeth Madox Roberts, Robert Louis Stevenson, Alfred, Lord Tennyson, and many more.Divided into chapters that group the poems by theme for extra resonance, the collection is a mix of old and new, classics, and never-before-published. A foreword from Lewis, sets the scene for helping children appreciate this gift of language and this visual feast for the eyes. Chapters include:Welcome to the World (birth of animal young)Big Ones (large animals--elephants, hippos, rhinos, bears)Little Ones (small animals--worms, insects)Winged Ones (birds and other flying creatures) Water Ones (aquatic animals--fish, dolphins, crabs)Strange Ones (curious creatures--armadillos, centipedes)Noisy Ones (loud animals--lions, hyenas)Quiet Ones (silent or still animals--hens, rabbits, snakes)Last Thought (a reflection on the world we share with animals)

Migration: Incredible Animal Journeys


Mike Unwin - 2018
    Travel around the globe with some of the world's most incredible animals and discover their unique migration stories. Follow the emperor penguin through snow, ice and bitter temperatures; watch as the great white shark swims 10,000 km in search of seals; track huge herds of elephants, on their yearly hunt for water and be amazed at the millions of red crabs, migrating across Christmas Island.With stunning colour illustrations, uncover the astonishing migrations of 20 creatures, in this truly inspiring narrative. Written by Mike Unwin, a UK Travel Writer of the Year, and illustrated by Jenni Desmond, winner of the New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Book, prepare yourself for a journey like no other.