All ages:

Dark Emperor and Other Poems of the Night. By Joyce Sidman. Twelve poems celebrating the night are accompanied by prose about nocturnal flora and fauna. Newbery Honor Book

Farm. By Elisha Cooper. Experience life on a very real farm with very real farmers through the muddy month of March until the next winter.

Abel's Island. By William Steig. As the mouse faces his new life Robinson Crusoe-style, Abel discovers what it's like to be in tune with the natural world as well as his true nature, and what it's like to return, fortified, to his real home and to the arms of the one he loves.

Young Naturalist Guides by Diane L. Burns have earned high marks with Amazon readers.

The Fantastic Undersea Life of Jacques Cousteau. By Dan Yaccarino. A biography of Cousteau’s lifelong fascination with the sea, filmmaking, and invention.

Me…Jane. By Patrick McDonnell. A biography of Jane Goodall—inspiring for kids who dream of a life helping animals.

James Herriot's Treasury for Children: Warm and Joyful Tales by the Author of All Creatures Great and Small. By James Herriot. 8 of the veterinarian's tales for young readers.

Younger Readers:

City Dog, Country Frog. By Mo Willems. Unleashed on his visit to the country, a dog meets a new friend in frog and together they experience the seasons and the cycle of life.

In the Wild. By David Elliott. A collection of brief poems paired with woodblock prints celebrates favorite animals from every continent.

Yucky Worms.  By Vivian French. While digging with Grandma in the garden, a child learns why earthworms are so important in helping plants grow.

Middle readers:

The Hive Detectives: Chronicle of a Honey Bee Catastrophe. By Loree Griffin Burns. After beekeepers discover the strange abandonment of hundreds of hives, scientists seek to understand this catastrophic phenomenon.

How to Clean a Hippopotamus: A Look at Unusual Animal Partnerships. By Steve Jenkins and Robin Page. Animal partnerships often defy explanation; Jenkins and Page explore and clarify these relationships in concise text and glorious torn-paper collage.

Paddle-to-the-Sea. By Holling C. Holling. Complete with geography, nature, drama, and adventure, a toy carving journeys from a snow bank near a river in Canada, through the Great Lakes, the St. Lawrence River and the Atlantic Ocean. Caldecott Honor Book

Older readers:

Ubiquitous: Celebrating Nature’s Survivors. By Joyce Sidman. Three books in one! This book of poetry is also a beautiful picture book and a nonfiction tribute to the adaptability of life on earth.

Discover more books that are perfect for each of your kids ages & interests with the Random House Children’s Book FinderKidzmet Recommends the Random House Children's Book Finder
Summer Reading Recommendations for the “Nature Smart” Child