Nature & Environment

These stories celebrate bugs with kids who already love them, and help foster an appreciation for all creatures, even insects, in children who aren’t as fond or familiar. Aaaarrgghhh! Spider! is super silly, and The Honey Makers and When Butterflies Cross the Sky are both educational and beautiful. Ages 4 — 8.

Each of these selections conveys a reverence for nature. Some are very simple, while some give us a little more to think about. Stellar picks here. Ages 4 — 8.

Toddlers can snuggle up with you and remember a fun time they’ve had at the beach. These books are simple and sweet, and could be excellent picks when planning a trip to the shore or during winter, to chase away the cold. Ages 2 — 5.

Ocean Seasons presents life in the ocean in a new and interesting way. We offer several other picture books here about creatures we may not often think of, like a starfish or an octopus. These are all lovely selections. Ages 4 — 8.

From the lighthearted — Mice Skating — to the introspective and serene — Over and Under the Snow — these books help us to pause and honor the changing of the seasons to the beauty that is winter. Ages 3 — 7.

We’re so glad we came across the work of Jason Chin in our search for the best books. We present here a treasure trove of interesting and beautifully illustrated books about nature and science. Perfect for capturing the interest of our little ones when we want to teach them about the Earth, as a supplement to homeschool curriculum, or just for fun. Ages 4 — 11.

This collection of books is a celebration of the experience of being at the beach. What Lives in a Shell? and Crab Moon teach children about the creatures that live at the beach through story, while Flotsam allows us to look at the beach in a whole new way. Ages 4 — 8.

More great books that not only educate children about nature in a fun and interesting way, but charm us with their beautiful illustrations and text. Ages 4 — 8.

More great selections on the environment — these help explain how things work, while offering poetry and beautiful artwork as a medium. We love these choices to help foster a reverence for nature in young people. Ages 4 — 8.

Follow the Moon Home shows the impact we have on the sea turtles who depend on the moonlight for navigation. One Plastic Bag shows how the ingenuity of one woman made a huge impact on her local environment. We think these five books do a good job of showing that big or small, anything we do to help our environment is important and makes a difference. Ages 4 — 8.

Yuval Zommer uses his unique style to present interesting information about creatures in nature in a super fun and engaging way. In his “Big Book of” series, four are about bugs and animals — loaded with facts. One is about some animals encountering a motorhome in the countryside and will make you laugh. Ages 4 — 8.

These five books about the wind cover factual explanations, silly stories about things blowing away, a sweet little boy who makes friends with the wind, and also the true story of the invention of the wind turbine. Read to teach or just read for fun! Ages 4 — 8.