Come on Over to the Wild Side! Some Books about Nature for Children by Leslie Colin Tribble

There are lots of books about nature and nature education on the market.  It's hard to choose just a few to write about.  Instead, what I thought I'd do is list some authors who have written books about teaching children about nature.  Most of these I found at my local library, so you should be able to find them too.

Jim Arnosky:  I love just about everything Jim Arnosky has written.  He writes and illustrates his own books and is a self-taught naturalist and artist.  He's published 132 of his own books and illustrated many others.  I love his "Crinkelroot" series - an gnome-like person guides readers in learning about plants, animals, insects, tracks and general observation skills.  All Jim Arnosky's books should have a place on your nature bookshelf.  Some other great titles are Rabbits and Raindrops, Hook, Line and Seeker and Wild Tracks. His latest book is Tooth and Claw:  The Wild World of Big Predators.

Diana Hutts Aston:  Some of my favorite one topic nature books are An Egg is Quiet, A Rock if Lively, A Butterfly is Patient and A Seed is Sleepy. These books, incredibly illustrated by Sylvia Long, inspire readers with the amazing beauty of the natural world.  Children will embrace the sense of joy and wonder created by the author and illustrator.






Henry Cole:  I really like Jack's Garden and I Took A Walk.  Jack's Garden is a fun and beautiful read to interest children in the whole garden process.  It would be a great book to read before starting your own family or classroom garden.  I Took A Walk has detailed illustrations on gatefold pages of various habitats. The job of the reader is to locate within the illustrations the animals which might live in that habitat.  A good parent and child read together.

Nicola Davies:  This author has a couple of beginning nature study books including A First Book Of Nature and Outside Your Window:  A First Book of Nature.  These are easy to read books that open a child's eyes to the wonders of nature.  Nicola has also written books about owls, sharks, and even microbes.

I like nature books which help me show my own interest in the outdoors to children.  I love books with gorgeous full color illustrations and extra tidbits about whatever animal or plant we're investigating.  I gravitate to books about my own area, but also love to introduce children to the wild creatures from other lands and habitats.  

Any books about the "unmentionables" of the wild world will be a hit with children, especially boys.  Nicola Davies' book, Poop:  A Natural History of the Unmentionable is a great read, as are books about the "weird" of nature.

This is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to books about nature.  I'm always expanding my personal library of nature books.  Which titles or authors are your favorites?