24 Wonderful Picture Books for Nature Study

There is not one teaching resource I treasure more than children’s literature. The good ones have such a masterful knack for presenting factual information amidst incredible storylines. The illustrations, of course, help children put pictures to names, places, and ideas. This list of picture books for nature study is perfect for exploring science topics.

When my children were younger, one of the best things I did was use picture books for nature study. There are so many excellent picture books that can inspire a deep interest or understanding of nature!

Using Picture Books Alongside Nature Study

Sometimes, we would pack along a picture book and a blanket and actually read as part of the nature walk. This mid-walk reading may serve as a cozy rest time or a specially planned opportunity to find, learn, or discuss more.

When I knew what the topic of the walk was ahead of time, I would often pre-read a picture book before setting off. Giving children prior knowledge, or even just building excitement, can make nature walks more productive, to be sure.

Often, we would find something interesting during our walk, and a pertinent picture book would follow – again, to further explain or inspire even more discovery next time.

The times I would read before or after our nature walks didn’t necessarily happen immediately before or after. In fact, I would often have to wait for a few days to find a good picture book at the library. Revisiting a few days later was always a good way to keep knowledge and excitement fresh.

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Picture Books for Nature Study

Today, I’ve chosen just 24 of my favorite picture books for nature study to share with you. As with any booklist I’ve written, there are always more wonderful books that could be added. But these represent some cream of the crop picks.

You certainly don’t need to take a nature walk to get use from these books. In fact, many of them were read over and over in our home, and were only “tied” to nature walks here and there.

 

The Raft by Jum LaMarche

It would be hard for me to pick a favorite of favorites, but if you twisted my arm, I would probably name this book. It’s so full of innocent discoveries by a little boy who grows to be madly in love with nature by the end of a simple summer. It’s the perfect picture of how I always wanted my children to learn about and love nature gently. Jim LaMarche has also written Pond, which is similarly wonderful.

Owl Moon by Jane Yolen

There are so many reasons I love this book. On a cold, wintery night with a full moon hanging in the sky, a daddy takes his little girl on a walk to find owls. The restraint it takes for the little girl to stay quiet on the walk and the utter fascination she has when they finally see an owl remind me of so many real-life moments in our home. Welcome to the Green House is a poetic book about the rain forest by Jane Yolen that could easily be used to help your children notice new things on “regular” nature walks, too.

Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney

There is no sweeter tale about a lady and her love for flowers. Miss Rumphius plants lupines, and lots of them. Wherever she goes on her travels, she spends time planting flower seeds to beautify the surroundings and becomes known as “The Lupine Lady.” This book is based on a true story!

Miss Ladybird’s Wildflowers: How a First Lady Changed America by Kathi Appelt

This is another special book about flowers that also happens to be a biography about First Lady Ladybird Johnson. It tells the story of her love for wildflowers and how she set about to beautify the U.S. through planting campaigns.

 

The Boy Who Drew Birds: A Story of John James Audubon by Jacqueline Davies

At 18 years old, John James Audubon had just arrived in America from France. With an avid interest in the birds of his new country, he set out to determine if the birds he sees seasonally will return the following year. It’s an excellent book for nature journaling, birding, or discussing migration.

Snowflake Bentley by Jacqueline Briggs Martin

Jacqueline Briggs Martin is the author of another book that tops my list of favorites. Snowflake Bentley tells the biography of a man who saw the absolute beauty in snowflakes and figured out how to share their intricacies with the world through photography. The main storyline can easily be read with younger children, while the sidebars contain more detailed information that older children will enjoy.

Butterfly House by Eve Bunting

This is a sweet story of a little girl who finds a caterpillar and her grandpa, who helps her build a “butterfly house” in which to raise the caterpillar. Once the life cycle is complete, the little girl has a difficult time letting the butterfly free, but a lifelong joy of butterflies is born. This is a great book to use, whether studying butterflies or flowers.

Rocks in His Head by Carol Otis Hurst

“You’ve got rocks in your head.” That’s what many people told the author’s dad, who was a rock collector. More than a rock collector, really, considering he had an entire attic filled with labeled specimens. What happens in the end makes his “crazy collecting” worthwhile.

 

The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter

When you think of this classic tale, you often think of a naughty little rabbit who gives you a great opportunity to talk about character qualities with your children. However, it’s also a great way to “dig deeper” into gardening and small mammals. Of course, any of the series would be helpful for nature study inspiration.

The Dandelion Seed by Joseph P. Anthony

Not only is this book a remarkable story of the life cycle of a dandelion through the seasons, but its illustrations are gorgeous, too. In a Nutshell, written by the same author, is similar in that it follows an acorn through its life cycle with beautiful illustrations. Both are written with simple text, but could serve older children well if they need to understand entire cycles of plant life.

A Drop Around the World by Barbara Shaw McKinney

This book is somewhat similar to the two books mentioned above in that it follows a single drop of water through its cycle—the water cycle, that is. Since water, unlike plants, is reused over and over again, you will travel around the world with this little drop of water as it goes through various phases of the water cycle many times over. The rhyming text leaves a little to be desired, but the geography that’s included makes up for it as far as I’m concerned. Another book you’ll definitely enjoy by the same author is Pass the Energy, Please, about food chains.

Raccoon on His Own by Jim Arnosky

Jim Arnosky is one of my favorite picture book authors for nature study. Raccoon on His Own is such a sweet, sweet little tale about a raccoon who ventures into an abandoned boat and gets swept down the creek. While he’s certainly afraid, he begins to notice all sorts of new things in nature he’s never seen before. Another living book by Jim Arnosky that you won’t want to miss is Rabbits and Raindrops. Be sure to enjoy his informational books, too – Wild Tracks, Creep and Flutter, Look At Me!, Slither and Crawl, Frozen Wild, Tooth and Claw, Shimmer and Splash, and Thunder Birds.

 

Wild Horses of Sweetbriar by Natalie Kinsey-Warnock

I’m just noticing this book may be out of print, and that will be such a shame. It’s a gripping tale about the struggle for survival of a herd of wild horses one very cold winter in 1903 on the New England island of Sweetbriar. It would be perfect to read during any nature study of the seashore, winter, or horses. Other books by the same author that complement nature study include “When Spring Comes,” “The Bear That Heard Crying,” and “A Farm of Her Own.”

Three Days on a River in a Red Canoe by Vera B. Williams

My children have always loved this book. It’s the fascinating adventure of a little girl, her mom, her aunt, and her cousin as they trek to a favorite spot on the creek and then spend three days boating and camping on the trip downstream. Any child who dreams of campouts and canoes will soak in every word.

Blueberries for Sal by Robert McCloskey

Any nature walk where berries are involved is the perfect time to read Blueberries for Sal. As you pick your own berries, hopefully you’ll never come across any bears like the little girl in this book does, though! Make Way for Ducklings is another must-read picture book by Robert McCloskey.

Tops and Bottoms by Janet Stevens

Not only is this the perfect book to read when discussing plants, but it’s a fabulous character-building book as well. Everyone in your home will chuckle as the wily hare takes advantage of the lazy bear during various times of the harvest season in a backyard garden.

 

The Reason for a Flower by Ruth Heller

This book actually has very little text, but the words it uses encourage strong botanical vocabulary. The illustrations are as important as the text in teaching information about flowering plants. Plants That Never, Ever Bloom is another book in a similar style that teaches children about plants that do not bloom. The author also has several other titles that complement nature study topics, such as Chickens Aren’t the Only Ones, Animals Born Alive and Well, and How to Hide a Butterfly and Other Insects.

A Seed is Sleepy by Dianna Hutts Aston

In a similar style to The Reason for a Flower, the main text of this book has very little text, but uses words that will increase descriptive vocabulary. It also includes small chunks of informational text to explain each description of seeds. The illustrations also go a long way in helping children understand a great deal about seeds by the end of the book.

A Log’s Life by Wendy Pfeffer

This simple book, with its incredible illustrations, helps children understand the life cycle of a tree and how it serves as a habitat for a wide variety of animals and insects over time. The author is likely most known for her many Let’s Read and Find Out science books for early readers, like Wiggling Worms at Work and Life in a Coral Reef. Two of her popular books are The Shortest Day of the Year and The Longest Day of the Year.

Fireflies by Julie Brinckloe

This sweet book about a little boy and his excitement for fireflies reminds me of just about every child I’ve ever seen when lightning bugs begin flickering in late spring.

 

The Mountain That Loved a Bird by Alice McLerran

This is such a charming book about a barren mountain that befriends a bird, and that friendship changes everything for the lonely mountain over the years. It would be wonderful to use during any nature study about birds, mountains, erosion, or even seasons. Another book by Alice McLerran that encourages play in nature is Roxaboxen.

The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein

I’m not going to lie, there’s a bit of a heart tug in this book. It’s worth the read, though. As a tree and a boy grow old together, you get to see many ways a tree can be beneficial. The simple drawings could make good examples for sketching trees in your nature journal, too.

The Wartville Wizard by Don Madden

Not so much about nature study as it is about taking care of nature by not littering. This book has always been one of my children’s favorites. It’s hilarious and regretful when a wizard commands that all litter will stick to its litterer indefinitely. The community learns a valuable lesson when they see all the trash they discard on a day-to-day basis. Other great living books that teach about the environmental impact on nature include The Wump World, The Lorax, Just a Dream, A River Ran Wild, and The Great Kapok Tree.

The Curious Garden by Peter Brown

I love the innocent drive of the little boy in this story, who transforms a dull town one plant at a time. A simple trek to an abandoned railway begins a gardening project that turns a concrete jungle of a city green over time. This book always reminds me to read another favorite book of mine, The Gardener.

I really could go on… and maybe I will in another post someday. For now, I know these books will make excellent additions to your living books library.

Nature Study As Children Get Older

These days, I’m only homeschooling a 6th grader. While there are still plenty of picture books appropriate for middle school, the days of grabbing picture books as a staple to almost every nature walk are fading away.

Yes, I dearly miss the days of setting off on nature walks with littler ones and their tender, joyful excitement, but there is so much remarkable depth to our studies as kids get older!

Feel free to share some of your very favorite picture books for nature study in the comments!

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