RESOURCES FROM AUTHORS

BOOKS RECOMMENDED FROM LAUREN MACLEAN, author of Me and My Sit Spot

 

Lauren Maclean, author of three picture books and a reference book for educators, offers a free e-newsletter.  In this newsletter she offers book recommendations within a theme.  Although I have not used these books I have participated in Lauren's educational workshops and have enjoyed reading her books with my students. 

 

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Forest Sounds

• The Sound of Silence by David A. Adler
  A simple but powerful exploration of how silence can help us notice the sounds of nature around us.

• The Listening Walk by Paul Showers
  Follow along on a journey through the forest as a young child tunes in to the variety of sounds that can be discovered with careful listening.

• Forest Sounds by Sharon Phillips
  A guide for children dedicated to identifying different forest sounds and appreciating how they shape our outdoor experiences

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Trees

• The Giving Tree –S. Silverstein A classic that always sparks conversation - I find this one can be a bit sad so I might use it with grades 4-6

• The Tree Book –DK Books Great for identifying what you’re seeing

• A Tree is a Plant – C. Robert Bulla and S.Schuett Perfect for curious younger learners

• Sky Tree - T homas Locker — a poetic look at trees through the seasons

• The Tree in the Ancient Forest by Carol Reed-Jones — a rich look at the ecosystem supported by trees

• Winter Trees by Carole Gerber — a child-friendly exploration of trees in winter

• Tell Me, Tree: All About Trees for Kids by Gail Gibbons

• Be a Tree! by Maria Gianferrari

• Tree Lady by H. Joseph Hopkins

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Leaves

• Leaf Man by Lois Ehlert — A creative exploration of leaf shapes and their journey through the seasons.

• Red Leaf, Yellow Leaf by Lois Ehlert — A vibrant introduction to the lifecycle of a tree and its leaves.

• The Leaf Thief by Alice Melvin — A playful look at leaf changes and their impact on animals.

• Autumn Leaves by Ken Robbins — celebrates the beauty of the season and its changes.

• Fletcher and the Falling Leaves by Julia Rawlinson — a young fox explores and notices all the autumn transitions. I have used this one as well!

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Flowers

• Flower Talk by Sara Levine – Hilarious and fascinating!

• Wildflower Wonders – So many cool facts and close-up views

• Wildflowers by Anna Botsford Comstock – For those deeper dives

• Plant the Tiny Seed by Christie Matheson — a fun, interactive story about plant growth

• A Seed is Sleepy by Dianna Hutts Aston — a poetic look at seeds and plants

• The Big Book of Blooms by Yuval Zommer — a colorful introduction to flowers and plants

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Insects

• The Very Hungry Caterpillar

• The Bug Book – great for rhythm and rhymes

• Insects: A Golden Guide – for your little ID experts

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Animal

• Follow the Tracks by Yukiko Kido (fun and interactive).

• Big Tracks, Little Tracks by Millicent Selsam (great for beginners).

• Animal Tracks by Arthur V. Evans (if you want to get serious)

• Time to Sleep by Denise Flemming

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Birds​

• Birds by Kevin Henkes — a beautifully illustrated introduction to birds

• Ruby’s Birds by Mya Thompson — a story about birdwatching and discovering nature

• Mama Built a Little Nest by Jennifer Ward — a playful exploration of bird nests

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Seasons

Summer

• Goodbye Summer, Hello Autumn by Kenard Pak – a gentle transition story that mirrors what we’re noticing outside.

Fall

• The Apple Pie Tree by Zoe Hall – a sweet story about apples from tree to table. 

• Up, Down, and Around by Katherine Ayres – follow a garden grow and harvest!

• From Seed to Pumpkin by Wendy Pfeffer – pumpkin fans and science lovers.

• The Seasons of Arnold’s Apple Tree by Gail Gibbons — follows a tree through seasonal changes

Winter

• In November by Cynthia Rylant – beautifully poetic, capturing how animals and people prepare for the colder months ahead

• Time to Sleep by Denise Flemming - animals hibernating

• The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats — a classic story capturing the beauty and wonder of a snowy day.

• Over and Under the Snow by Kate Messner — peek beneath the snow at how animals prepare.

• Bear Snores On by Karma Wilson — a cozy story about a bear getting ready for winter sleep.

• The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats — explore how snow transforms plants and the world around us.

• Winter Trees by Carole Gerber — a simple look at how trees change in winter.

• The Mitten by Jan Brett — a classic story showing animals and plants in the snow

WInter Solstice

•  The Shortest Day by Susan Cooper — a beautiful celebration of the solstice and its traditions.

• Winter Solstice by Ellen Jackson — informative and engaging, showing how different cultures celebrate.

•  The Longest Night by Polly Evans — stories of winter traditions from around the world

Winter Animal Adaptations

• Over and Under the Snow by Kate Messner — explores the hidden world of animals in winter.

• Tracks, Scats, and Signs by Leslie Dendy — a practical guide to animal tracking.

• Wild Tracks! by Jim Arnosky — beautifully illustrated guides to animal tracks.

Spring

• And Then It’s Spring by Julie Fogliano — a gentle story about the anticipation of spring

• The Reason for a Flower by Ruth Heller — a colorful and educational exploration of flowers and their role in nature

• Bloom Boom! by April Pulley Sayre — a photographic celebration of flowers blooming

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Wind

• The Wind Blew by Pat Hutchins — a playful story about wind moving objects around.

•  Wind by Marion Dane Bauer — poetic, and makes you really notice how wind travels.

• The Big Wind by Mary Chalmers — explores wind’s impact on animals and nature..

 

Night time

• In the Dark, Dark Woods by David A. Carter — a classic spooky tale that gets imaginations going.

• The Night Gardener by Terry Fan — beautifully illustrated, with a touch of mystery.

• Owl Moon by Jane Yolen — a poetic and calming story about searching for owls under a winter sky

• Stars by Mary Lyn Ray – Soft, poetic, and lovely

• The Darkest Dark by Chris Hadfield – Inspires brave curiosity

• Night Animals by Gianna Marino – Funny and fact-filled

 

Clouds

• Little Cloud by Eric Carle – gentle, simple, and very cloud-curious.

• Cloud Dance by Thomas Locker – it’s like poetry and watercolour had a sky baby.

• Sky Colour by Peter H. Reynolds – inspires big creativity with just a little blue.

• Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs by Judi Barrett — because clouds can be hilarious, too.

• The Cloud Book by Tomie dePaola — all the info you need about types of clouds without making it boring.

 

Stormy Weather

• Thunder Cake by Patricia Polacco — a story about facing storms and fear with courage.
• The Storm by Akiko Miyakoshi — beautifully illustrated, showing how families experience a storm together.
• Stormy Weather by Debi Gliori — comforting and fun, perfect for younger learners.

 

Water

• All the Water in the World by George Ella Lyon

• Over and Under the Pond by Kate Messner

• A Drop Around the World by Barbara Shaw McKinney

• The Puddle by David McPhail — a small town learns how rain changes everything.

• Rain by Marion Dane Bauer — poetic and simple, makes you hear the rain in your head.

• Come On, Rain! by Karen Hesse — a community waits for rain and sees its magic unfold.

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Ocean

• Ocean Animals by Anne Schreiber — A great intro to the creatures that call the sea home

• The Ocean’s Tale by Judith Moffatt — Dive into a fun story that weaves together the wonders of ocean life

• Over in the Ocean by Marianne Berkes — Counting and marine animals, with beautiful illustrations.

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Seashore

• The Seashore Book by Charlotte Zolotow — A gentle celebration of plants and animals living along the shore.

• A Walk in the Seaside Woods by Roni Schotter — A charming look at coastal plants and creatures in a nearby forest.

• Coastal Wildflowers of the Pacific Northwest by Janet L. G. Sayers — For those wanting a deeper dive into identifying coastal plants.

• The Beachcomber’s Companion – A delightful guide to all things washed-up and wonderful. Great for learning AND looking cool with a field guide.

• The Seashore Book – Charlotte Zolotow brings all the gentle beachy vibes. It’s calm, reflective, and likely to make everyone a little dreamy.

• Beach Day! – Fun, rhyming, and full of that sand-between-your-toes feeling.

• Tide Pools by Kim J. K. Johnson – A simple, child-friendly intro to tide pool ecosystems.

• The Tide Pool Waits by Marie Platt – A beautiful story full of waiting, watching, and wonder.

• And Then the Ocean Ate Our Words by Joe MacDonald – A poetic peek into the magic of tide pools and ocean life.

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