Best Children's Nature Books
With each of six spreads featuring one spectacular, large pop-up as well as booklets of smaller pop-ups and text, ENCYCLOPEDIA PREHISTORICA: DINOSAURS is a magnificent display of paper engineering and creativity — an astonishing book that will be read, admired, and treasured forever.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I am including a video so you can sort of see the depth and involvement this brings. Types of dinos, Carnivores, Herbivores, Feathered, Armored, Biggest etc. He wants it read as a bedtime story but there is so much info you could prob do 1 page per night and extend it out."
"I have to read the book to my four-year-old. It costs more than most 12-page books. We bought the Encyclopedia Prehistorica Dinosaurs because we like to give each of our boys a good book for Christmas each year. We give them the book on Christmas Eve so we can sit quietly as a family and read the evening before Krampus comes to destroy us all. Bucky just turned four, and as a helicopter parent, I feel like I still need to hover over him when he’s reading the book so he closes all the pop-ups and doesn’t smash them. Anyway, I strongly recommend this book if you have a youngster in your life who is interested in dinosaurs, pop-up books, and the inevitable decline of man."
"I'd say that the reading level is fairly advanced - maybe 4th grade, but even at such a young age, my son gets a kick out of the animals and tries to rip their tail off or whatever."
"He went through every page & opened every flap to tell us all about the dinosaurs he was seeing."
"He is so enthralled with the dynamic of this book and encourages him to be inquisitive and learn about things they aren't teaching in daycare."
"Unfortunately he's a weapon of mass destruction so the book stays out of his reach, but I was amazed at the quality and just how many pop-ups there are in this book!"
"It’s very delicate in some places so it’s a great book for adults to read to smaller kids."
"My two year old son is obsessed with dinosaurs so this is his favorite book."
Now available in its entirety in board book format, Nancy Tillman's masterpiece is perfect for acknowledging the special people in our lives that they are loved. Polar bears dance, giraffes weave to the sound of brass horns, and "the moon smiled with such wonder/ that the stars peeked in to see you/ and the night wind whispered,/ 'Life will never be the same.'. The pictures subtly radiate golden glints of moonlight, and her almost sculptural rendering style gives her characters a hefty physicality that counterbalances the ethereal sentiments being expressed.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I was led to this book because it said so many things about her birth and life I felt. Before she died, she told me how much she loved this simple book, especially the part about my love finding her wherever she would go."
"This book is beautifully written and has equally beautiful pictures to match."
"I purchased this book, site unseen, via Amazon for my grand daughter."
"I've loved this book since I had my first child 7 years ago & it was gifted to me."
"This is the sweetest book."
"I got this book for both of my new grandsons it has a wonderful story line that will touch your heart."
"This book is lovely."
"Will probably bring tears to any mama's eyes that read it."
Targeted to rock-crazy kids, this bold book is more energetic, more visually exciting, and more fun than anything else on the market—and with more information, too! Tomecek has served as the associate director of the Science Museum of Long Island and as the science program supervisor for the New York Hall of Science.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I was expecting something completely different, and I have to say, I was a little mislead by the reviews here. Cons: >Book is very thin. >Not set up in a way that would inform your child on a certain rock/gem that they have - I was expecting this book to be sort of a guide. It is more of a collage of information, bursting with images and text boxes scattered through out the pages."
"My kid was very interested in this."
"It has a lot of pictures for him to compare his rock collection to and it’s easy to read."
"My kids love to look at the pictures of different rocks and minerals."
"great info and pretty pictures."
"This was a great addition to the rock kits that I purchased for my children."
"Grandson loved it."
"Perhaps a bit old for child whom I purchased, but a very nice book overall."
Best Children's Earthquake & Volcano Books
Targeted to rock-crazy kids, this bold book is more energetic, more visually exciting, and more fun than anything else on the market—and with more information, too! Tomecek has served as the associate director of the Science Museum of Long Island and as the science program supervisor for the New York Hall of Science.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I was expecting something completely different, and I have to say, I was a little mislead by the reviews here. Cons: >Book is very thin. >Not set up in a way that would inform your child on a certain rock/gem that they have - I was expecting this book to be sort of a guide. It is more of a collage of information, bursting with images and text boxes scattered through out the pages."
"This is a beautiful book containing plenty of information about different types of rocks and how they are formed over many years."
"My kid was very interested in this."
"It has a lot of pictures for him to compare his rock collection to and it’s easy to read."
"My kids love to look at the pictures of different rocks and minerals."
"great info and pretty pictures."
"This was a great addition to the rock kits that I purchased for my children."
"Grandson loved it."
Best Children's Environment Books
Can a robot survive in the wilderness? 2018 Sunshine State Young Readers Award List Pick. "Brown has written a lively tale that is sure to engage young readers. "Roz may not feel emotions, but young readers certainly will as this tender, captivating tale unfolds. * "[Peter] Brown's picture books are consistent bestsellers and critically acclaimed. * "Brown's middle-grade debut, an uplifting story about an unexpected visitor whose arrival disrupts the animal inhabitants of a rocky island, has a contemporary twist...Brown wisely eschews a happy ending in favor of an open-ended one that supports the tone of a story that's simultaneously unsentimental and saturated with feeling.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Review from 10-year old boy: I loved the book. One of the other reasons I like this book is because none of the main characters die."
"As she explores the island to learn more about her new home, the animals fear they are being invaded by a monster. When she adopts an orphaned gosling and builds a nest for herself and her new son, she becomes a full-fledged member of the community. Pros: Charlotte’s Web meets The Iron Giant in this debut novel from illustrator Peter Brown."
"I had no idea what to expect when I started reading this book,but i was instantly drawn in by the characters."
"Great to read with my 5 year old (as long as your kid is ok with death discussions)."
"My boys and I LOVED this book."
"Excellent."
""One of my favorite stories" per my son."
"This book is amazing!"
Best Children's Flower & Plant Books
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Robert Macfarlane and Jackie Morris have combined their efforts to produce a simply lovely book that should be a hit with young and old. Macfarlane, the author of noted travel/nature/land works such as 'Landmarks', 'The Wild Places', and 'The Old Ways', produces a deceptively simple text, composed largely of imaginative, evocative, and celebratory poems to accompany equally beautiful and evocative graphic artwork (gouache/watercolor/pencil/pen) by Jackie Morris, who works to, from, about, and for the lovely and fascinating things in nature. ); otter (an omission which suggests the arbiters, no doubt the sternest of souls, can't have smiled since that brief moment when Thatcher took office); and kingfisher (one of the birds youngsters most love to spot and expostulate upon). The august authorities at OUP had determined that the words were of little and lessening use to the modern child, since the little lads and ladies were hardly ever beyond the threshold of their flats and houses, instead being held in trance by their screen-adorned devices and anchored by the omnipresent need to be near a charging station. Macfarlane wrote soon thereafter that the editing done represented 'an alarming acceptance of the idea that children might no longer see the seasons, or that the rural environment might be so unproblematically disposable.'."
"Love book with special words and natural mystery- - drawings supern."
"I bought this book without know a thing about it except for the fact that I love the author. Reading it's geneses, which is far more extensive in one of the reviews, than what is mentioned in the book, makes it all the more delightful."
"A must have for anyone whose family loves nature or should love nature."
"As mentioned by another reviewer, what prompted this book by the author was the catestrophic editing of the 'Oxford Junior Dictionary' by the Oxford University Press a few years back. With homage paid to humble things of great meaning - acorns, dandelions, wild creatures, and the possibilities of letters & language - this book is a meaningful departure from a lot of sub-par "children's literature" in mainstream media these days. intrigues any who encounter it and conveys itself as important and timeless, as it should - and the location of the text passages central on the pages allows for easy-reading by children laying belly down on the floor, or by those who are reading to others."
"This is a beautiful book!"
"Gorgeous artwork, and layered with meaning that emerges with additional redings."
Best Children's Forest & Tree Books
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Robert Macfarlane and Jackie Morris have combined their efforts to produce a simply lovely book that should be a hit with young and old. Macfarlane, the author of noted travel/nature/land works such as 'Landmarks', 'The Wild Places', and 'The Old Ways', produces a deceptively simple text, composed largely of imaginative, evocative, and celebratory poems to accompany equally beautiful and evocative graphic artwork (gouache/watercolor/pencil/pen) by Jackie Morris, who works to, from, about, and for the lovely and fascinating things in nature. ); otter (an omission which suggests the arbiters, no doubt the sternest of souls, can't have smiled since that brief moment when Thatcher took office); and kingfisher (one of the birds youngsters most love to spot and expostulate upon). The august authorities at OUP had determined that the words were of little and lessening use to the modern child, since the little lads and ladies were hardly ever beyond the threshold of their flats and houses, instead being held in trance by their screen-adorned devices and anchored by the omnipresent need to be near a charging station. Macfarlane wrote soon thereafter that the editing done represented 'an alarming acceptance of the idea that children might no longer see the seasons, or that the rural environment might be so unproblematically disposable.'."
"Love book with special words and natural mystery- - drawings supern."
"I bought this book without know a thing about it except for the fact that I love the author. Reading it's geneses, which is far more extensive in one of the reviews, than what is mentioned in the book, makes it all the more delightful."
"A must have for anyone whose family loves nature or should love nature."
"As mentioned by another reviewer, what prompted this book by the author was the catestrophic editing of the 'Oxford Junior Dictionary' by the Oxford University Press a few years back. With homage paid to humble things of great meaning - acorns, dandelions, wild creatures, and the possibilities of letters & language - this book is a meaningful departure from a lot of sub-par "children's literature" in mainstream media these days. intrigues any who encounter it and conveys itself as important and timeless, as it should - and the location of the text passages central on the pages allows for easy-reading by children laying belly down on the floor, or by those who are reading to others."
"This is a beautiful book!"
"Gorgeous artwork, and layered with meaning that emerges with additional redings."
Best Children's Fossil Books
With each of six spreads featuring one spectacular, large pop-up as well as booklets of smaller pop-ups and text, ENCYCLOPEDIA PREHISTORICA: DINOSAURS is a magnificent display of paper engineering and creativity — an astonishing book that will be read, admired, and treasured forever.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I am including a video so you can sort of see the depth and involvement this brings. Types of dinos, Carnivores, Herbivores, Feathered, Armored, Biggest etc. He wants it read as a bedtime story but there is so much info you could prob do 1 page per night and extend it out."
"I have to read the book to my four-year-old. It costs more than most 12-page books. We bought the Encyclopedia Prehistorica Dinosaurs because we like to give each of our boys a good book for Christmas each year. We give them the book on Christmas Eve so we can sit quietly as a family and read the evening before Krampus comes to destroy us all. Bucky just turned four, and as a helicopter parent, I feel like I still need to hover over him when he’s reading the book so he closes all the pop-ups and doesn’t smash them. Anyway, I strongly recommend this book if you have a youngster in your life who is interested in dinosaurs, pop-up books, and the inevitable decline of man."
"I'd say that the reading level is fairly advanced - maybe 4th grade, but even at such a young age, my son gets a kick out of the animals and tries to rip their tail off or whatever."
"He went through every page & opened every flap to tell us all about the dinosaurs he was seeing."
"He is so enthralled with the dynamic of this book and encourages him to be inquisitive and learn about things they aren't teaching in daycare."
"Unfortunately he's a weapon of mass destruction so the book stays out of his reach, but I was amazed at the quality and just how many pop-ups there are in this book!"
"It’s very delicate in some places so it’s a great book for adults to read to smaller kids."
"My two year old son is obsessed with dinosaurs so this is his favorite book."
Best Children's Gardening Books
This New York Times bestselling modern classic explores the perennial topic of environmentalism in an urban world, from the creator of The Wild Robot and Mr. Tiger Goes Wild. Peter Brown is the author and illustrator of many bestselling children's books, including Children Make Terrible Pets, The Curious Garden , and The Wild Robot .
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"in the book."
"Really cute story."
"Wonderful book to teach responsibility."
"Very nice children's story...shows that you can have a garden anywhere; even a city."
"It's about cultivating gardens within abandoned areas of the city and is based on a true story about an old railway in Brooklyn."
"Wonderful story!"
"I got this book for our Girl Scout troop, they loved it!"
Best Children's Oceanography Books
Journey into the mysterious world under the sea as 3-D pop-ups swing off the page, bringing to life whales, dolphins, angler fish, and much more! Using the ocean as their milieu, the Santoros (pop-up creators of Journey to the Moon, 2007, and Predators, 2008) provide solid information along with amazing visuals.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"This is a really cool educational book that young children will LOVE!"
"I would recommend it to any parent whose child needs to be brought towards loving books."
"I bought it for my three year old, the book is very advanced for her but she still likes looking at the pop ups."
"Great book for a 5 year old."
"Cute and awesome book."
"My son absolutely loves this."
Best Children's Rock & Mineral Books
Targeted to rock-crazy kids, this bold book is more energetic, more visually exciting, and more fun than anything else on the market—and with more information, too! Tomecek has served as the associate director of the Science Museum of Long Island and as the science program supervisor for the New York Hall of Science.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I was expecting something completely different, and I have to say, I was a little mislead by the reviews here. Cons: >Book is very thin. >Not set up in a way that would inform your child on a certain rock/gem that they have - I was expecting this book to be sort of a guide. It is more of a collage of information, bursting with images and text boxes scattered through out the pages."
"My kid was very interested in this."
"It has a lot of pictures for him to compare his rock collection to and it’s easy to read."
"My kids love to look at the pictures of different rocks and minerals."
"great info and pretty pictures."
"This was a great addition to the rock kits that I purchased for my children."
"Grandson loved it."
"Perhaps a bit old for child whom I purchased, but a very nice book overall."
Best Children's Water Books
Open the book, and the reader is swept into the magic of an underwater world, face-to-face with a floating Yellow-Banded Sweetlips; with a glow-in-the-dark Deep-Sea Anglerfish; with a Sea Horse swaying in balletic motion; with a Sand Tiger Shark gliding along the ocean floor, its gaze haunting, its hook-toothed mouth gulping open and closed. “Showcasing stunning photographic images that ripple with movement, Dan Kainen fully immerses readers in a captivating underwater realm. (The Bookseller). “Showcasing stunning photographic images that ripple with movement, Dan Kainen fully immerses readers in a captivating underwater realm.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Here's a short video of what this book does."
"-- but even the youngest kids will enjoy the graphics and pictures!"
"It would be great to see future books with possibly forest animals, maybe desert animals, flying animals, creepy crawlies...the possibilities are endless!!"
"These books are great."
"We saw this at a toy store and put in on the mental list for our child's upcoming birthday."
"Okay, for those of you who've not seen these, they are a MUST have for kids of all ages."
"The plastic in the images was a bit damaged but for $5 it’s fine."
"I love how realistically the pictures move, it is amazing!"
Best Children's Weather Books
Putting on his red suit, he goes outside and places gifts under the tree for his animals, bringing holiday cheer to all. Clever lift-the-flaps reveal the animals hidden under the snow in the farmer's dream, making this board book edition a treat for all ages. "Few in number are the parents who have made it through their toddler's years on just one copy of Carle's The Very Hungry Caterpillar . Dream Snow has similar ingredients: a simple story, lively collage-like illustrations and a fun gimmick for little hands . "The pictures are in Carle's trademark richly colored and textured collages that capture the snowy magic of Christmas." Young fans of Eric Carle's The Very Quiet Cricket , The Very Clumsy Click Beetle , and other multisensory books, will delight in pushing the same microchip button the farmer pushes to hear the tinkling, oddly eerie holiday tune. In an even more unusual departure from standard picture books, Carle inserts a clear plastic sheet, covered with snowflakes and a white blanket, before each illustration of the dreaming farmer and his animals.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Great graphics."
"Nice quality book."
"I bought this book used, but in very good condition."
"Wonderful story- perfect for my kindergarten students."
"Unfortunately, the wrong batteries were installed and when my grandson pressed the button on the last page to light the tree, nothing happened."
"My granddaughter loves this book in hardcover, so I bought this version with pick up flaps for a baby shower."
"When received, the clear plastic "snow" had taken the color off of the actual pictures."
"My favorite Christmas story for young children."
Best Children's New Baby Books
Now available in its entirety in board book format, Nancy Tillman's masterpiece is perfect for acknowledging the special people in our lives that they are loved. Polar bears dance, giraffes weave to the sound of brass horns, and "the moon smiled with such wonder/ that the stars peeked in to see you/ and the night wind whispered,/ 'Life will never be the same.'. The pictures subtly radiate golden glints of moonlight, and her almost sculptural rendering style gives her characters a hefty physicality that counterbalances the ethereal sentiments being expressed.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I was led to this book because it said so many things about her birth and life I felt. Before she died, she told me how much she loved this simple book, especially the part about my love finding her wherever she would go."
"This book is beautifully written and has equally beautiful pictures to match."
"I purchased this book, site unseen, via Amazon for my grand daughter."
"I've loved this book since I had my first child 7 years ago & it was gifted to me."
"This is the sweetest book."
"I got this book for both of my new grandsons it has a wonderful story line that will touch your heart."
"This book is lovely."
"Will probably bring tears to any mama's eyes that read it."
Best Folklore
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"If you are someone who has never read poetry, this book is for you."
"This book made me angry, nod my head in agreement, cry, laugh, smile."
"Beautifully and powerfully written."
"I loved this collection."
"Love this."
"This book was recommended by a friend and I purchased it for a different friend, but wound up reading through the entire book before I wrapped it."
"You are reading this review as you are probably debating on if you are interested or if you should purchase this book."
"These poems have found a way to awaken my love for my experience as a black woman inspire my growth and continued knowledge quest through life apart of the African diaspora and encourage me to healing from within."