Kids learn through play and hands on exploration! What better way to get excited about science than getting down in the dirt for an up close look of wriggling worms, expansive weeds and sprouting seeds. The world around us is a classroom with countless opportunities for discovery and we don’t even need to be surrounded by a forest. Sidewalks, playgrounds and container gardens offer chances to look a little closer at the nature that surrounds us. Finished with outdoor adventures? Check out some of these great books that investigate our interactions with the natural world. Books take us on a journey beyond what is directly outside our window, and with these selections children can meet animals around the globe, learn about STEM jobs in earth science and how we can do our part to protect the planet. Ask your local children’s Librarian for some fun extension activities inspired by these picks.
Finding circles everywhere, a grandfather and his granddaughter meditate on the cycles of life and nature. You can also check out this title as an eBook on Overdrive/Libby, as an eAudio on Hoopla, as a video on Hoopla, as a video with read-a-long on Hoopla, or as an eBook on Hoopla.
An introduction to easy gardening so you can grow everywhere and anywhere. Whether you live in the city or the countryside, there are plenty of places you can plant and grow. For a new generation of green fingers there are different ways to bring nature into the home. Make your own pots, build balcony boxes, create your own bird feeders and even get friendly with worms! Each activity has been carefully chosen to create living, renewable and sustainable environments for kids and their families.
In legislatures all over the world, ten of thousands of serious-looking and stern-sounding politicians sat and discussed an endless range of issues. But they never addressed the problem of the health of the planet. It was time for someone to remind them to step in to protect the environment–and the future of children all over the world. It was an emergency. Everything else could wait. So Greta made a sign, put on her jacket, and went on strike.
Splashy illustrations and simple text explore water in its many shapes and forms. Back matter includes information on the water cycle and water conservation.
A little girl and her family go hiking up a nearby mountain for the very first time. You can also check out this title as an eBook on Overdrive/Libby.
A nonfiction picture book tracing the repercussions of what would happen if sharks disappeared from our planet.
The story of Wangari Maathai, who in 1977 founded the Green Belt Movement, an African grassroots organization, and in 2004 was the first African woman to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. You can also check out this title as an eBook on Overdrive/Libby.
Told in rhyming verse, a stone is considered from a variety of environmental and emotional perspectives, as it sits where it is, surrounded by grass, dirt, and water, an unchanging certainty in the world. You can also check out this title as eBook on Hoopla.
This thank-you note to our planet celebrates the beauty and wonder of the natural world through photographic images. Includes a note from the author about related activities and resources.
A love poem from a father to his two sons, and a tribute to the bees that pollinate the foods we love to eat.
Presents the life and accomplishments of the African American scientist, whose keen observations of sea creatures revealed new insights about egg cells and the origins of life. You can also check out this title as an eAudio on Hoopla or as eBook on Hoopla.