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What could be better than combining our love for literature and nature than a GIANT list of books about nature for kids?
You know you’ll need this at some point. Maybe you’ve got a gift-giving holiday or a kid’s birthday coming up. Maybe it’s too cold out right now, but you’re dying to get some outdoor time in, even if that’s in the form of a read-aloud. (But in case you thought there’s no good activities to do outdoors in the winter, you better check back in a few days for my latest article and think again!) Maybe you’re hoping to build up your homeschool library. (If that’s you, I put in a special section for reference books that I don’t usually see in these kinds of lists.) Or maybe you just need a good checklist for your family’s next trip to the library.
Whatever your reason, I’ve got you covered! There are so many books about nature for kids, so I’ve broken them all down by type: picture books, chapter books, biographies (both for kids ages 6-9 and 10-17), reference books, and crafty/journal-type books.
So don’t be shy! Check them out, pin for later, and then get outside!

Picture Books about Nature for Kids
- Stellaluna
- Miss Rumphius
- The Lorax
- Blueberries for Sal
- Roxaboxen
- The Very Hungry Caterpillar
- We are the Gardeners
- The Mitten
- The Hike
- Frog and Toad Are Friends
- Everything You Need for a Treehouse

Chapter Books about Nature for Kids
- Peter Rabbit
- Pax
- Winne the Pooh
- The Secret Garden
- Charlotte’s Web
- Hatchet
- My Side of the Mountain
- Island of the Blue Dolphins
- Julie of the Wolves
- A Week in the Woods
- Wind in the Willows
Biographies about Natural Scientists (Ages 6-9)
- The Story of Jane Goodall: A Biography Book for New Readers
- Starstruck: The Cosmic Journey of Niel deGrasse Tyson
- The Goose Man: The Story of Konrad Lorenz
- Rachel Carson and Her Book That Changed the World
- Manfish: A Story fo Jacques Cousteau
- A Picture Book of George Washington Carver
- Gregor Mendel: The Friar Who Grew Peas
- The Boy Who Drew Birds: A Story of John James Audubon
- Mae C. Jemison: Women in Science and Technology
- Sylvia Earle: Guardian of the Sea
Biographies about Natural Scientists (Ages 10-17)

- Charles Darwin: A Photographic Story of a Life
- Reaching for the Moon: The Autobiography of NASA Mathematician Katherine Johnson
- Women in Science: 50 Fearless Pioneers Who Changed the World
- What Linnaeus Saw: A Scientist’s Quest to Name Every Living Thing
- Leonardo Da Vinci (Scientists and Their Discoveries)
Reference Books about Nature for Kids
- The Ultimate Bugopedia: The Most Complete Bug Reference Ever
- Bill Nye’s Great Big World of Science
- The Animal Book: A Visual Encyclopedia of Life on Earth
- Trees, Leaves, Flowers and Seeds: A Visual Encyclopedia of the Plant Kingdom (Smithsonian)
- Audubon Birding Adventures for Kids: Activities and Ideas for Watching, Feeding, and Housing Our Feathered Friends
- My Book of Rocks and Minerals: Things to Find, Collect, and Treasure
- Ocean: A Visual Encyclopedia
- The Big Book of the Blue
- The Lost Art of Reading Nature’s Signs: Use Outdoor Clues to Find Your Way, Predict the Weather, Locate Water, Track Animals―and Other Forgotten Skills
Art, Journal, and Creative Books about Nature for Kids

- Nature Journal
- The Organic Artist for Kids: A DIY Guide to Making Your Own Eco-Friendly Art Supplies from Nature
- 365 Days of Art in Nature: Find Inspiration Every Day in the Natural World
- Nature’s Art Box: From t-shirts to twig baskets, 65 cool projects for crafty kids to make with natural materials you can find anywhere
- Exploring Nature Journal for Kids: Observe and Record the Outdoors
And finally, as a bonus, one book for YOU about raising children with a touch of nature in mind:
Vitamin N: The Essential Guide to a Nature-Rich Life. 500 Ways to Enrich the Health and Happiness of your Family and Community
For further reading on this topic:
- Why have a nature classroom?
- Backyard Natural Playground: A Space for Experimentation & Play
- Choosing Books for Kids with Dyslexia: 3 Tips
- Help My Child Focus Naturally: 5 Tried and True Strategies for Home

Hillary is a former teacher who went rogue and became a freelance writer. When not offering support and advice to homeschooling families, she tends to her own garden, family, and cat. You can connect with her on her website, homegrownhillary.com.