Did you know there's a horse's head in the sky? Would you like to see a place where stars are born? Would you like to see a star that's as large as the orbit of Mars?  All of these can be found in the famous constellation of Orion. (BD) 

Arnold, Caroline and Richard Hewett. Baby Whale Rescue: The True Story of J.J. Bridgewater Books, 1999. 32 pgs. 

When a baby whale becomes separated from its mother, humans take it to Sea World in San Diego, where she thrived.  When her caretakers were satisfied she could survive in the ocean, she was returned to the open sea. (DR)

Arnold, Caroline. Prairie Dogs. New York: Scholastic, 1993.

They bark, but they aren’t dogs! Prairie Dogs are actually rodents. They build tunnels, play, raise pups, find food, hide from predators, and settle in for a long winter sleep. (MJG)

Arnold, Caroline.  South American Animals.  New York: Morrow, 1999.  48 pages (grades 1-4)

Want close-up color photographs of South American animals—birds, monkeys, sloths, snakes, frogs, jaguars, armadillos, tapirs, tarantulas, guanacos, spectacled bears, deer, foxes, maras, flamingos, sea turtles, and penguins?   There’s a brief 100-word paragraph for each animal.  (MK)

Arnosky, Jim.  All Night Near the Water.  New York: Putnam, 1994. 

Have you ever wondered what goes on at night near the water?  Follow mother mallard and her ducklings and you’ll find out what creatures are awake at night, and what can be found in nature along their water route.  You’ll be glad someone stayed up late enough to take notes!  (BMD) 

Arnosky, Jim. Crinkleroot's Guide to Knowing Animal Habitats. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1997. 

Join Crinkleroot, an adorable old man with a long, white beard, who is an explorer. Get ready because we are on out way to the wetlands, to the forest, and everything in between. Along the way we will meet and learn about many different animals who live in many different habitats. So, strap on some comfy shoes, and grab a warm coat, and let's go with Crinkleroot! (SM) 

Arnosky, Jim.  Crinkleroot’s Guide to Knowing the Birds.  New York: Simon & Schuster, 1992.

If you like birds, this is the book for you.  You’ll learn about spotting birds with binoculars, how to identify them (and their nests) - there’s even a baby bird album.  Crinkleroot will make a bird-watching expert out of you!  (BMD) 

Arnosky, Jim.  Crinkleroot's Guide to Knowing Butterflies & Moths.  New York: Simon &  Schuster, 1996.

Crinkleroot and his snake, Sassafras, are outdoorsmen.  They know every wild critter out there.  The two of them are ready to take you on a search for butterflies and moths.  This nature guide of Lepidoptera group of insects is one of many other nature guides by Crinkleroot.  The illustrations include watercolor paintings of each insect shown.   (JD) 

Arnosky, Jim.  Crinkleroot’s Guide to Knowing the Trees.  New York: Simon & Schuster, 1992. 

Hardwood or softwood, leaves or needles...Crinkleroot will have you noting and naming trees in no time!  Learn how and where trees grow, and which animals they shelter and feed.   Take this book along on your next walk in the woods and bring a basket for collecting what you identify.  (BMD) 

Arnosky, Jim.  Crinkleroot’s Guide to Walking in Wild Places.  New York: Simon & Schuster, 1993. 

Follow Crinkleroot’s well-worn footpath in the woods and discover what to look for - and look out for - on your next nature walk.  For instance, you might want to collect stream stones and arrowheads, but definitely not ticks or poison ivy!  Keep your eyes open...  you won’t want to miss a thing in this book.  (BMD) 

Arnosky, Jim. Deer at the Brook. New York: Scholastic, 1986.

Follow the deer tracks along the brook as deer come alone or as a family to drink the water. The beautiful illustrations give you a close-up view of the deer. Beginning readers will want to read the simple text all by themselves! (MJG)

Bell, David.  Chesapeake Bay Walk.  Centreville: Tidewater Publishers, 1998. 

Have you ever taken a walk in the Chesapeake Bay? WOW! What life is in the Bay! Kick off your shoes and walk through the shallow waters, sand, and mud, and you can find snails, crabs, shells, fish, worms, plants, and animals! (JW) 

Cole, Joanna.  How You Were Born.  New York:  Morrow, 1993. 

Kids are naturally curious, so it’s only natural, and a matter of time, before they start wondering and asking questions about where they came from.  With a gentle appropriateness for younger children, along with excellent photos for all ages, this book is great for families who are about to get a new member, or for those who are just curious. (KS) 

  Cole, Joanna.  The Magic School Bus at the Waterworks.  New York: Scholastic, 1986.

Every other class in the school gets to go on cool field trips, but Ms. Frizzle's class has to go to the waterworks.  They have to spend a whole month in the library just to get ready for the trip.  Ms. Frizzle is even going to drive the bus there.  How much worse can it get? (JD) 

Cole, Joanna.  The Magic School Bus in the Time of the Dinosaurs.  New York: Scholastic, 1994. 

Ms Frizzle must get the kids ready for Visitors Day, so she takes the students on a trip to an archaeological dig.  When the paleontologist there is disappointed that he can't find a Maiasaura nest he's been looking for, Ms. Frizzle takes the bus back in time to find him one.  They visit several periods of the dinosaur age, find a nest, and return in time to make their reports to their parents and grandparents at school. (MA) 

Cole, Joanna.  The Magic School Bus Inside a Hurricane.  New York: Scholastic, 1995.

Ms. Frizzle's class is used to her by now.  They know when they study something new, she'll really get them into it.  Now they are learning about weather.  Once Ms. Frizzle announces a trip to the weather station, the class doesn't know what will happen next. (JD) 

Cole, Joanna.  The Magic School Bus Lost in the Solar System.  New York: Scholastic, 1990. 

Miss Frizzle is up to it again.  When she plans a trip to the planetarium, it is closed for repairs.  Not to worry, the bus is soon blasting off like a rocket into space.  First stop...the moon!  Arnold's know-it-all cousin is visiting the class and she soon learns that she hasn't done everything. (DH) 

Cowley, Joy. Red-Eyed Tree Frog. New York: Scholastic, 1999.

A night in the adventurous life of a red-eyed tree frog in his rainforest home.  (SH)

Cummings, Pat and Linda Cummings.  Talking With Adventurers.  Washington, DC: National Geographic Society, 1998.

Who explores strange places, lives with chimpanzees, or takes close-up pictures of sharks?  Adventurers—meet twelve of them in this book. (DA)

Darling, Kathy. Desert Babies. New York: Scholastic, 1997.

You may think of the desert as a hot, dry, and barren place, but it is actually full of plants and animals. Plants and animals of the desert have learned to survive in areas where people cannot. Learn about the fascinating baby animals of the desert as you study the beautiful photographs by Tara Darling. (MJG)

Darling, Kathy.  Kangaroos on Location.  New York:  Lothrop, 1993. 

Did you know that when given a running start, kangaroos can leap the length of a large school bus?  It’s true.  There are many different kinds of kangaroos ranging from 2-200 pounds.  Many things about kangaroos are still unclear to scientists, making kangaroos very curious and exciting. (RC) 

De Paola, Tomie.  The Popcorn Book.  New York:  Scholastic, 1978. 

Have you ever had a craving for some popcorn?  Find out when and how this snack-time favorite was discovered and who did it, who enjoyed it throughout history, and how much is eaten in the United States today!  Yum! (KS) 

Earle, Sylvia A. Dive! My Adventures in the Deep Frontier. Washington, D.C.: National Geographic, 1999. 64 pgs.

The author takes us below the surface of the water to meet creatures both large and small.  She scuba dives and uses submersibles to go deeper and deeper into the ocean.  As a scientist, she compares species of fish in different bodies of water, observes whales, fish and plant life in the coral reefs. (DR)

Earle, Silvia A. Hello, Fish! Visiting the Coral Reef. Washington, DC: National Geographic Society, 1999.

A look at some the many colorful fish that live in the coral reefs around the world.  (SH)

Gibbons, Gail.  The Honey Makers.  New York: Morrow, 1997.  unp. 

Each honeybee has its own special job.  There are worker bees, drone bees and a queen bee.  And of course, the worker bees are building honeycomb filled with honey!  Don't forget the circle dance and the wag-tail dance...these honeybees are amazing! (DH) 

Gibbons, Gail.  The Moon Book.  New York: Holiday House, 1997.  unp. 

Have you ever wondered about the moon?  It is the brightest and biggest light in our night sky.  Our moon is very far away and looks different during the days of the month.  Where did the “man in the moon” legend come from?  Find out about the moon in this fun to read book. (DH) 

  Gibbons, Gail.  Nature's Green Umbrella: Tropical Rain Forests. New York: Morrow, 1994. 

After eating at the Rainforest Cafe restaurant, I thought this would be the perfect book to read to learn more about the surroundings I had just eaten in.  The ecology of the tropical rainforest includes the climate conditions as well as the different layers of plants and animals that live there.  It is important for the tropical rainforests to survive as nature's green umbrella.   (JD)

Gibbons, Gail.  Sea Turtles.  New York: Holiday House, 1995. 

Learn about eight kinds of sea turtles, their physical characteristics, senses, how they feed, migrate and nest. There is also a lot of information about what is being done to protect them from extinction.  Colorful and informative and fun to read! (CS) 

Gibbons, Gail. Spiders. New York: Scholastic, Inc., 1993.

Did you know that spiders were on the earth even before dinosaurs roamed the earth? Which spider is dangerous to humans? Get the facts about spiders! (MJG)

Hooper, Meredith.  The Drop in My Drink: The Story of Water On Our Planet. New York: Viking, 1998. 

Drip…drip…drip.  This colorful book tells the story of a single drop of water and how it travels through time and space.  It is filled with interesting facts about water and an explanation of the water cycle.  Don’t waste this precious resource! (LB)

Jenkins, Priscilla Beltz.  A Safe Home for Manatees.  Illustrated by Martin Classen.  New York:  HarperCollins, 1997. 

Manatees, distant relatives to the elephant, grow to be 1,200 pounds and 10 feet long!  Learn all about these large marine mammals as you follow a mother and her baby through the Florida waters.  There’s also information on how you can help save the manatee’s habitat before it’s too late. (CS) 

Jenkins, Steve.  What Do You Do When Something Wants To Eat You?  Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1997. 

In this brightly illustrated book, explore the many different ways that animals, fish and insects protect themselves from their enemies.  Some play dead, some stick out their tongue, some puff up big, and others walk on water!  What would you do if something wanted to eat you? (CS) 

  Kerby, Mona.  Cockroaches.  New York: Watts, 1989. 64p. 

What has lived longer than humans? Cockroaches! Learn exciting and surprising facts about these disgusting bugs.  And be sure to try the fun experiments in the back of the book! (TD) 

Lauber, Patricia.  Who Eats What?  Food Chains and Webs.  Illustrated by Holly Heller.  New York: HarperCollins, 1995. 

This book illustrates the fundamental concept of food chains and webs in an easy-to-understand style.  The author explains how plants, animals, and humans are linked ecologically and who is at the top of the food chain or who can be found tangled in the food web.  (SR) 

  Lavies, Bianca. Killer Bees.  New York: Dutton, 1994. 

The photographer-author of this book describes well how the Africanized "killer" bees were 
introduced in the Americas.  Harvesting honey was the main objective, but the killer bees cause more trouble then they're worth.  Luckily, they have advanced as far as they probably ever will into North America and shouldn't cause too many problems for American beekeepers. (MA) 

Leedy, Loreen. Measuring Penny. New York: Holt, 1997.

When Lisa’s teacher gives the homework assignment to measure something in as many ways as she can, Lisa chooses to measure her dog. Lisa’s imagination runs wild as she thinks of a “million” ways to measure. Readers get a math lesson and  learn that measurement means a lot more than just finding out how long something is! (MJG)

Leedy, Loreen.  Postcards from Pluto:  A Tour of the Solar System.  New York: Holiday House, 1993.

A group of school-age children take a tour of our solar system with Dr. Quasar of Space Tours, Inc.  Learn about galaxies, asteroids and comets when you read the postcards the students write from outer space.  A fun, informative book with terrific illustrations. (JS) 

Lessem Don.  Bigger Than T. Rex:  The Discovery of the Biggest Meat-Eating Dinosaur Ever Found.  Illustrations by Robert F. Walters.  New York: Crown, 1997. 

Follow two paleontologists through the discovery and analysis of a “brand new” dinosaur.  The bones of this dinosaur were found in the badlands of central Argentina in 1993.  You'll learn about the “dig”, the process of analyzing the bones, and the excitement of naming the new species.  (JS) 

  Markle, Sandra.  Measuring Up! Experiments, Puzzles, and Games Exploring  Measurement.  New York: Atheneum, 1995. 

In this hands-on approach to learning, children can venture into measurement with many activities and projects using common household items.  Whether it is finding out how to measure tall objects or learning how to make fortune cookies or pretzels, measuring can be used to explore the world around you wherever you are.   (JD)

Markle, Sandra. Outside and Inside Alligators. New York: Atheneum, 1998.

A look at all aspects of an alligator’s life, from birth to mating to having children, as well as a look inside its body.  (SH)

Markle, Sandra. Outside and Inside Bats. New York: Atheneum, 1997.

A window into the lives and bodies of bats, including what they eat and how they have children.  (SH)

Markle, Sandra. Outside and Inside Sharks. New York: Atheneum, 1996.

A deeper look at the lives of sharks, plus a look inside its body.  (SH)

Martin, Terry.  Why Does Lightning Strike?  Questions Children Ask about the Weather.  New York: DK Publishing, 1996.  unp. 

Have you ever wondered about the weather?  Why does it rain?  Why does the wind blow?  All these questions and more are answered in this colorful book. (DH) 

Micucci, Charles.  The Life and Times of the Peanut.  Boston: Houghton , 1997. 

The information in this book about the peanut is incredible. Along with the manufacture of peanut butter, the history, botany, and agriculture of the peanut are covered. The illustrations support the text and make every new detail about the peanut strikingly clear to the young reader.  (JHP) 

Paladino, Catherine. One Good Apple: Growing Our Food for the Sake of the Earth. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1999. 

Rachel Carson warned us in 1962 about the harmful effects of chemicals used in farming. Catherine Paladino, author and biologist who wrote this book as a tribute to Ms. Carson, shows how in our attempt to control nature we are growing food that harms us and the balance of nature. She encourages us to adopt the practice of organic gardening and farming. (MJG) 

Patent, Dorothy Hinshaw. Flashy, Fantastic, Rain Forest Frogs. New York: Walker, 1997. 

I must say that I am not a big fan of slimy things that hop, but I absolutely adore this book! The pictures are amazing, and the frogs are scattered everywhere, turning this book into a kind of search and seek story. The frogs of this book live in the rain forest.  We learn how they live, what they eat, and if they are poisonous! (SM) 

  Patent, Dorothy Hinshaw.  Nutrition: What's in the Food We Eat.  New York: Holiday  House, 1992.

We eat food everyday, but do you know why?  Food gives us the energy to do things and helps us to grow.  Nutrition lets us find out what is in our food and how it is used inside us.  It also gives suggestions on how to eat more healthy.  There is even a healthy recipe to try out!   (JD)

Pascoe, Elaine.  Butterflies and Moths.  Hartford:  Blackbirch Press, 1997. 

Ever wonder what the difference is between butterflies and moths?  Ever wonder what that powdery stuff is that comes off on your fingers when you touch their wings?  Close-up photos and lots of facts answer all your questions. (KS) 

Robbins, Ken. Autumn Leaves. New York: Scholastic Press, 1998. 

Brilliant colors, close-up pictures, and large print text make this an inviting book about trees and leaf identification.  Discover just how and why leaves change color in the fall. (LB)

Rockwell, Anne.  One Bean. New York: Walker, 1998.

What happens when you plant one bean seed?  Large, simple text and illustrations describe the scientific process of growing a bean plant from a seed. Additional activities and information are provided.  Perfect for the young, budding botanist! (LB)

Schnur, Steven.  Autumn: An Alphabet Acrostic. New York: Clarion, 1997. 

Twenty six acrostic poems, from acorn to zero, accurately describe the autumn harvest season.  Each poem is framed by boldly colored linoleum cut block illustrations in this cross-curriculum selection.  Read it vertically and horizontally. (LB)

Seuling, Barbara.  Winter Lullaby.  New York: Harcourt Brace, 1998.

When the winter winds blow cold and the snow falls down upon the land where do all of the living things go?  This is a beautiful picture book to help explain where everything goes during the cold of winter. (DA)

Simon, Seymour.  Big Cats.  New York:  HarperCollins, 1991. 

There are four kinds of cats that can roar: the lion, the tiger, the leopard, and the jaguar.    Three other big cats are the puma, the cheetah, and the snow leopard.  Many of these cats are similar, but they have extreme differences as well.  Unfortunately, they are in danger of becoming extinct so it is up to us to save them. (RC) 

  Simon, Seymour. The Brain: Our Nervous System.  New York: Morrow, 1997.  Unp. Grades 3-8. 

Simon gives a simple, clear overview of the workings of the brain, and the computer-generated photographs are stunning.  There are photos of the cerebellum, cerebrum, and brain stem, the axons, dendrites, and cell bodies, and a photographic model of the brain and the spinal cord.  (MK) 

  Simon, Seymour. Earthquakes.  New York: Mulberry Books, 1991. 

Earthquakes occur when pieces of the earth's crust floating on the liquid mantle below collide. This book tells how it happens, how it is measured, where it occurs and why.  Colorful photographs 
show the effects on the  landscape and the destruction that can occur.  (MA) 

Simon, Seymour.  Lightning.  New York: Morrow, 1997. 

These wonderful photographs show how lightning forms, how it strikes, and why it hits.  The 
author tells about several types of lightning and talks about lightning safety.  He shows where some 
lightning hot-spots are in America and describes what thunder is.  Anything you could wonder about 
lightning is answered here. (MA) 

Simon, Seymour.  Our Solar System.  New York: Morrow, 1992.  64p. 

Go on a trip through the solar system.  Begin with the sun. Then, learn about the red planet, the thin ring circling Jupiter, and how many moons surround Uranus.  Don't forget the other space bodies like meteoroids and comets.  Go on this trip and return home in time for dinner. (DH) 

Simon, Seymour.  Wild Babies.  New York: HarperCollins, 1997. 

Learn lots of information about some less familiar wild animals and their babies.  Some parents have few children and protect them while others have hundreds of babies and just walk away.  Find out which babies are soft and fuzzy and which are slippery or slimy. (CS) 

Simon, Seymour.  Wolves.  New York: HarperCollins, 1993.

The BIG, BAD WOLF.  Are wolves really as bad as people say? Or maybe they are like your dog.  Where can wolves be found? Can they become pets? (JW)

  Snedden, Robert. Yuck! A Big Book of Little Horrors. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1996.

The microscope is a powerful tool.  It can reveal unexpected things about commonplace objects.  If you look really closely at ordinary things you can see what they look like but look at them with the power of an electron microscope and they look like something else entirely.  This yucky book shows lovely bacteria, lice, mites and others in all their glory.  Great pictures and wonderful illustrations will delight and gross out the reader. (BD)

Wick, Walter.  A Drop of Water: A Book of Science and Wonder.  New York: Scholastic Press, 1997.  40 p. 

A drop of water. Sounds simple, right?  Not quite.  Through fabulous photography, take a closer look at water as a solid, a liquid, and a gas.  Learn how and why water condenses and evaporates, how it refracts light and how it becomes snow.  Discover the fascinating properties of water by following the experiments included in this incredible book. (CG) 

Willis, Nancy Carol.  The Robins In Your Backyard.  Delaware: Cucumber Island Storytellers, 1996.

A cheerful robin is usually one of the first signs of spring.  This book uses large, colorful pictures and simple text to explain the mating, nesting and migration habits of the American robin.  Learn how to help an abandoned or lost baby robin. (CS) 

Yolen, Jane.  Welcome to the Ice House.  Illustrated by Laura Regan.  New York: Putnam, 1998. 

“Welcome to the ice house, the snow and wintry blow house.”  Jane Yolen has written a beautifully descriptive book about the Arctic.  Most of the time it is winter, and dark, but spring does come briefly.  See all the Arctic plants and animals.  Laura Regan’s stunning paintings will make you feel the icy cold of the winters and the warmth of the spring sunshine. (JS)