From the smallest ant to the largest blue whale, the natural world is teeming with more intrigue and curiosities than most humans can imagine. Little David Attenboroughs-to-be can feed their imaginations with these bright and beautiful books as well as learn important ways they can help keep planet Earth healthy.
Recommendations
15 books about nature for kids
Image: Flynn Shore/Penguin
Everything Under the Sun by Molly Oldfield (2021)
The original QI elf, Molly Oldfield, ropes in her expert friends to answer 366 questions from children around the world. Offering up a question and answer for every day of the year, Everything Under the Sun contains the key to the mystery of many things including what the largest creature on Earth is and why there is a queen bee. With these (plus 364 more questions) conquered and a host of experts including Michelin-starred chef Heston Blumenthal and illustrator Rob Biddulph, no one in the family will be left asking “why?” ever again.
Recommended reading age: 5-8 years old
Bees: A lift-the-flap eco book by Carmen Saldana (2021)
Despite their small size, bees play a hugely important part in keeping our planet healthy. They help fruit, vegetables, trees, plants, and flowers grow, and they make honey which we eat and use in medicines. But our bees are in danger of dying out if we don’t take care of them. This sustainably made book will not only educate little ones on the importance of bees but also offers tips on how we can help them.
Recommended reading age: 4-6 years old
Water World by Ben Rothery (2021)
Natural history illustrator Ben Rothery dives deep into the watery depths of our oceans and seeks out all the weird and wonderful creatures in his book Water World. From the yellow seahorse who mates for life to the Pacific walrus who weighs over a tonne, you’ll learn about a whole host of creatures who inhabit our oceans and how climate change is affecting them.
Recommended reading age: 4-8 years old
A Ladybird Book: Trees (2021)
Trees are truly amazing. Without these perennial plants, there wouldn’t be life on Earth. They provide food, shelter and shade for wildlife, as well as help clean the air we breathe. From chestnut trees to dragon blood trees, this Ladybird book will teach mini tree huggers all about the different tree species, how they work and what happens when the seasons change. Learn more about the different environments on earth with the rest of the series: Sea Creatures, Insects and Minibeasts, Baby Animals and Animal Habitats.
Recommended reading age: 7-9 years old
Please Help Planet Earth (2021)
Planet Earth is not only our home but it’s the home to all living creatures and plants. However, climate change is having a huge impact on our world, and it needs your help! Filled with fun and easy tips, this is a wonderful introduction to ways in which even the littlest of people can help. Please Help Planet Earth has also been made with recycled board and plant-based inks and glues.
Recommended reading age: 2-5 years old
What to Look For In Spring by Elizabeth Jenner (2021)
Follow the seasons throughout the year. What to Look in for Spring offers up all the bounties of the season, with colourful illustrations and informative text. Watch lambs gambol, trees burst into blossom, hares box and May Day celebrations in full flow. Post-June, the series continues with What to Look For in Summer, Autumn and Winter.
Recommended reading age: 7-9 years old
Hidden Planet by Ben Rothery (2019)
Ben Rothery’s love letter to planet Earth is essential reading for animal lovers young and old. The extra-large book will allow readers to get lost in the beautifully intricate nature illustrations and the extraordinary secrets of the animal world. Perfect to read from cover to cover or to dip in and out of; get acquainted with the clouded leopard, the colour-changing chameleon and every member of the marsupial family, among others.
Recommended reading age: 5-9 years old
Hey Duggee: Nature Activity Sticker book (2016)
Have you got a wannabe wilderness explorer on your hands? Little nature lovers can earn their own Squirrel Club badges with the Hey Duggee: Nature Activity Sticker Book. The best way to discover and explore nature is to go outdoors, and this book is filled with lots of fun activities for you to do together in the garden or at your local park or wood.
Recommended reading age: 3-6 years old
Ladybird Audio Adventures: The Animal Kingdom (2019)
One of the best things about nature is all the natural sounds it produces, from animal calls to rain falling in the jungle. With Ladybird Audio Adventures, little ones will be taken on a wondrous journey through the wilderness with inventor Cassandra and her raven Missy. Featuring realistic sounds, young adventurers will meet amazing animals from all corners of the world and learn about their natural habitats.
Recommended listening age: 4-7 years old
Little World: Under the Sea (2019)
Follow the Little World characters as they go on an underwater journey. The sea is teeming with life! From stingrays and sea turtles to coral reefs and the dark depths of the ocean, little ones will discover all that and more in this interactive story with push and pull tabs. A great one to read at bedtime, we’re convinced that it’s better down where it’s wetter!
Recommended reading age: 2-4 years old
Sensational Butterflies by Ben Rothery (2019)
Butterflies and moths practically flutter off the page in another one of Ben Rothery’s stunningly-illustrated guide. Fascinating facts include how butterflies see, a look at some of the 180,000 species of butterflies on the planet and double-page spreads of wingspans, drawn in intricate detail. No monarch or blue metalmark aficionado should be without a copy.
Recommended reading age: 4-8 years old
Hey Duggee: We Love Animals (2019)
Animals are one of our favourite things about nature. And Hey Duggee and his friends are learning lots of fun facts about different creatures from around the world. Did you know that some species of ants can carry 20 times their body weight? Or that flamingos are born with grey feathers instead of pink? As well as teaching little ones all about the animal world, this activity book will keep little hands busy with entertaining puzzles and games.
Recommended reading age: 2-6 years old
Peppa Pig: Peppa Loves Our Planet (2020)
Just like us, Peppa Pig loves planet Earth and all the animals and plants that live on it. However, climate change is threatening the natural environments that currently exist, so Peppa and her friends are making their own Love Our Planet Scrapbook. In it they have to include all the things they can do to help look after the environment, such as recycling, growing their own vegetables and not always using the car to get around. This is a wonderful book for mini nature lovers and for educating little ones on how they can help take care of the Earth.
Recommended reading age: 2-6 years old
Little World: Jungle Journey (2019)
Jungles are teeming with life – over half of the world’s animals and plants live in them! Little readers can take their first foray into the tropical wilderness with this push-and-pull adventure book. Perfect for reading aloud together, each page introduces new creatures found in these dense forests, such as toucans, capuchin monkeys and leopards. The beautifully bright illustrations and interactive tabs will excite all young explorers and spark their curiosity about these fascinating areas of vegetation.
Recommended reading age: 2-4 years old
Ben and Holly's Little Kingdom: Outdoor Explorers Sticker Activity Book (2017)
With Nanny Plum and the Wise Old Elf, nature class is tons of fun! The Little Kingdom is bursting with acorns and flowers, woodpeckers and bees. In this sticker book, you can help Ben and Holly solve outdoor puzzles, colour in creatures and play leapfrog with their animal friends. There's so much to explore!
Recommended reading age: 3-6 years old
