24 Inspiring Picture Books About Nature

Sharing picture books about nature gets kids talking about their experiences outdoors and encourages them to try new ones. There are so many great topics to explore and connections to learning standards too! Here are some picture books about nature worth checking out for your classroom collection.

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1. If I Were a Tree by Andrea Zimmerman

What would you see, hear, feel, taste, and smell if you were a tree? Get kids wondering with this fun five-senses-themed title.

Buy it: If I Were a Tree at Amazon

2. Stick by Irene Dickson

There’s nothing better than spending time outdoors and finding a “good stick” along the way. Encourage kids’ imaginations to roam along with the boy in this story about all the fun a simple stick can provide.

Buy it: Stick at Amazon

3. Wonder Walkers by Micha Archer

This is one of the best picture books about nature to jump-start a no-prep outdoor learning adventure. The kids in this story pose curious questions about everything they see as they walk. Read it and head outside for a class “wonder walk.”

Buy it: Wonder Walkers at Amazon

4. What’s in Your Pocket? Collecting Nature’s Treasures by Heather L. Montgomery

We all know (or were!) a kid who loves to stuff their pockets full of nature items. This engaging nonfiction title introduces famous scientists who got their start doing just that. Great for introducing habits of scientists.

Buy it: What’s in Your Pocket? Collecting Nature’s Treasures at Amazon

5. The Hike by Alison Farrell

Three adventurous kids are off on a hike, each with their own style. Hattie leads the way, Wren documents everything in her sketchbook, and El brings the cheerful energy. Add this to your picture books about enjoying nature in your own way.

Buy it: The Hike at Amazon

6. If You Find a Leaf by Aimée Sicuro

Give us all the picture books about nature that celebrate fall, please. In this gorgeous title, a child imagines everything a leaf could be, from a hat to a hot-air balloon to a superhero’s cape. So many fun art-project possibilities.

Buy it: If You Find a Leaf at Amazon

7. Over and Under Series by Kate Messner

We’ve loved this unique and fascinating series since its first titles, Over and Under the Snow and Over and Under the Pond. Paddle across—and dive into—the ocean in the newest title.

Buy it: Over and Under the Waves at Amazon

8. Uncle John’s City Garden by Bernette G. Ford

Kids from the suburbs help their uncle build a community garden on an abandoned city lot. Add this to your picture books about nature in urban settings. The illustrations are stunning!

Buy it: Uncle John’s City Garden at Amazon

9. Home: A Peek-Through Picture Book by Britta Teckentrup

The artful Peek-Through Picture Book series offers some of our longtime favorite picture books about nature for reading aloud—especially to small groups of kids, so they can get up close to marvel over all the cut-out pages. This newest title stars a bear family walking through the forest, noticing animal homes throughout the seasons.

Buy it: Home: A Peek-Through Picture Book at Amazon

10. How To Say Hello to a Worm: A First Guide to Outside by Kari Percival

Let’s teach kids how to notice and appreciate little details outdoors. This trip through the gardening season with an enthusiastic group of kiddos can spark so many conversations about how your students can be safe and have fun while observing and interacting with nature in your schoolyard.

Buy it: How To Say Hello to a Worm: A First Guide to Outside at Amazon

11. Nature Is an Artist by Jennifer Lavallee

Oooh! Picture books about nature that directly lead to student art projects are the best. Each spread shows an example of how nature creates art: “painting” the sunrise, creating a “collage” of fallen leaves, “sculpting” with sand, and more.

Buy it: Nature Is an Artist at Amazon

12. The Night Walk by Marie Dorléans

The best picture books about nature have the power to take our breath away. A family wakes up in the middle of the night and hikes through town, and then the sleeping forest. Where are they going? The ending is one of nature’s best daily surprises: the dawn of a new day.

(Psst: Pair this with the classic winter nature walk title Owl Moon by Jane Yolen for a perfect compare-and-contrast lesson!)

Buy it: The Night Walk at Amazon

13. Mii maanda ezhi-gkendmaanh / This Is How I Know: Niibing, dgwaagig, bboong, mnookmig dbaadjigaade maanpii mzin’igning / A Book About the Seasons by Brittany Luby

How do you know each new season is here? This bilingual story-poem celebrates the Ojibwe language and seasonal observations of plants, animals, and weather in the Great Lakes region. It’s repeating lines are ideal for inspiring a class book about signs of the seasons in nature where you live.

Buy it: Mii maanda ezhi-gkendmaanh / This Is How I Know at Amazon

14. Berry Song by Michaela Goade

This is one of the most gorgeous picture books about nature we’ve seen. A girl and her grandmother pick berries across different seasons. They find joy in each other, nature, and honoring Tlingit traditions.

Buy it: Berry Song at Amazon

15. The Mystery of the Monarchs by Barb Rosenstock

Fred Urquhart asked as a kid, “Where do monarchs go in the winter?” He made it his life’s work to find out. Use this captivating narrative nonfiction to introduce kids to citizen science and build appreciation for this endangered species.

Buy it: The Mystery of the Monarchs at Amazon

16. Copycat: Nature-Inspired Design Around the World by Christy Hale

Did you know road reflectors were inspired by cat eyes in the dark? Introduce kids to the fascinating concept of biomimicry, design that imitates nature. Tanka poems, wow-worthy photos, and interesting back matter provide tons of info. Find lots of follow-up activities on the author’s website too.

Buy it: Copycat: Nature-Inspired Design Around the World at Amazon

17. Celia Planted a Garden: The Story of Celia Thaxter and Her Island Garden by Phyllis Root and Gary D. Schmidt

The connection between nature and creativity is so powerful. This biography introduces kids to writer, painter, and gardener Celia Thaxter. Melissa Sweet’s unique illustrations are some of our favorites.

Buy it: Celia Planted a Garden at Amazon

18. Headstrong Hallie! The Story of Hallie Morse Daggett, the First Female “Fire Guard” by Aimée Bissonette

This biography profiles an unsung hero who dedicated her life to protecting nature. Hallie Daggett broke gender barriers to become the first woman to work as a forest fire lookout for the U.S. Forest Service in the late 1800s.

Buy it: Headstrong Hallie! The Story of Hallie Morse Daggett, the First Female “Fire Guard” at Amazon

19. The Secret Signs of Nature: How To Uncover Hidden Clues in the Sky, Water, Plants, Animals, and Weather by Craig Caudill

Do you know how to decipher the color of the ocean or forecast the weather by watching a butterfly, or even a herd of sheep? Kids and adults will both learn lots of cool facts about everything nature can tell us if we pause and look. This is a good one for teaching main idea and supporting details too.

Buy it: The Secret Signs of Nature at Amazon

20. The Curious Garden by Peter Brown

We love this story about community, stewardship, and spreading joy.

Buy it: The Curious Garden at Amazon

21. Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney

This classic never fails to inspire us to “do something to make the world more beautiful.”

Buy it: Miss Rumphius at Amazon

22. The Great Kapok Tree: A Tale of the Amazon Rain Forest by Lynne Cherry 

Raise students’ awareness about the perils of deforestation and give them hope that one voice can make a difference.

Buy it: The Great Kapok Tree: A Tale of the Amazon Rainforest at Amazon

23. A River Ran Wild: An Environmental History by Lynne Cherry

This detailed history of the Nashua River in Massachusetts has so many directions to explore.

Buy it: A River Ran Wild: An Environmental History at Amazon

24.  Just a Dream  by Chris Van Allsburg

A dream shows kids the terrible possibilities if we don’t take care of our planet. This is a great classroom conversation starter.

Buy it: Just a Dream at Amazon

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Plus, check out these Fun and Easy Nature Crafts and Activities.