nonfiction nature books for kids

Books are one of my biggest passions and biggest weaknesses. I am a self-proclaimed book addict and can’t ever pass up a good book recommendation. Children’s books are no different. Our shelves at home are lined with picture books containing incredible stories, silly rhymes, and beautiful images. I especially love to find books that not only captivate my children visually but teach us something about life, nature and our planet. Today, I’ve put together a giant comprehensive list of more than 80 gorgeous educational nature books for kids. These nature-inspired children’s books are sure to teach your children about the world around them and become some of your child’s favorite resources for years to come.

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Best educational children’s books about nature & our planet

This list of the best educational nature books for kids has been in the works for a long time! It’s taken me months to put together a list of mostly non-fiction nature-inspired books that will teach your child about the beautiful world around them in a fun way that doesn’t feel like learning. From learning about the tiny microbes in your home to the giant whales in the ocean, we’ve included books about all kinds of aspects of our planet and nature. We’ve included animal fact books, nature poetry, children’s atlases and encyclopedias. From bees to birds, bugs to bark, we’ve got something for everyone! Exploring a book with a child is one of the best ways to spend time together, inside or out! We hope you’ll use this list to encourage your child to love and appreciate our planet and its animals in a whole new way.

Save this list!

Don’t forget that books make GREAT gifts! If you’re looking for a way to cut down on the amount of cheap plastic and toys you give/get this upcoming holiday season, consider investing in some of these amazing books instead. They’ll serve your children well for years and can be passed down to the next generation or donated to a library/charity. Consider gifting a few of these to the special kids in your life to add to their shelves. Feel free to pass this list of educational nature books to grandparents and family members when they ask you what your children want for the next holiday or birthday.

We’ve even made it easy for you to save and share – here’s a free printable PDF of the books for you to pass on to friends and family members, save for future reference, or print out and take it to your local library or bookstore.

1. Atlas of Ocean Adventures: A Collection of Natural Wonders, Marine Marvels and Undersea Antics from Across the Globe by Emily Hawkins
2. What Do They Do with All That Poo? by Jane Kurtz
3. Everything & Everywhere: A Fact-Filled Adventure for Curious Globe-Trotters by Marc Martin
4. Wild World by Angela McAllister
5. Nature’s Day: Discover the world of wonder on your doorstep by Kay Maguire
6. How to Be a Good Creature: A Memoir in Thirteen Animals by Sy Montgomery
7. Over and Under the Pond by Kate Messner
8. Tiny Creatures: The World of Microbes by Nicola Davies

9. Children’s Illustrated Animal Atlas by DK
10. A Nest Is Noisy by Dianna Hutts Aston
11. Bees: A Honeyed History by Piotr Socha
12. Follow the Moon Home: A Tale of One Idea, Twenty Kids, and a Hundred Sea Turtles by Philippe Cousteau
13. Trees, Leaves & Bark (Take Along Guides) by Diane Burns
14. National Parks of the USA by Kate Siber
15. How to Survive as a Shark by Kristen Foote
16. 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 by Tristan Gooley

17. The Animal Book: A Collection of the Fastest, Fiercest, Toughest, Cleverest, Shyest―and Most Surprising―Animals on Earth by Steve Jenkins
18. Octopus Escapes Again! by Laurie Ellen Angus
19. When the Whales Walked: And Other Incredible Evolutionary Journeys by Dougal Dixon
20. A Rock Is Lively by Dianna Hutts Aston
21. The Big Book of Beasts by Yuval Zommer
22. Water Is Water: A Book About the Water Cycle by Miranda Paul
23. Up in the Garden and Down in the Dirt by Kate Messner
24. Cuddly Critters for Little Geniuses (Big Words for Little Geniuses) by Susan Patterson

25. Farm Anatomy: The Curious Parts and Pieces of Country Life by Julia Rothman
26. Owls: Our Most Charming Bird by Matt Sewell
27. The Big Book of Birds by Yuval Zommer
28. Redwoods by Jason Chin
29. The Story of Snow: The Science of Winter’s Wonder by Mark Cassino
30. Trees: A Rooted History by Piotr Socha
31. The Honeybee by Kirsten Hall
32. This Phenomenal Life: The Amazing Ways We Are Connected with Our Universe by Misha Blaise

33. The Big Book of Bugs by Yuval Zommer
34. A Tree for All Seasons (Rise and Shine) by Robin Bernard
35. Animals of a Bygone Era by Maja Säfström
36. Over and Under the Snow by Kate Messner
37. D’Aulaires’ Book of Animals by Ingri d’Aulaire
38. Atlas of Adventures: A collection of natural wonders, exciting experiences and fun festivities from the four corners of the globe by Rachel Williams
39. A Year of Nature Poems by by Joseph Coelho
40. Who Eats What?: Food Chains and Food Webs by Patricia Lauber

41. The Magic and Mystery of Trees by Jen Green
42. A Seed Is Sleepy by Dianna Aston
43. How Mountains Are Made by Kathleen Weidner Zoehfeld
44. Botanicum: Welcome to the Museum by Kathy Willis
45. Song of the Wild: A First Book of Animals by Nicola Davies
46. Bird Builds a Nest: A First Science Storybook by Martin Jenkins
47. The Wonders of Nature by Ben Hoare
48. The Illustrated Compendium of Amazing Animal Facts by Maja Säfström

49. Many: The Diversity of Life on Earth by Nicola Davies
50. Earth Verse: Haiku from the Ground Up by Sally M. Walker
51. Island: A Story of the Galápagos by Jason Chin
52. The Wondrous Workings of Planet Earth: Understanding Our World and Its Ecosystems by Rachel Ignotofsky
53. A Butterfly Is Patient by Dianna Aston
54. Food Anatomy: The Curious Parts & Pieces of Our Edible World by Julia Rothman
55. The Bee Book by Charlotte Milner
56. The Animal Book: A Visual Encyclopedia of Life on Earth by DK

57. Animalium: Welcome to the Museum by Jenny Broom
58. An Anthology of Intriguing Animals by DK
59. In the Past: From Trilobites to Dinosaurs to Mammoths in More Than 500 Million Years by David Elliott
60. Outside Your Window: A First Book of Nature by Nicola Davies
61. A World Full of Animal Stories US: 50 favorite animal folk tales, myths and legends by Angela McAllister
62. The Big Book of the Blue by Yuval Zommer
63. Nature All Around: Bugs by Pamela Hickman
64. Curious Kids Nature Guide: Explore the Amazing Outdoors of the Pacific Northwest by Fiona Cohen

65. Caterpillars, Bugs and Butterflies (Take Along Guides) by Mel Boring
66. Flying Frogs and Walking Fish: Leaping Lemurs, Tumbling Toads, Jet-Propelled Jellyfish, and More Surprising Ways That Animals Move by Steve Jenkins
67. Animals by the Numbers: A Book of Infographics by Steve Jenkins
68. Nature All Around: Trees by Pamela Hickman
69. A Beetle Is Shy by Dianna Hutts Aston
70. Atlas of Animal Adventures: A collection of nature’s most unmissable events, epic migrations and extraordinary behaviours by Rachel Williams
71. The Tree Book for Kids and Their Grown-Ups by Gina Ingoglia
72. Does It Fart?: The Definitive Field Guide to Animal Flatulence by Nick Caruso

73. Lots by Marc Martin
74. Amazing Facts About Baby Animals by Maja Säfström
75. The Variety of Life by Nicola Davies
76. Nature Anatomy: The Curious Parts and Pieces of the Natural World by Julia Rothman
77. Fish Tricks: The Wild and Wacky World of Fish by Haude Levesque
78. An Egg Is Quiet by Dianna Hutts Aston
79. Strange Trees: And the Stories Behind Them by Bernadette Pourquie
80. The Life and Times of the Honeybee by Charles Micucci

81. Birds, Nests & Eggs (Take Along Guides) by Mel Boring
82. Caterpillar and Bean: A First Science Storybook by Martin Jenkins
83. The Butterfly House by Katy Flint
84. Sing a Song of Seasons: A Nature Poem for Each Day of the Year by Nosy Crow
85.  Feathers: Not Just for Flying by Melissa Stewart
86. The Wonder Garden by Jenny Broom
87. A Drop Around the World by Barbara McKinney
88. A Log’s Life by Wendy Pfeffer

What’s your favorite educational nature books for kids?

For more children’s nature book recommendations, check out all our Nature Books posts.