Nature study is one of things I adored when my children were younger. As soon as the weather broke here in NY we would be outside with notebooks, nature books, cameras, binoculars, magnifying glasses, and more! We enjoyed exploring nature trails, and gardening in our yard, drawing birds and flowers and creating nature poetry. As the years rolled on, our collection of nature books grew.
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This collection of nature books I’m sharing with you not only includes many of our favorites, but many favorites of other Curriculum Choice Authors, as well as suggestions from our sister site – Homeschool Nature Study.
Favorite Nature Book Reviews For Your Homeschool
1. The Handbook of Nature Study
The Handbook of Nature Study was originally written by Anna Botsford Comstock in 1911 for those elementary school teachers who knew little of common plants and animals, and even less about the earth beneath their feet and the skies overhead! It was revised in 1939 by a group of naturalists.
In 2020 it was updated to include full color images, as well as to break the 900+ page book down into 7 smaller volumes.
This handbook is a comprehensive guide that can be used as the basis for all your nature study adventures. Our sister site, Homeschool Nature Study has everything you need to bring The Handbook of Nature Study to Life!
2. Julia Rothman Collection
Can I just say that as an adult, I fell in love with these books! The illustrations are beautiful! You can see a full review of the books themselves here: Food, Farm & Nature Anatomy – Books for Exploring Our World Review.
Beyond that there are now notebooks to accompany the Julia Rothman nature books.
This series is perfect for the creative student who gets bored with science textbooks and would prefer to draw, label, and answer open-ended questions rather than take tests and write papers.
->> Click Here to Find Out More About the Nature Notebooks for the Julia Rothman Collection <<-
There is no prep-work involved – you simply grab your copy of the book and your notebooking journal and work at your own pace.
3. Take Along Nature Guides
Children ages 5-10 will enjoy the hands on, inquiry-oriented activities and helpful species identifications found in Take Along Nature Guide series. Each guide is beautifully illustrated and well organized. There are 12 different guides to choose from:
- Berries, Nuts and Seeds
- Birds, Nests and Eggs
- Caterpillars, Bugs and Butterflies
- Frogs, Toads and Turtles
- Planets, Moons and Stars
- Rabbits, Squirrels and Chipmunks
- Rocks, Fossils and Arrowheads
- Seashells, Crabs and Sea Stars
- Snakes, Salamanders and Lizards
- Tracks, Scats and Signs
- Trees, Leaves and Bark
- Wildflowers, Blooms and Blossoms
4. Exploring Nature with Children
Exploring Nature with Children is a complete, year-long curriculum designed to guide you, step by step, through an entire calendar year of nature study. Completely self-contained, this book has all the information you need to make nature study happen regularly for your family.
Exploring Nature With Children contains:
- An entire chapter devoted to getting you up and running with nature study.
- Forty-eight weeks of themed and guided nature study; four weeks for each month of the year, organized by season. Exploring Nature With Children can be used as a whole year’s study, or dipped in and out of as you please.
->> Find Out More About Exploring Nature With Children Here <<-
There is also a Exploring Nature with Children Companion Journal you can purchase. The journal is divided into seasons and months, with each month having four weeks of guided journaling for your child, directly following the Exploring Nature With Children Curriculum. There are journaling pages for 48 weeks of guided nature study.
Check out some of the Exploring Nature with Children Reviews here at TCC:
- Exploring Nature With Children Review
- Another Exploring Nature with Children Review
- A Third Exploring Nature with Children Review
5. One Small Square Books – Illustrated Nature Series
The One Small Square books by Donald Silver uses the space of a three-dimensional square to explore the Earth’s habitats.
Each book contains around forty pages of focused information about a particular habitat, along with delightful illustrations and activity suggestions.
The books provide the reader with complete descriptions of each area, including plants, animals, and other pertinent tidbits. Attention is given to the seasons and changes that occur in the space as the year passes.
Other topics are explained as they naturally arise: African Savanna discusses drought, Backyard covers decomposition and life cycles, and Pond talks about microscopic creatures.
Books in the series include:
- Backyard
- Seashore
- Woods
- Cactus Desert
- Arctic Tundra
- Pond
- Tropical Rain Forest
- African Savanna
- Coral Reef
- Cave
- Swamp
- The Night Sky
6. Pocketful of Pinecones
Pocketful of Pinecones is basically a teachers ‘how-to’ guide to implementing nature study Charlotte Mason style. It has been written as a heartwarming story which draws the reader right into the daily lives and happenings of the characters. Every time I read this book (and I have done so many times and will more than likely do so again), I have been completely inspired within my own homeschool.
Woven into the story are:
- More than 200 examples of what to look for on a nature walk,
- Latin names for the living things observed by the characters,
- Study questions,
- Nature poems and verses.
More Nature Study Books
- The Curious Nature Guide – If you are struggling with getting started with nature study, or perhaps your nature studies have stalled and you are needing a fresh start then this book is a lovely gentle introduction – or reintroduction – to getting outside and exploring. Read the full review by Shirley Ann here: The Curious Nature Guide Review
- Spiral Bound Nature Notebook – Jenny Phillips produces The Good and the Beautiful Homeschool Curriculum which includes this Spiral Bound Nature Notebook.
- Keeping a Nature Journal by Clare Walker Leslie. “I love how the book makes logical sense and that she starts with the very basics of beginning a nature journal. She includes a sampling of journaling styles which I find very helpful, especially as an amateur nature journalist; I am not so intimidated by seeing the very different and unique styles there are of nature journals.” Read the full review by Meredith Henning here: Keeping a Nature Journal
- Take Along Nature Guides – They are available in almost any subject you can think of (Birds, Nests, and Eggs; Berries, Nuts and Seeds; Caterpillars, Bugs and Butterflies; Frogs, Toads, and Turtles & more!) Read the full review by Brenda here: Take Along Nature Guides
- Peterson Field Guides – These compact field guides are beautifully illustrated and feature many of the birds (and there are books for tons of other animals too) you can find right outside your own window. They are enjoyable to page through and you will find yourself sharing these books over and over with your family. Read the full review by Barb here: Peterson Field Guides for Young Naturalists
Homeschool Nature Study Book Suggestions from our Sister Site – Homeschool Nature Study
- A Summer Nature Themed Book List – Over the years, our family has built a nature themed library of our favorite and most useful resources. There are picture books featuring the natural world, fiction with a nature theme, and non-fiction reference and activity filled books. Even now with my children all grown and on their own, I use this nature library for my own benefit and enjoyment.
- North American Wildlife – One of my all-time favorite books for nature study. This colorful edition will keep the interest of children of all ages.
- Tracks, Scats, and Signs – This is a book for learning about signs of mammals. It is perfect for a winter mammal study! Look for printables available to Member’s in the Library.
- Backyard Birds – This book is the basis for a whole series of bird nature study ideas. It’s a great beginner’s book on birds. Please note it is used extensively in the Learning About Birds ebook available to Homeschool Nature Members.
- One Small Square: Seashore – Are you getting ready for a trip to the beach? This book will give you plenty of nature study observation ideas to try. I also highly recommend this whole series of One Small Square books for your nature library.
- Pond Life (Golden Series) – We have used this book extensively in our own family’s pond studies. I hope you look for it at your library and enjoy its awesome illustrations and information. Members can download a pond habitat printable set from the Homeschool Nature Study Member’s Library.
- America’s Prairies and Grasslands – This beautiful book is one in a series that I highly recommend. Homeschool Nature Study Members can download a prairie habitat printable set from the Member’s Library.
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