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Books to Read When...You Want Informational Nature Books

I love spending time in nature. As I have gotten older, I also appreciate learning more about the intricacies of animals and their habitats, as well as the science behind things I encounter in nature. I am often in the mood for an informational book to encourage me and support my efforts to learn more about the world. I found each of these books appealing, and hope you will check one or more of them out.

Written by Sheila Kanani
Illustrated by Liz Kay
New York, New York : Penguin Workshop, 2025. Informational. 

I find that when books combine amazing questions and incorporate vibrant colors, that is a great way to get children to feel fully invested in a book. This book does both of those things in a fabulous way. I love the questions posed in this book! I appreciate that color is described in ways kids may not have considered before. Rather than an artistic standpoint, which kids are likely more familiar with, this informational books presents scientific reasoning for all the colors of the rainbow. This book is the longest on my list, but the text is presented in a way that is accommodating even for more reluctant readers. If you have a curious child in your life, this book will definitely get them thinking, and hopefully asking their own questions.

Written by Rebecca Hirsch
Illustrated by Sally Han
New York : Abrams Books for Young Readers, 2025. Informational.

As a child I often wished that I had wings so I could fly high up in the air. Which is ironic to me now, because flying on an airplane is not a relaxing experience for me. That being said, this book is a fun one to read to children who are interested in wings like I was. I love how the description of each object is written in a lovely lyrical way, inviting the reader to guess what is being described. The reader will find themself needing to turn the page to get the official answer, which may lead to lots of children making their prediction out loud.

Written by Kira Vermond
Illustrated by June Steube
Toronto, ON : Owlkids Books, 2025. Informational.

Bees are so important to human life and this book does an incredible job highlighting that fact, as well as including some lesser-known facts about bees. While providing very thorough explanations, the author and illustrator did a great job keeping the book interesting and engaging. If you enjoy a good pun, there are plenty to be found in this book. 

Written by Jan Beccaloni
Illustrated by Namasri Niumim
New York, NY ; London : Thames and Hudson Inc., 2025. Informational. 

Spiders terrify me and they always have. Even seeing a spiderweb tends to make me a little scared. That being said, this book is amazing! I was reluctant to read it, and didn't think I would like it, but found myself truly enjoying it. The artwork is amazing, and I learned some interesting facts. I am still scared of spiders, but this book helped me try to appreciate them.

Written by Sy Montgomery
Illustrated by Matt Patterson
New York, NY : Clarion Books, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers, 2025.

The cover of this book captivated my attention completely. I could feel the turtle creeping slowly in the water, inching closer and closer to the gorgeous leaf, while clawing the pebbles below. Sometimes I enjoy a cover so much that I just take a moment to sit and ponder what might be included in the book. I loved this true story of the turtle that inspired conservationists to go above and beyond their basic work descriptions. The teamwork required to help the turtle was a reminder of the good that can be accomplished when people combine their efforts for the greater good.

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