Curated Children's Books to Read

We miss seeing you at the museum to explore our connections with nature in person. One of our favorite sources of inspiration as we create programs are well-written and illustrated children’s books. They contain a wealth of information presented in appealing and approachable ways. We always learn something new from a good book and hope that you do too as you share these resources with children.

Each book has a recommended age range. If the people in the books are racially diverse, we have noted that with a d (but most of the books do not have any humans in them). We will post book recommendations periodically. If you’d like a recommendation on a particular topic, please ask at museumed@colorado.edu.

Featured Books

The Very Quiet Cricket

The Very Quiet Cricket

Written and illustrated by Eric Carle

For the youngest learners, this board book introduces a cricket that makes no sound... until the end, where the cricket’s chirp is recorded and played. 1-3 years old.

Buzzing With Questions

Buzzing with Questions: The Inquisitive Mind of Charles Henry Turner d

Written by Janice N. Harrington and illustrated by Theodore Taylor III

Once you start encouraging active listening for insect sounds, your child may be buzzing with questions, just like the young Charles Henry Turner. This book relates the true story of one of the first black entomologists, the questions he asked about insects, and the processes he used to find the answers. 7-10 years old.

Noisy Bug Sing-Along

Noisy Bug Sing-Along

Written and illustrated by John Himmelman

This book encourages kids to replicate bug sounds with fun onomatopoeia representations of insect noises. A link to audio files and activities is in the back of the book. 4-9 years old.

Sounds All Around

Sounds All Around: The Science of How Sound Works d

Written by Susan Hughes and illustrated by Ellen Rooney
 

We hear insects–but how do they make those noises which reach our ears and get translated into the chirping, buzzing, whirring, and clicking sounds we recognize? This book shares how sounds are made, how they travel, and gives words to describe the sounds your kids hear around them. 5-8 years old.

Joyful Noise

Joyful Noise: Poems for Two Voices

Written by Paul Fleischman and illustrated by Eric Beddows
 

A collection of poems to read aloud with a partner. Each poem creates the rhythm and movement of an insect and its noises.

 

Books about gardening

Pick, Pull, Snap! Where Once a Flower Bloomed
Written by Lola M Schaefer, illustrated by Lindsay George
Explore through the seasons how fruits and vegetables begin as flowers. Lift flaps to join a diverse cast of young gardeners as they discover the fruits of their garden work. 4–10 years old

Up in the Garden and Down in the Dirt
Written by Kate Messner, illustrated by Christopher Silas Neal
It’s all green up in the garden, but there is a busy world down in the dirt that is explored by a young girl and her grandmother in this book. 4–8 years old

Compost Stew: An A to Z Recipe for the Earthd
Written by Mary McKenna Siddals, illustrated by Ashley Wolff
Be an ‘environmental chef’ after reading this charming story with collage illustrations. 2–6 years old.

Wiggling Worms at Work
Written by Wendy Pfeffer, illustrated by Steve Jenkins
Another informative book illustrated by one of our favorite Boulder children’s book authors. 4–8 years old.

Face to Face with Caterpillars
Written by Darlyne A. Murawski
Spend enough time in the garden and you are bound to find yourself face to face with a moth or butterfly that is in its caterpillar stage of life. This book has lots of great photos. 3–10 years old.

Books about eggs

Written by Marilyn Singer and Illustrated by Emma Stevenson
The words and illustrations convey the wonder of eggs—containers in which a developing creature breathes, is nourished, and grows—from a multitude of creatures. Ages 6-10
 
Fun pictures and a conversational style tell stories of the diversity of bird eggs and nests—from nests as big as cars, to eggs smaller than a dime. Gives details on how the birds location and lifestyle influence its nesting materials, shape and size. Ages 5-9
 
Written by Jennifer Ward and Illustrated by Steve Jenkins
Excellent science, accurate colorful collage illustrations, and playful poetry. Ages 4-8
 
By Laura Vaccaro Seeger
Brightly colored, simple illustrations and minimal text on die-cut pages. Covers basic concepts of time, opposites, and colors, along with the transformations of animal bodies. Ages 2-6
 

Books on topics related to CU Museum online exhibits

Antarctica
Written and illustrated by Helen Cowcher
Bright, delightful images of penguins and seals. 5–8 yrs.

Bats: Swift Shadows in the Twilight
Written by Ann Cooper, illustrated by Marjorie Leggett (both local to Boulder)
Stories, folklore, and activities. 8–12yrs

Hide and Snake
Written and illustrated by Keith Baker.
Colorful shapes and snakes. 4–8yrs

Some lovely books on topics underrepresented in children’s books

Carnivorous Plants Guide for Young Explorers
Written by Elena Fin, illustrated by Rossella Trionfetti
Bright and fun tales of plants in the wild and to raise at home. 8 yrs and up

The Dead Bird d
Written by Margret Wise Brown, illustrated by Christian Robinson
We are often asked about the dead animals in the museum. This book provides a gentle engagement with the concept for young children. 4–8 yrs

Tiny Creatures: The World of Microbes
Written by Nicola Davies, illustrated by Emily Sutton
“…the tiniest lives doing some of the biggest jobs”—a concept children can easily relate to! 5–8 yrs

Books that explore evolution

Dinosaurs Roar, Butterflies Soar
Written and illustrated by Bob Barner
Bright and colorful images with simple text for younger, and more complex explanations for older, children. 2-8 years old
 
Ubiquitous: Celebrating Nature’s Survivors
Written by Joyce Sidman, illustrated by Beckie Prange
Beautifully illustrated poems about survival—don’t we all need that now? 6-12 years old
 
Cells: An Owner's Handbook
Written and illustrated by Carolyn Fisher
Bright, clear pictures and funny text to explain basic science concepts. 4-8 years old
 
Billions of Years, Amazing Changes
Written by Laurence Pringle, illustrated by Steve Jenkins
An amazing amount of information packaged in an approachable and fun way. 8-12 years old
 
Written by Jerry Pallotta, illustrated by Ralph Masiello
Both a scientific and silly introduction to animals beyond dinosaurs. 4-8 years old
 
When Fish Got Feet, Sharks Got Teeth, and Bug Began to Swarm
Written and illustrated by Hannah Bonner
“Delicious blend of fact and foolery”. There are four books in this series—we highly recommend all of them. 7 years and up