Children's Books About Habitats

An interest in animals and their habitats comes naturally to many kids, particularly young children. Build on this interest by helping them enjoy stories and nonfiction books on the subject. From simple picture books for the very young to chapter books and science studies for older children, kids have plenty to choose from to explore the habitats of nature's denizens.

  1. Read to Me

    • Pre-readers might not fully grasp the concept of ecosystems, but you can begin to introduce the idea with Robert Baldwin's "This Is the Sea that Feeds Us." This simple story describes various items in the ocean and how they are interrelated. "The Rainforest Grew All Around" by Susan Mitchell offers a wealth of options for parents or teachers to use with their youngsters. The story can be sung to a familiar childhood tune, it is accompanied by informative notes that provide more details about elements of the book and there are rainforest-themed games and activities included.

    Early Readers

    • The Let's Read and Find Out Science series of books for children includes easy-to-read, well-illustrated books by various authors about animals and their habitats. "What's It Like to Be a Fish?" by Wendy Pfeffer teaches young readers about life through the eyes of a pet goldfish, including information about why fish have gills and scales and what the best habitat is for these shiny swimmers. Other books in the series include "Ant Cities" by Arthur Dorros, which teaches children about how ants live and work in their communities, and "Who Eats What" by Patricia Lauber, which introduces the idea of the food chain by teaching kids about what different ocean denizens eat.

    Nature Adventures

    • The Magic Tree House books by Mary Pope Osborne brilliantly convey to young readers information about animals and their natural habitats in the guise of exciting, suspenseful chapter books about kids venturing out from their home in a tree house. "Afternoon on the Amazon" describes the kids' adventures in the rainforest while "Lions at Lunchtime" takes them on an adventure in the African savannah where they learn about indigenous lions, wildebeests, birds and insects. Kids can learn about Antarctica, the habitat of a variety of penguin species, in "Eve of the Emperor Penguin." The series also includes "Fact Trackers," bonus books filled with facts and information about the subjects covered in the adventures.

    Science Explorers

    • Grade school readers can learn more about animal habitats in Joanna Cole's The Magic School Bus series. Covering a wide range of scientific topics, these offbeat stories feature the quirky science teacher Ms. Frizzle, who takes her students in a magic school bus to explore real-life science. One book in particular, "The Magic School Bus Hops Home," follows the travels of one student's pet bullfrog as the students learn what a habitat is, what habitats provide their inhabitants and specific details about the bullfrog's life in the pond. The book also offers ideas about hands-on activities kids can do to learn more about habitats, including setting up a habitat for earthworms.

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