Children’s Books to Inspire Collecting & Playing with Natural Materials
Compiled by April Zajko, M.Ed.
No book list is ever complete but here is a start. I’d love to hear about books that you like to read aloud to children to inspire nature play!
Collections:
Collections by Margaret Ballinger and Rachel Gosset
Hannah’s Collections by Marthe Jocelyn
Look What I Found! By Deborah Schecter (Level A Reader)
Small Treasures by Akimi Gibson
Snowballs by Lois Ehlert (collection of good snowman making things)
When This Box is Full by Patricia Lillie
Nature:
A Stick is an Excellent Thing: Poems Celebrating Outdoor Play by LeUyen Pham
Bees, Snails, & Peacock Tails by Betsy Franco & Steve Jenkins
Discovering Nature’s Alphabet by Krystina Castella and Brian Boyl
No One But You by Douglas Wood
One Little Balsam Fir: A Northwoods Counting Book by Lesley A. DuTemple
Stranger in the Woods by Carl R. Sams II
Rocks:
A Rock is Lively by Dianna Hutts Aston
Everybody Needs a Rock by Byrd Baylor
If Rocks Could Sing: A Discovered Alphabet
If You Find a Rock by Peggy Christian
Let’s Go Rock Collecting by Roma Gans
Stone Soup by Jess Stockham
Rocks, Fossils, & Arrowheads (Take Along Guides) by Laura Evert
Roxaboxen by Alice McLerran
Sticks, & Bark:
The Alphabet Tree by Leo Lionni
Not a Stick by Antoinette Portis
Stick Man by Julia Donaldson
Stick and Stone by Beth Ferry and Tom Lichtenheld
Trees, Leaves, & Bark (Take Along Guides) by Diane Burns
Clay:
When Clay Sings by Byrd Baylor
Clay Boy by Mirra Ginsburg
Leaves:
Leaf Jumpers by Carole Gerber
Leaf Man – Lois Ehlert
Leaves by Violet Findley
Leaves on the Trees by Thom Wiley
Leaves! Leaves! Leaves! By M & G. Berger
Look What I Did with a Leaf! By Morteza E. Sohi
Make a Leaf Rubbing by M. Ballinger,Gosset
The Leaves are Falling One by One by Metzger
We’re Going on a Leaf Hunt by S. Metzger
When the Leaf Blew In by Steve Metzger
Why Do Leaves Change Color? By Betsy Maestro
Acorns & Squirrels
Acorns Everywhere! by Kevin Sherry
Busy Squirrels by Melvin and Gilda Berger
Chipmunk at Hollow Tree Lane by Victoria Sherrow
Earl the Squirrel by Dan Freeman
Just One! by Sam McBratney
Nuts to You! by Lois Ehlert
Scaredy Squirrel by Melanie Watt
Squirrels by Brian Wildsmith
The Busy Little Squirrel by Nancy Tafuri (board book)
The Secret Life of Squirrels by Nancy Rose
Those Darn Squirrels! by Adam Rubin
Pinecones:
Evergreens are Green by Susan Canizares
The Pinecone Walk by Barbara Springfield
Night Tree by Eve Bunting
Sand suggestions?
Tree Study
A Tree Can Be…. By J. Nayer
A Tree for All Seasons by R. Bernard
Acorn to Oak Tree by Camilla de la Bedoyere
Are Trees Alive? By Debbie Miller
Be a Friend to Trees by P. Lauber
Evergreens are Green by Susan Canizeres
Eyewitness Books: Trees by David Burnie
FANDEX Family Field Guides: TREES by Steven M.L. Aronson
Look at a Tree by E. Curran
Look at the is Tree by Susan Canizeres
Now I Know: Trees by Sharon Gordon
Red Leaf, Yellow Leaf – Lois Ehlert
Redwoods by Jason Chin
The Tallest Tree by Robert Lieber (board book)
The Tree by Brian and Jillian Cutting
Treats from a Tree by Susan Canizeres
Tell Me, Tree: All About Trees for Kids by Gail Gibbons
Leaves! Leaves! Leaves! By N. Wallace (all 4 seasons)
Trees: A Poem by Harry Behn
Tap the Magic Tree by Christie Matheson
Who Will Plant a Tree? By Jerry Pallotta
Who Lives in a Tree? By Susan Canizares
Trees by B. Lessor
Shells:
What Lives in a Shell? By Kathleen Weidner Zoehfelf
Seashells, Crabs, and Sea Stars (Take Along Guide) by C.K.Tibbitts
Seashells by the Seashore by Marianne Berkes
Books to Inspire the Grown Ups:
Beautiful Stuff! Learning with Found Materials by Cathy Weisman Topal and Lella Gandini
The Stick Book: Loads of Things You Can Make or Do with a Stick by Jo Schofield & Fiona Dank
Nature’s Playground by Fiona Danks and Jo Schofield
Play the Forest School Way: Woodland Games by Peter Houghton & Jane Worroll
Messy Maths by Juliet Robertson
Dirty Teaching by Juliet Robertson
Clay: The History and Evolution of Humankind’s Relationship with Earth’s Most Primal Element by Suzanne Staubach (reference for adult readers)
April's Teaching Tree 