There are so many incredible titles to share with young readers! This is a small selection of books that would suit class libraries and reading corners.
Invisible Nature, A Secret World Beyond Our Senses by Catherine Barr and Anne Wilson, Published by Otter-Barry
Microwaves, infrared, ultraviolet- these terms and more are compared between the uses we make of them to those that animals and the natural world use. Did you know that reindeer can see their food due to the lichen glowing in UV? Did you know that the duck-billed platypus has electric sensors along its bill that help it find food? This book is an absolute mine field of facts and fascinations. The glorious illustrations highlight the use of each sense in the natural world and make it simple for young readers to understand. Short bursts of text are separated from each other to allow readers the chance to scan the page and study the illustrations alongside their reading. A great book for learning about ways humans have adapted the natural world and learned from it to benefit the human race. Readers will love learning more about the survival of animals relying upon senses we don’t even have!
Book of Dinosaurs, 10 Record-Breaking Prehistoric Animals by Gabrielle Balkan and Sam Brewster, Published by Phaidon
This informative book acts as a guess who game for readers. There are 10 record breaking dinosaurs featured in the book and readers are given clues and facts to read before discovering whether they guessed the correct dinosaur. While some are very well known and familiar, there were a few new creatures for me to learn about. Young dinosaur experts and would be palaeontologists will discover some brilliant information about pre-historic creatures and the glossary will help them sound like an expert. This large volume is different to other dinosaur books and I know young readers will appreciate the style, game and fun this book offers. The illustrations are brilliant, from the skeletons to the creatures and their habitats, all done with care and detail.
Look to the Skies by Hannah Tolson and Nicola Edwards, Published by Little Tiger
The migration of the monarch butterfly is beautifully and creatively brought to life in this delightful book. Told in wonderfully rhyming couplets and accompanied by peek through pages and colourful illustrations, this is a book to return to time and again. Using the earth’s magnetic fields, generations of monarch butterfly migrate for warmer weather. Their journey is a long one but they remind readers to look up and celebrate the wondrous journey these butterfly endure year after year. The joy of this book will be felt by readers of all ages as they look to the skies to see thousands of orange and black butterflies flying past.
Everything you know about MiniBeasts is Wrong by Dr. Nick Crumpton and Gavin Scott, Published by Nosy Crow
The minibeast shelf in the library is often raided by young explorers wanting to learn more about the smallest inhabitants of the planet. Whether to scare a friend or family member, understand how they survive or to discover something new, there are plenty of books out there. This bright and bold book will challenge your preconceptions and knowledge, and set you on the true path of understanding. Every brilliantly designed double page spread will take one myth about bugs and insects and dispel it with proper science and evidence. Did you know that not all insects are ugly or that no centipede in the world has 100 legs? This will be immensely popular in the library!
The Sea Below my Toes by Charlotte Guillain and Jo Empson, Published by Quarto
This is likely the longest pull out book I have ever encountered. Colourful, bright and informative, this book provides endless entertainment and reading for all ages. Starting with the sunlight zone and dipping toes into the waters on the shore and heading deep into the depths of Abyssal Zone and trenches. As you travel deeper, you will find yourself face to face with some incredible sea creatures and facts about oceans and all that can survive within them. It is a widely known fact that we have still so much to learn about our oceans and their creatures. This book will certainly help young readers see why. Double backed and full of unbelievable illustrations, this is just a delight. Open it up and see what you will discover!
All Aboard the London Bus by Patricia Toht and Sam Usher, Published by Quarto
This is an exciting tour of London via brilliant illustrations and poetry. A wonderful collaboration between language and drawings, young readers will learn more about this vibrant city as they turn each page. Imagine hopping on a bright red double decker bus and seeing all the sights of London before you. This would make an ideal gift for a young explorer heading into see the sights for the very first time, or a super book for a class of children to remind them how wonderful, vibrant and exciting London can be. The illustrations by Sam Usher are detailed, colourful and capture the essence of this great city. For those new to London, there is a handy guide at the back to share some information and history about the sights in the book.
What do you see when you look at a tree? By Emma Carlisle, Published by Big Picture Press
A gorgeous ode to nature and trees, this book has a poetic feel while you are reading and it feels rhythmic and mesmerising. The wondrous illustrations are natural and thoughtful, allowing the reader to slow down and take notice of their surroundings. The questions posed in this text will encourage conversations about mindfulness and empathy. Imagine sitting under the shade of a tree while pondering life’s questions and you will understand this book. Encouraging readers to take notice of their surroundings, listen to the world around them and find pleasures in the joys of nature. There are some handy tips of what we can learn from trees that will encourage calm, quiet and meaningful thought.
I am a primary school teacher, turned librarian. Now I have the title Reading Advocate for ASSET Education Trust, based in Suffolk.
I read constantly and have more books than bookshelves, but I wouldn't have it any other way.
I celebrate reading every day at work and at home with my two children, aged 11 and 9.
I sit on the National Executive Committee for the Federation of Children’s Book Groups and run an OU/UKLA Teachers as Readers group!
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