Suggested Children S Literature for PLT Prek-8 Activities

Bold = available either at BN or at the Morris County (NJ) or Arlington County (VA) Library systems. Found bn = Available for sale at Barnes & Noble (BN) online. Found library = not for sale at BN online but located at the Morris County or Arlington County Library systems. Unavailable = not for sale at BN online and not found at Morris County or Arlington Library systems. Couldn’t find = not recognized at BN or library or not enough info. MN EC= Minnesota PLT Early Chilhood Activity Guide. WI EC = Wisconsin PLT Early Childhood Supplement. Kay West = from Kay Antunez. NH = also from original list put together by Beth. Wyoming/West = from Cheryl Selby. NC List = http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/nreos/forest/plt/pdf/PLT_Bibliography.pdf

Suggested Children’s Literature for PLT PreK-8 Activities

Prepared by Beth Lesure (& others as noted), NH Project Learning Tree

February 2004 (added to through 2005)

1. The Shape of Things

· Animal Watch. Newbridge.

How can we learn more about animals? By studying them up close where they live! Whether scientists are tracking tigers in the jungle, searching for insects in the rain forest, or observing pigeons in a park, they're always making new discoveries. Grades 2-4. couldn’t find

· Carle, Eric. The Tiny Seed. Scholastic. 1987.

In the autumn, a strong wind blows flower seeds high in the air and carries them far across the land. One by one, many of the seeds are lost – burned by the sun, fallen into the ocean, eaten by a bird. But some survive the long winter and, come spring, sprout into plants, facing new dangers – trampled by playing children, picked as a gift for a friend. Soon only the tiniest seed remains, growing into a giant flower, and when autumn returns, sending its own seeds into the wind to start the process over again. Grades PreK-3. ISBN: 0689842449, found bn.

· Berger, Melvin. Animal Senses. Newbridge.

Students will be surprised to learn that the katydid's ears are on its front legs, a snake smells with its tongue, butterflies taste with their feet, and more. Grades 2-4. ISBN: 1567842151. unavailable

· Bouchard, David. Voices from the Wild-- An Animal Sensagoria. Chronicle Books. 1996.

Describes how animals use their senses to survive in the wild. The book is divided into five sections--sight, smell, touch, hearing, taste. Each section features five animals relating, in first person, the special ways the particular sense helps them hunt, avoid predators, and care for their young. Grades 3-5. ISBN: 0811814629 found at library

· Buchanan, Ken and Debby. It Rained on the Desert Today Northland Publishing. 1999.

The book is written from the perspective of a small desert-dwelling girl who can see, smell, hear and sense the coming deluge to her desert home. The sights, sounds, musical contour, and rhythm of the storm are described with poetic imagery. Grades PreK-4. ISBN: 0873587499. unavailable

· Dodds, Dayle Ann. The Shape of Things. Candlewick Press. 1994.

Shapes are everywhere in this energetically illustrated book filled with colorful shapes. Grades PreK-K. ISBN: 1564026981, found bn. WI EC

· Feely, Jenny. Living and Nonliving. Sundance.

Grades PreK-3. ISBN: 0613305604. found bn

· Fisher, Aileen. Animal Houses. Bowmar. 1973.

Discover the Joys of nature observation and exploration through the eyes of a child in one of the many books by Aileen Fisher. A colorful addition to a unit on shapes, through rhyme this book compares the square houses of people with the more rounded dwellings of an assortment of animals. Grades PreK-1 ISBN: 0837208599, found library. WI EC

· Gold, Kari Jenson J. Patterns Everywhere. Newbridge.

This leveled reader explores patterns in nature. ISBN: 1567843069. Grade K. unavailable

· Hammerstrom, Frances. Walk When the Moon is Full. Crossing Press. 1975.

The author describes 13 moonlight walks with her children and the nature observations they made. Grades PreK-3. ISBN: 0912278692. found library

· Hoban, Tana. Shapes, Shapes, Shapes. Greenwillow Books. 1986.

A colorful picture book presenting photographs of familiar objects exhibiting round and angular shapes. Grade PreK. ISBN: 0688147402. Found bn. WI EC

· Hoban, Tana. So Many Circles, So Many Squares. Greenwillow Books. 1998

Tana Hoban is know for her birght, colorful picture books. In this book, circles and squares are discovered everywhere in the natural and man-made world around us. Grades PreK-K. ISBN: 0688151655, found bn. MN EC, WI EC

· Hoban, Tana. Cubes, Cones, Cylinders and Spheres. Greenwillow Books. 2000. Grades K-3. ISBN: 0688153259, found bn. MN EC

· Jeunesse, Gallimard and Pascale de Bourgoing. The Tree. Cartwheel Books. 1992.

Through many brightly covered transparent pages, the young child is introduced to the truly fascinating world of trees. Grades PreK-2. ISBN: 0590452657, found library. MN EC, NH

· Lee, Frances. Looking at Flowers. Sundance.

This leveled reader explores flowers from a child’s point of view. Grade PreK. Couldn’t find

· Leslie, Clare Walker. Nature All Year Long. Greenwillow Books. 1991.

Describes the different plants, animals, and landscapes that can be seen outdoors each month of the year. Grades 2-5. ISBN: 0787293997. found bn

· Levenson, George. The Pumpkin Circle; The Story of A Garden. Tricycle Press, 2002.

A first rate introduction to the growth cycle. Photographer Samuel Thater matches the author’s informative, rhythmic text with pictures that convey a wealth of information. Grades K-2. ISBN: 1582460787, found bn.

· Locker, Thomas. Sky Tree: Seeing Science Through Art. Harper Collins. 1995.

A tree stands on a hill by a river. As the sky changes, so does the tree, its branches filling with clouds, stars, snow, birds, mists, and the golden spring sun. One tree can mean many things. Grades PreK-4. ISBN: 0064437507, found bn

· Lunis, Natalie and Nancy White. Exploring Everyday Wonders. Newbridge.

Sparkling dewdrops…flashing fireflies… a shooting star. Children discover that each of nature’s everyday wonders holds a science secret. Grades 2-3. ISBN: 1582733686 unavailable

· MacKinnon, Debbie. Eye Spy Shapes. Charlesbridge. 2000.

Bright colorful photographs invite the reader to listen to the clues and look through the peepholes to discover five simple shapes: a square, triangle, circle, star, and rectangle. Grades PreK-2. ISBN: 0881061352, found bn. WI EC

· MacMillan, Bruce. Counting Wildflowers. Lothrop Lee and Shepard. 1986.

A counting book with photographs of wildflowers illustrating the numbers one through twenty. Grades PreK- 5. ISBN: 0688140270, found library

· Markle, Sandra. Outside and Inside Trees. Simon and Schuster. 1993.

Discusses various parts of trees and their functions, including the bark, sapwood tubes, roots, and leaves. Grades K-3. ISBN: 0027623130, found library

· Nayer, Judy. My Five Senses: A Lion’s Tale. Sundance.

Adorable illustrations and whimsical, rhyming text teach children that they experience nature through their five senses. Grades K-2. ISBN: 1567840671. unavailable

· Neuschwander, Cindy Wayne Geehan. Sir Cumference and The First Round Table. Charlesbridge Publishing, 1998

“When his knights get together, they sit at such a long table that everyone has to shout to be heard. Can Sir Cumference and Lady Di of Ameter measure up to the challenge of building a better table? The fallen tree provides the perfect answer. Grades K-7. ISBN: 1570911525, found bn.

· Waldrop, Victor (ed). What do Animals See, Hear, Smell and Feel? (Ranger Rick Books.) National Wildlife Federation. 1990.

Explores how animal senses are often superior to those of people. Grades 4-7. ISBN: 0945051247. unavailable

· Robbins, Ken. Autumn Leaves. Scholastic Inc. 1998.

The author invites children to learn about the characteristics of 13 different trees, focusing on the shapes of their leaves. Grades PreK-2 ISBN: 0439149886, found bn. MN EC, WI EC

· Rotner, Shelley and Kreisler, Ken. Nature Spy. Macmillan. 1992.

Photographs portray a young girl as she takes a close up look at nature’s wonders examining an acorn on a branch, the lines on a leaf, and the golden eye of a frog. Grades PreK-1. ISBN: 0027778851, found bn. WI EC

· Sandved, Kjell B. The Butterfly Alphabet. Scholastic. 1996.

A world-renowned nature photographer presents photographs of butterflies from throughout the world, using close-up views of wing designs that look like letters of the alphabet. Grades PreK- 3. ISBN: 0439079470. found bn

· Seuss, Dr. The Shape of Me and Other Stuff. Random House. 1997.

Rhyme and silhouette encourage children to consider the shape of bees, beans, flowers, and big machines. Grade PreK. ISBN: 0679886311, found bn. WI EC

· Sohi, Morteza E. Look What I Did With A Leaf. Scholastic. 1993.

The author gives creative ideas on making animals out of different shaped leaves. Colorful illustrations make it easy for anyone to create a nature critter. A brief field guide to leaves can be found at the back of the book. Grades PreK-K. ISBN: 0802774407, found bn. MN EC, WI EC

· Stynes, Barbara White. Walking with Mama. Dawn. 1997.

What sweet intimacy a mother and child share when walking together in nature! The toddler, way up high in a backpack, can see so very far. It’s bouncy and warm, too. Mother and child not only discover the wonders of nature but also deepen the wonders of love. Grades K-2 ISBN: 1883220572. found library

· Tildes, Phyllis Limbacher. Gifts. Tailwinds. 2001.

Experience the joy and wonder of a young girl as she explores the simple gifts of nature in the world around her. A feather, a blossom, a leaf, or even the fresh smell of spring air . . . whatever the gift may be, our natural world has much to offer. Grades PreK-3. ISBN: 0881069655, found bn

2. Get In Touch With Trees

· Berger, Melvin. Animal Senses. Newbridge.

· Bouchard, David. Voices from the Wild-- An Animal Sensagoria. Chrnoicle Books. 1996.

· Brandenberg, Aliki. My Five Senses. Harper Collins. 1991. Grades PreK-3. ISBN: 006445083X, found bn. MN EC

· Burns, Diane L. Trees, Leaves, and Bark. Northwoods Press. 1998.

Contains brief, introductory information for fifteen American trees, including the lifespan and uses of the wood. A color drawing of the mature tree and a close-up of the leaf help to further identify the tree. Descriptions and illustrations are also given for the seeds and the detail of the bark. There are environmental and safety tips at the bottom of each two-page spread. In clear and simple terms, readers can also learn how to make a bark-rubbing poster, a leaf mobile, and how to grow a tree from seed. Grades 3-6. ISBN: 1559716282. MN EC

· Hammerstrom, Frances. Walk When the Moon is Full. Crossing Press. 1975.

The author describes 13 moonlight walks with her children and the nature observations they made. Grades PreK-3 (Barnes and Noble says Grades 6+). ISBN: 0912278692. found library

· Hoban, Tana. Is it Rough? Is it Smooth? Is It Shiny? Greenwillow Books. 1984.

Color photographs without text introduce objects of many different textures, such as pretzels, foil, hay, mud, kitten, and bubbles. Grade Preschool. ISBN: 0688038239, found bn. MN EC

· La Marche, Jim. A Story for Bear Harcourt, Inc., 2002.

“One sunlit afternoon, a bear discovers a mysterious fragment of paper that leads him to a cabin and to an unlikely friend. Although he can not understand her words, he returns day after day all summer to hear the woman read to him. Each night he carries the sound of her stories = of sailors and goddesses and far-off lands – back to his cave. The stories are from another world, but their sound touches him.” This book is beautifully illustrated and touches that place in us where we understand about developing early literacy skills, and the importance of the sounds of words and how they can make us feel. Grades K-3. ISBN: 0-15-200239-1, found bn

· Miller, Margaret. My Five Senses. Simon & Schuster. 1998. ISBN: 0395731518, found library. MN EC

· Nayer, Judy. My Five Senses: A Lion’s Tale. Sundance.

Adorable illustrations and whimsical, rhyming text teach children that they experience nature through their five senses. Grades K-2. ISBN: 1567840671. unavailable

· Oppenheim, Joanne. Have You Seen Trees? William R. Scott Publishers. 1967.

Poem that celebrates trees in all their varied glory, from the sun-drenched yellows and greens of fresh buds to the flame reds of autumn maples, to the brittle, icy blues and whites of winter-coated branches. Grades PreK-3. ISBN: 0590466917. found library

· Ryder, Joanne. Hello Tree! Lodestar Publishers. 1991.

Describes, in simple text and illustrations, some of the unique characteristics of trees. Grades PreK-3. ISBN: 0525673105. found library

· Silverstein, Shel. The Giving Tree. Harper Collins. 1964.

A moving parable about the gift of giving and the capacity to love, told throughout the life of a boy who grows to manhood and a tree that selflessly gives him her bounty through the years. Grades PreK-2. ISBN: 0060256656, found bn

3. Peppermint Beetle

· Ackerman, Diane. Animal Sense. A. A. Knopf. 2003.

A collection of poems that tells how such animals as alligators, bats, penguins, bumblebees, and skunks use their different senses. Grades PreK-3. ISBN: 0375823840.

· Berger, Melvin. Animal Senses. Newbridge.

Students will be surprised to learn that the katydid's ears are on its front legs, a snake smells with its tongue, butterflies taste with their feet, and more. Grades 1-4. ISBN: 1567842151. unavailable

· Bouchard, David. Voices from the Wild-- An Animal Sensagoria. Chrnoicle Books. 1996.