Best Children’s Books About Nature (2026): 5 Picks

Finding the best children’s books about nature starts with the reader, not the shelf. A toddler who loves watching birds needs a different book than a young reader collecting plant facts, so we compared five picture books and encyclopedias on forests, plants and planet Earth, checking what each listing states about reading age, page count and contents.

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The picks

#	Product	Shelf Score	Buy
1	Extraordinary Earth by Cally	9.7/10	Buy on Amazon
2	Nature's Treasures by Hoare	9.7/10	Buy on Amazon
3	Trees, Leaves & Seeds by DK	9.7/10	Buy on Amazon
4	Walk Through the Woods by Greig	9.5/10	Buy on Amazon
5	Needs the Wonder by Gaines	9.5/10	Buy on Amazon

1

Extraordinary Earth by Cally

Cally Oldershaw·9.7/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

A 224-page DK compendium of more than 100 illustrated stories about planet Earth for children aged 7 and up who want the whole planet explained.

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Pros

• More than 100 stories, each with a photograph and illustration
• Feature pages walk through Earth's layers, from core to atmosphere
• Gold foil cover, gilded edges and a ribbon marker suit gifting

Cons

• Reading age 5 to 9 is marked as from customers, not the publisher
• 224 pages may overwhelm the younger end of the listed age range
• Companion titles in the Anthology series are sold separately

2

Nature's Treasures by Hoare

Ben Hoare·9.7/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

A 192-page DK anthology telling the stories of more than 100 objects from nature for children aged 6 to 8 who collect facts on walks.

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Pros

• More than 100 objects across animals, plants, fungi and minerals
• Storybook-style entries make each fact easy to dip into
• Gold foil jacket with holographic details suits gifting

Cons

• Reading age 5 to 8 is marked as from customers only
• 192 pages of dense facts suit browsing more than read-aloud
• Other Anthology series titles are sold separately

3

Trees, Leaves & Seeds by DK

DK·9.7/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

A 192-page visual plant encyclopedia with more than 1,000 images for children curious about how plants grow, eat and survive.

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Pros

• More than 1,000 images, diagrams and infographic text boxes
• At-a-glance panels give quick stat references for each plant
• Covers the plant kingdom from the smallest seeds to the tallest trees

Cons

• Reading age 5+ is marked as from customers, while the description says ages 9 to 12
• Published September 3, 2019, the earliest publication date of the five picks
• Plant-only scope leaves out animals, weather and Earth science

4

Walk Through the Woods by Greig

Louise Greig·9.5/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

A 20-page picture book with hand-cut paper art that leads the youngest readers on a quiet walk through the forest to meet its animals.

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Pros

• Intricate papercut illustrations introduce a deer, rook, fox and rabbit
• Simple, poetic text suits bedtime read-aloud for ages 1 to 5
• One woodland walk keeps the story easy for toddlers to follow

Cons

• Only 20 pages, the shortest pick in this list
• Reading age is marked as from customers, not a publisher recommendation
• No nonfiction facts for readers who want plant or animal science

5

Needs the Wonder by Gaines

Joanna Gaines·9.5/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

A 32-page picture book inviting children ages 4 to 8 to slow down and notice small wonders hidden in leaves, waves and clouds.

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Pros

• Vibrant art with dreamy details rewards close looking
• Encourages outdoor observation and curiosity about everyday nature
• A companion book to the author's earlier picture book for series readers

Cons

• No grade level is stated
• Reading age 2 to 5 is marked as from customers only
• Whimsical scenes rather than facts for science-minded readers

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More picks to compare

• A Butterfly Is PatientWatercolor butterfly facts for ages 3 to 6 readers.Check on Amazon
• A Seed Is SleepySeed and plant facts in watercolor for ages 3 to 7.Check on Amazon
• Secret Jobs of Backyard CreaturesFifty illustrated backyard creatures with jokes for ages 6 to 10.Check on Amazon
• 5-Minute Nature StoriesTen rhyming woodland stories plus fact pages for bedtime.Check on Amazon
• Tall Tall TreeRhyming redwood counting book with STEAM activities for young readers.Check on Amazon

Compare the picks

Book details as published on each listing, collected 22 October 2026.

How we scored them

The Shelf Score weighs fit for the reader, contents and edition, value, and the listed reading age or level where one is given. Every pick lists a reading age, and most also list a grade level. How we pick explains the weights.

Scores run from 9.2 to 9.8: each book’s point total is placed on that range, so more points always means a higher score. Reading age or level counts on a list where at least one listing gives one, and a book whose listing gives none then scores zero on it. Where no listing gives one, the score is taken over the other 85 points. Books carry no warranty, so warranty is not scored.

How to choose the best children’s books about nature

Match the listed reading age to the reader

A Walk Through the Woods lists a reading age of 1 to 5 years, while The World Needs the Wonder You See lists 2 to 5 years, so both suit the youngest readers. Trees, Leaves, Flowers & Seeds lists a reading age of 5+ years, marked as from customers, and the description speaks to ages 9 to 12, which suits an older child. More picture book lists use the same listed-age checks.

Standalone or part of a series

Our Extraordinary Earth and Nature’s Treasures both belong to DK’s Anthology series, and the listings name companion titles that are sold separately, so check which one the reader wants first. The butterfly and seed books in our more options belong to the Chronicle Books Nature Books series. For readers who finish one and want another, the books about owls list follows the same read-next logic.

Check the edition date on reference books

For encyclopedias, check the publication date on the listing: the plant encyclopedia dates to September 3, 2019, and the Earth anthology to October 17, 2023. Either suits a first reference shelf; the newer date matters more when the book supports schoolwork. If the reader outgrows these, the books about the environment list covers the next step.

Before you buy

• Check the publication date or edition year on the listing, especially for the reference titles.
• See whether the reading age is marked “from customers” or stated by the publisher.
• For the Anthology series titles, check which companion volume the listing names before ordering a set.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where should a young reader start with nature books?

Start with the listed reading age: A Walk Through the Woods lists 1 to 5 years and The World Needs the Wonder You See lists 2 to 5 years, both marked as from customers.

Which of these suit a school-age reader?

The DK titles list grade levels 2 to 4 or 4 to 7: Our Extraordinary Earth and Nature’s Treasures list grades 2 to 4, while Trees, Leaves, Flowers & Seeds lists grades 4 to 7.

Are any of these part of a series?

Our Extraordinary Earth and Nature’s Treasures are part of DK’s Anthology series, and the listings name companion titles sold separately. The butterfly and seed books in the more options belong to the Chronicle Books Nature Books series.

Still deciding? Our top pickExtraordinary Earth by Cally

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Related lists

See every picture book list and all kids and teens book lists.

More lists: books about owls, books about the environment, dinosaur books, books about the ocean.