Animal picture book recommendations are by Angela Ferraris, The Retired School Librarian.
(As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. The content below contains Amazon affiliate links. When you buy through these links, Mrs. Ferraris may earn an affiliate commission at no additional cost to you. These titles may be found on my Amazon Storefront under Animal Picture Books– https://amzn.to/4nPd7np .)
❗This cumulative list grows over time, with the newest books always appearing at the top.❗
Puma Concolor: In Search of Patagonia’s Wild Pumas (Spectacular STEAM for Curious Readers (SSCR))
by René Araneda (Author), Julio Antonio Blasco (Illustrator), Lawrence Schimel (Translator)
Summary: This nonfiction picture book takes young readers on a journey through Patagonia, a region in South America, to explore and learn about the lives and habitat of pumas.
Comments: This is an exceptional resource for upper elementary and middle school students. I appreciated the many nonfiction text features including diagrams, regionals maps, and labeling. Great anchor text for STEM units on predators, animal habitat, and ecosystems.
There is a foreword by the author, a nature guide and documentary filmmaker, of how the big cats were observed in their natural habitat. The detailed text explains the pumas’ hunting habits, family, and survival strategies.
The artwork was created with pencil, Procreate, and Photoshop.
Rating: 5/5 📗📗📗📗📗
Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page (paid link).
*I received a free copy of this book.
Chanel & Milo: The Legend Begins!
by Paul Davis (Author), Julia L. Rosengren (Author)
Summary:
Chanel, a curious and feisty terrier mix, is enjoying a day at the park when she meets Milo, a larger but gentle dog relaxing amongst the flowers. The two quickly become friends as they joyfully return to their owners together.
Comments: This simple and sweet story is geared toward toddlers and preschool-aged children who enjoy books about dog friendships. The writing uses familiar expressions, similes, and other descriptive language to introduce young readers to Chanel and Milo’s world in the park.
Young readers who love real-life pet stories may enjoy that the series is inspired by actual dogs. This title serves as the first of the series featuring the canine duo. Additional information and photos can be found on the official website at Chanel & Milo.
The illustrations are on the left side of the two-page spread with the words on the right.
Rating: 3.5/5 📗📗📗1/2
Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page (paid link).
The Emerald Forest
by Catherine Ward (Author), Karin Littlewood (Author)
Brief summary: Orangutan lives with her children on a rainforest island called Sumatra in Indonesia until a deforesting machine comes and rips out the tree she is in. She and her family are relocated to Bukit Tigapuluh National Park(Thirty Hills).
Comments: I was tearing up when I read this heartfelt picture book; beautifully illustrated. It would be a good story to share with students with an endangered species, environment, or deforestation unit of study.
Rating: 4.5/5 📗📗📗📗1/2
Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page (paid link).
For more information about Thirty Hills.
Gray Fox in the Moonlight
by Isaac Peterson (Author and illustrator)
Brief summary: Gray Fox walks in the fall woods during a full moon, seeing her reflection in the river before returning to the den.
Comments: The cover of this book is designed beautifully with raised imprints and specks of silver. Although the title is in cursive, the text inside is in block letters.
The gray illustrations were created by the author and his daughter.
This is a short and gentle book, excellent for bedtime.
Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗
Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page (paid link).
Poop for Breakfast: Why Some Animals Eat It
by Sara Levine (Author), Florence Weiser (Illustrator).
Brief summary: Young readers will learn about why some animals eat feces. One can read a simple narrative or include a more correlating detailed description as the story continues teaching readers everything they need to know, including the correct terminology of why animals eat poop.
Comments: Well, I learned a lot from reading this book and recommend it to children and adults who desire to learn more about this topic, which was done in a very tasteful manner (excuse the pun).
The back sections include The Scoop on Poop, Be a Book Detective, By Any Other Name, and Further Reading.
Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page (paid link).
Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗
The Wolf Effect: A Wilderness Revival Story (A Voice of the Wilderness Picture Book)
by Rosanne Parry (Author), Jennifer Thermes (Illustrator)
Brief summary: Young readers will learn about how the Yellowstone region became a national park and how it changed the humans and animals that inhabited the area. The reintroduction of wolves in Yellowstone Park is told through rhyming verse and story panels, demonstrating the positive effect on the environment and surroundings.
Comments: The illustrations were created using watercolor and colored pencil on Arches hot-pressed paper. Nonfiction text features such as maps and labels had me stopping and looking at all of the details.
The back sections are Who is Who?, A Brief History of Wolves in the American West, Artist’s Note, Glossary, and Additional Resources.
Rating: 5/5 📗📗📗📗📗
Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page (paid link).
Life After Whale: The Amazing Ecosystem of a Whale Fall
by Lynn Brunelle (Author), Jason Chin (Illustrator)
Brief summary: This narrative nonfiction story begins with a blue whale eating krill and tells us how old she is, and her last day on earth. She dies and falls into the ocean but comes back up floating on the surface thanks to the gases in her body. Her body is now an ecosystem with many creatures benefiting.
Comments: The illustrations were created using watercolor and gouache on paper.
The back sections are A Bit About Blue Whales, What Are Ecosystems? It’s a Phase, A Little Pod of Whale Books, Whale Falls Online, and Selected Bibliography.
There are several nonfiction text features such as labels, maps, and diagrams.to help explain the whale’s cycle of life.
Rating: 4.5/5 📗📗📗📗1/2
Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page (paid link).
Journey of the Humpbacks
by Juliana Muñoz Toro (Author), Dipacho (Illustrator), Lawrence Schimel (Translator)
Summary:
Let’s follow the humpback whales as they migrate from the Southern Ocean to the Pacific, stopping near Colombia.
Discover how these whales feed before heading to the warmer ocean, a journey that takes about two months. Young readers will learn all about these magnificent creatures, including their birthing process during migration, their family life, lifespan, and the ways they communicate with one another.
Comments:
The illustrations are created with mixed media and complement the text well.
Although this narrative nonfiction book is written in lyrical language, it includes many nonfiction text features, such as diagrams, labels, and maps. The illustrations are created using mixed media and complement the text beautifully.
The book is well-researched, involving a team of three marine biologists. More information about their credentials and bios can be found in the back of the book.
Rating: 5/5 📗📗📗📗📗
Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page (paid link).
*I received a free copy of this book.
This Little Kitty in the Garden
by Karen Obuhanych (Author)
Summary: Spring has arrived, and five cats living on Sakura Way head towards the garden shed to collect their tools to work on creating a garden. However, they get distracted upon going there and start enjoying the presence of other creatures already in the garden. The owners of the cats come out to the garden and are delighted to see that everything has been planted.
Comments: The illustrations were created with colored pencils, charcoal, and cut paper.
Rating: 4/5📗📗📗📗
Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page (paid link).
This is NOT my Lunch Box!
by Jennifer Dupuis (Author), Carol Schwartz (Illustrator)
Brief summary: In this narrative nonfiction picture book, a boy is on a camping trip. As he opens a different colored lunchbox each time, he discovers that it is full of food for creatures in the woods. These creatures include herbivores, omnivores, and carnivores. What will he find in his lunch box next?
Comments: The lunch box is located on the right-hand side of the double-page spread. Turning the page reveals the answer of the lunch box owner located on the left. Readers then have to guess who will eat the contents of the next lunch box. This pattern continues for about a dozen times. Very clever!
Rating: 5/5 📗📗📗📗📗
Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page (paid link).
This Is a Tiny Fragile Snake
by Nicholas Ruddock (Author), Ashley Barron (Illustrator)
Brief summary: This poetry collection features informative poems about various animals and insects, highlighting their unique characteristics.
Comments: The illustrations are created using cut-paper collages, acrylics, and pencil crayons with some digital finishing.
Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗
Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page (paid link).
Mamas and Babies
by Christie Matheson (Author, Illustrator)
Brief summary: This primary nonfiction picture shows different mothers and how they care for their offspring.
Comments: These charming watercolor illustrations capture the bond between mother and child, each one spanning two pages.
This nonfiction book would make a lovely bedtime story due to its gentle and soothing pictures and words.
Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗
Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page (paid link).
Little Red Fox and his Fluffy Ginger Locks
by Matthew Fox (Author), Nicol Korner-Bitensky PhD (Editor), Mousam Banerjee (Illustrator)
Brief summary: All the foxes were brown until Little Red Fox was born. He loved dancing and playing in the forest but was made fun of by some of the brown foxes for having red fur and bluish-green eyes, not brown fur and brown eyes. Little Red Fox told his parents what was happening, and they comforted him and advised him on what to do when being bullied, making him feel confident.
He was dancing in a big puddle when the GIANT brown fox came along and made fun of him again. Little Red Fox remembered what his parents had said the night before. Was he able to stand up for himself? What did the nearby little brown foxes do and feel?
Comments: This is a cute and colorful rhyming story to share with preschoolers and kindergartners about how others may be different from us, and that’s okay. It also teaches what to do if someone is bullying you: 1)talk to an adult first, and in some situations, 2)bravely stand your ground.
Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗
Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page (paid link).
*I received a free copy of this book.
Like No Other: Earth’s Coolest One-of-a-Kind Creatures
by Sneed B. Collard III (Author), Christopher Silas Neal (Illustrator)
Brief summary: This nonfiction picture book examines twelve mysterious, unique animals with two paged spreads with details of their differences.
Comments: More animals are shown in the back sections. This book also includes humans, how to save one-of-a-kind creatures, and more information, including a two-page map of other monospecific animals. The illustrations are a mix of acrylic, pencil, and digital.
Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗
Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page (paid link).
A Human for Kingsley
by Gabriel Evans (Author)
Brief summary: Kingsley, a dog, decides to own a human. He goes into the city looking and intermingling with several people but does not find a good fit. He saw a little girl walking on the street and followed her home. Will she be his human?
Comments: This picture book is hilariously written from the viewpoint of a dog.
Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗
Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page (paid link).
Jump for Joy
by Karen Gray Ruelle (Author), Hadley Hooper (Illustrator)
Brief summary: Joy always wanted a dog but did not know what kind. She would know when she saw him. Jump, a dog, always wanted a kid. He knew the right one when he saw her. They create various versions of dogs and kids out of materials around them in Nature. Will they ever find each other?
Comments: I like how the world around them goes from black and white to color. The illustrator used images from the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries to create collages.
Rating: 3.5/5 –📗📗📗 1/2
Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page (paid link).
Trouble Dog: From Shelter Dog to Conservation Hero
by Carol A. Foote (Author), Larry Day (Illustrator)
Brief summary: Tucker was often returned to the dog shelter because he was considered trouble. However, when Laura came to the shelter, she saw potential in him and believed he could be an excellent conservation dog. After training, Tucker became a valuable aide to conservationists, helping to protect endangered plants and wildlife.
Comments: This story is inspired by true events. The back pages provide insights into Laura and Tucker’s lives and additional information about conservation dogs.
The illustrations were created in watercolor.
This would be a valuable addition to any unit of study focused on wildlife or conservation.
Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗
Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page (paid link)..
*I received a free copy of this book.
The Very Patient Gus Davis
by Laurie Trumble Davis (Author), Marjorie van Heerden (Illustrator)
Brief summary: Gus’s owner returns from the store with cookies. Gus really wants one right away. He begs and jumps up on her, but she tells him he must wait until after dinner. Gus does not want to wait and runs off with the bag of cookies. His owner manages to get the cookies back. To help pass the time, they go on a walk. When they return, they have dinner. Will Gus ever get a cookie?
Comments: This is the second of the Gus books
The Unsinkable Gus Davis by Laurie Trumble Davis (Author), Paulette Bogan (Illustrator)
Rating: 3.5/5 📗📗📗1/2
Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page (paid link).
Animal Snuggles: Affection in the Animal Kingdom
by Aimee Reid (Author), Sebastien Braun (Illustrator)
Brief summary: Young readers are shown how various animals display affection towards their babies.
Comments: There are large double-paged illustrations with the parent and baby.
There’s a back section of the animals and more specific details of how they snuggle with their young, the name of a baby, and their home.
Rating: 3.5/5 📗📗📗1/2
Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page (paid link).
Find Out About Animal Tools
by Martin Jenkins (Author), Jane McGuinness (Illustrator)
Brief summary: This nonfiction picture book teaches young readers how animals use various tools to find food, attract mates, or build homes.
Comments: The illustrations were created using mixed media.
Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗
Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page (paid link).
Fast Cheetah, Slow Tortoise: Poems of Animal Opposites
by Bette Westera (Author), Mies van Hout (Illustrator), David Colmer (Translator)
Brief summary: This poetry book cleverly presents animal opposites in each animal’s voice. Every two-page spread features two animals opposite from one another in descriptive and humorous free verse.
Comments: The illustrations were created using acrylic ink, oil pastels, and collage. There are a total of thirty-two animals featured in the book.
This poetry book would complement poetry or opposite units of study. It can also just be used for a funny read-aloud to make everyone giggle.
Rating: 4.5/5 📗📗📗📗1/2
Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page (paid link).
*I was sent a complimentary copy of this book.
Evergreen
by Matthew Cordell (Author)
Brief summary: Evergreen, an anxious squirrel, lives in Buckthorn Forrest with her mother who has asked her to take soup to a sick Granny Oak who lives on the other side of the forest. Although frightened, Evergreen leaves the tree and heads towards Granny Oak’s, encountering several forest animals along the way.
Comments: This picture book is divided into a new chapter for each animal Evergreen meets. The illustrations are done with a 005 Micron Pen and painted with watercolors.
Students will be in suspense with each forest animal encounter wondering if the squirrel will be eaten.
Rating: 4.5/5 📗📗📗📗 1/2
Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page (paid link).
Don’t Trust Cats: Life Lessons from Chip the Dog
by Dev Petty (Author), Mike Boldt (Illustrator)
Brief summary: Chip, the dog, warns young readers not to trust cats and advises us who and what can be trusted.
Comments: The humorous illustrations go well with the freehand lettering to make the dog’s narrative authentic.
We do not find out why Chip the Dog has a cone around his neck, but the cat is probably involved. That would be a good question to discuss with students.
This is a nice persuasive writing example and will be enjoyed as a funny read-aloud.
Rating: 4.5/5 📗📗📗📗1/2
Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page (paid link).
Bless Our Pets: Poems of Gratitude for Our Animal Friends
by Lee Bennett Hopkins (Editor), Lita Judge (Illustrator)
Brief summary: Bless Our Pets is an anthology of poetry featuring fourteen different animal companion owners expressing gratitude towards their beloved pets. Written by:
• Ann Whitford Paul
• Rebecca Kai Dotlich
• Linda Trott Dickman
• Eric Ode
• Ralph Fletcher
• Sarah Grace Tuttle
• Kristine O’Connell George
• Darren Sardelli
• B.J. Lee
• Charles Ghigna
• Lois Lowry
• Prince Redcloud
• Joan Bransfield Graham
• Lee Bennett Hopkins
Comments: The book features a variety of poetry forms. The illustrations are created with watercolors and colored pencils that beautifully capture facial expressions.
Rating: 5/5 📗📗📗📗📗
Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page (paid link).
*Bless Our Pets was sent to me as a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.
Wildlife Crossings (Searchlight Books ™ ― Saving Animals with Science)
by Lisa Idzikowski (Author)
Summary: This nonfiction picture book teaches about wildlife crossings such as overpasses, bridges, and underpasses to help migrating animals.
Comments: The back sections include Glossary, Learn More, and Index.
The illustrations are photographs.
Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗
Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page (paid link).
Safe Crossing
by Kari Percival (Author)
Brief summary: This narrative nonfiction picture book is about when the spring comes thawing the ground. The amphibians need to cross a road to pools or to find a mate. The Amphibian Migration Team set up detours and help the creatures safely cross the road. Will they be able to raise enough money to put in tunnels under the road for the amphibians?
Comments: The illustrations were created digitally. The front and back end pages feature “Can You Find?” lists that encourage readers to closely examine the illustrations, while the back sections provide additional amphibian facts.
Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗
Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page (paid link).
The City Sings Green & Other Poems About Welcoming Wildlife
by Erica Silverman (Author), Ginnie Hsu (Illustrator)
Brief summary: This is a collection of poetry about the wildlife found in the city. There is a poem and informational text teaching us about conservative steps to help rewild.
Comments: The back sections are How You Can Help, More to Explore, Resources for Families and Educators, and Children’s Books Celebrating City Wildlife.
Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗
Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page (paid link).
Buffalo Fluffalo
by Bess Kalb (Author), Erin Kraan (Illustrator)
Brief summary: There was a big fluffy buffalo puffed up, acting tough. A goat, prairie dog, and crow try to make friends with him, but he pushes them away with excuses.
A big storm with heavy rain changes his appearance, but his three friends do not care, causing the other creatures to love him too.
Comments: I’ve known some Buffalo Fluffalo students who could have been helped with the bibliotherapeutic lesson of this book’s story.
Rating: 4.5/5 📗📗📗📗1/2
Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page (paid link).
The Animal Song
by Jonty Howley
Brief summary: Crocodile, Brown Bear, and Weasel play the animal song all summer long to the delight of the forest animals. When winter arrives, they all want to sleep, so the band moves to the city, where they play night after night. The band becomes tired and wants to sleep, so they go back home. The forest animals wake in the spring and want to sing the animal song but find the three asleep.
Comments: The Animal Song Sheet Music is also in the back of the book.
Rating: 3.5/5 📗📗📗1/2
Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page (paid link).
The selected children’s books are chosen by a highly qualified retired elementary school librarian, who passionately reads and recommends picture books to teachers, school librarians, parents, grandparents, and other book enthusiasts.
Most of the books Mrs. Ferraris recommends are checked out from the public library. The only exception is for the complimentary copies that she receives for an honest review, which are duly noted.
