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The nonfiction aspect of this text appealed to many students, especially male students, because of the ferocious-looking shark on the cover and the many details on these predators of the deep, including their feasts on other ocean life.

Perfect for: Kids who like nonfiction and animals.

Find at your local library.

This book examines how the amazing range of colors in the animal world works to help animals survive in their natural habitats. Animals use color to attract a mate, lure prey, camouflage themselves or startle enemies. Organized by colors, the book is illustrated by Jenkins’ signature torn- and cut-paper illustrations of each animal, with a short paragraph explaining how color works for that species. Additional information about animal coloration and the particular species pictured is found at the end of the book. This book is a visual treat, as well as fascinating reading for young naturalists.

Perfect for: Kids who like science and nature.

Find at your local library.

In this nonfiction companion to Polar Bears Past Bedtime, the Magic Tree House characters Jack and Annie take their readers on a chilly journey to the Arctic as they find out what it’s really like to live there. The familiar twosome cover a lot of ground – landscape, animals, the lives and cultures of native people, and the effects of global warming. The style — narrative with a healthy smattering of illustrations, photos and weird facts — will easily hold a young reader’s attention.

Perfect for: Kids who like science and nature.

Find at your local library.

Brilliant full-color photographs of thunderstorms, hailstorms, tornadoes and hurricanes accompany the factual text of this beautiful informational book. Simon carefully explains how storms form and describes the havoc they wreak on humans who are still fascinated with the power of weather. Simon includes not only what we do know, but also what we don’t, in a book that sheds light on all those mysterious symbols, diagrams and maps on the weather channel.

Perfect for: Kids who like science and nature.

Find at your local library.

Part of Kingfisher’s wonderful Young Discoverers series, Garbage and Recycling illustrates the difference between biodegradable and nonbiodegradable garbage. Explanations of how glass, metal and wool can be easily recycled; “how can I help?” sections; and lots of tips will inspire your child to be a young environmentalist who wants to recycle at home.

Perfect for: Kids who like science and nature.

Find at your local library.

Rachel Carson has long been considered the original environmentalist. Her publication of Silent Spring in the 1960s was the impetus for President Kennedy to call for a scientific study of the questions she raised about the environment. Here now we have an accessible, empowering biography of this unsung heroine for boys and girls that care about the environment. Included are several lesson plans, as well as recommended reading on steps to save the environment. A DVD entitled Cartoon Sea stresses the importance of keeping oceans free from pollution.

Perfect for: Kids who like to read about real people.

Find at your local library.

This book tells the true story of the friendship that developed at a Kenyan wildlife sanctuary between Owen, a baby hippopotamus orphaned by the 2004 Southeast Asian tsunami, and Mzee, a 130-year-old giant Aldabra tortoise. The authors detail the animals’ system of communication (nudges, nips and a special call), how they play together and how Owen acts more like a tortoise than a hippo. The text is clearly written and accompanied by full-color photos of this unique pair.

Perfect for: Kids who like nonfiction and animals.

Find at your local library.

Answering your youngster’s questions about plants, animals, water, and just about anything else having to do with nature is easy with this reference book in hand. Broken up into 22 sections, The Nature Treasury covers topics like “How animals grow,” “Soil up close,” and “What animals eat.” With double-page spreads depicting ecosystems ranging from savannas to tundras, this book will have kids searching the panoramas for the animals that live there. Large labeled ovals with the animals superimposed on them act as guides, so children can scan the scenes to find where the sea stars are hiding in the coral reef or the sidewinder in the desert. Children will be enchanted by the lush illustrations.

Perfect for: Kids who are curious — and parents who don’t know all the answers!

Find at your local library.

To get ready for her babies, a platypus builds a nest beside a stream. A polar bear tunnels into the snow to build a snow cave. In this engrossing book, kids learn about how 14 different mammals — from koalas to hooded seals, and yes, even humans — experience the beginning of life: when they open their eyes, how big they are when they’re born, how their moms feed them, how they learn to feed themselves, and more. It’s a terrific way for kids to learn the characteristics of mammals in a way they’ll remember.

Perfect for: Animal lovers.

Find at your local library.

Katya is at sleep away camp, staying in a cabin with bunk beds. She spent all night staring at the ceiling, unable to sleep because it was too hot. Her friend suggests asking to swap for a lower bunk the next night. Why? This fun book features 65 short stories that present scenarios like this and asks kids to use their basic science know-how to deduce the answers. Flip the page on each story and the answer — and the underlying scientific principle — are briefly explained. Written to align with the Next Generation Science Standards and to spark a love of science at a young age, these short mysteries are a fun way to make science part of your child’s daily routine.

Perfect for: Budding Sherlocks and Einsteins.

Find at your local library.