Recommended Books

Come On, Rain! by Karen Hess
(Scholastic Press, 1999)
A parched, heat-scorched city neighborhood waits for the relief of cooling rain. Tessie and her friends begin a jubilant dance as the rain pelts down on them—and soon their moms join in

A Cool Drink of Water by Barbara Kerle
(National Geographic Society, 2002)
All over the world, in Ireland, India, Peru, and Botswana, people drink water. Includes photos and simple captions that explore the commonalities and differences.

Diary of a Worm by Doreen Cronin
(Joanna Cotler, 2003)
Written in diary form, this book gives readers an insider’s view on life as a young earthworm.

Guess Whose Shadow? by Stephen R. Swinburn
(Boyd Mills Press, 1999)
Shadows come in all shapes and sizes. This book invites the reader to guess the objects that make the mysterious shadow shapes

I Get Wet by Vicki Cob
(HarperCollins, 2002)
This book is filled with easy, fun ideas for learning about water. Choose the ones you like best and try them out together!

Let's Try It Out in the Water by Seymour Simon and Nicole Fauteu
(Simon & Schuster, 2001)
Help your child explore basic science principles through simple, hands-on learning activities.

Our Big Home: An Earth Poem by Linda Glase
(The Millbrook Press, 2000)
Written in verse, this book celebrates the water, dirt, and air we share with each other, and with the plants and animals.

The Piggy in the Puddle by Charlotte Pomerant
(Aladdin, 1989)
Little piggy’s in the middle of a muddy little puddle, and she’s loving it! The catchy rhymes and great pictures make this book a favorite

Recycle Every Day! by Nancy Elizabeth Wallac
(Marshall Cavendish, 2006)
Minna and her family think of lots of creative ways to recycle, from composting to sharing used books.

Rocks in His Head by Carol Otis Hurs
(Greenwillow, 2001)
From the time he was a boy, the author’s father liked to collect rocks. He had “rocks in his pockets, and rocks in his head.” A great book for kids who like to collect rocks—or anything else

This House Is Made of Mud /Esta casa está hecha de lodo by Ken Buchana
(Luna Rising, 2004)
A much-loved adobe home in the Sonoran desert is described by the child who lives there. Striking illustration and lyric text in English and Spanish.

What Makes a Shadow? by Clyde Robert Bull (HarperCollins, 1994)
This “Let’s-Read-and-Find-Out Science” book encourages children to explore and have fun with shadows both indoors and outdoors

Where Does the Garbage Go? by Paul Shower
(HarperCollins, 1994)
What do we do with all the trash? Learn about landfills, recycling plants, and some things we can do to help solve the problem.

Whole World by Fred Penne
(Barefoot Books, 2007)
This sing-along book celebrates the world that is ours to take care of. A CD is included.

Albert's Alphabet by Leslie Tryon
(Aladdin, 1994)
Albert, a very ingenious duck, uses a wide range of materials to build the letters of the alphabet. Your child may be inspired to build some stand-up alphabet letters, too! (Ages 3-6)

Bling Blang by Woody Guthrie
(Candlewick, 2000)
Enjoy this sing-along story about building a house. "Bling blang, hammer with my hammer. Zing-o zang-o, cutting with my saw." (Ages 3-6)

Dave's Down-to-Earth Rock Shop by Stuart J. Murphy
(HarperTrophy, 2000)
There are many different ways to sort and label the collection at the rock shop. You may enjoy other titles by Murphy in this MathStart series, as well. (Ages 4-6)

A Day in the Life of a Builder by Linda Hayward
(Dorling Kindersley, 2001)
Follow Jack through a busy workday — from making early morning phone calls, to keeping dogs from ruining wet cement, to presenting a finished house to a family. (Ages 3-6)

The Great Graph Contest by Loreen Leedy
(Holiday House, 2005)
Explore this entertaining introduction to tallies and surveys, diagrams and graphs. (Ages 4-6)

Hannah's Collections by Marthe Jocelyn
(Dutton, 2000)
Hannah collects buttons, popsicle sticks, shells, feathers, and barrettes. Which collection should she bring to show-and-tell? (Ages 4-6)

How Many Snails? A Counting Book by Paul Giganti, Jr.
(HarperTrophy, 1994)
How many snails are there? How many snails with striped shells? How many snails with striped shells and their heads sticking out? Count, classify, and enjoy these fun pictures. (Ages 4-6)

I Face the Wind by Vicki Cobb
(HarperCollins, 2003)
Part of the excellent "Vicki Cobb Science Play" series, this book invites children to learn about wind and air through simple explorations. (Ages 3-6)

Let's Try It Out with Towers and Bridges by Seymour Simon & Nicole Fauteux
(Simon & Schuster, 2003)
The outstanding "Let's Try It Out" series provides great ideas for discovering basic principles of science and engineering through play. (Ages 3-6)

The Wind Blew by Pat Hutchins
(Simon & Schuster, 1974)
Your children may want to add their own variations to this catchy predictable story. (Ages 3-6)