Explore the Natural World
with these book, DVD and online resources!

Nonfiction:

Crinkleroots’ Guide to Walking in Wild Places and Crinkleroot’s Guide to Knowing Animal Habitats by Jim Arnosky  You can find some amazing things when you know where to look!

Backyard Bird Watching For Kids by George Harrison  What kind of bird was that? Find and identify lots of local feathered friends.

The Berry Book by Gail Gibbons Learn about lots of different delicious berries that summer brings.

If the World Were a Village by David Smith If the world were a village of only 100 people, how many of them would live in the USA?

Collecting Fossils by Steve Parker Where can you find them? How can you tell what kind of fossils they are?

A Drop Around the World  by Barbara McKinney Follow a single drop of water as it cycles through nature all around the world!

Frogs by Nic Bishop Amazing up-close photographs of all kinds of frogs.

Chapter Books:

Moominsummer Madness by Tove Jansson The whole valley is flooded and the Moomintrolls get swept away to adventure!

The Tail of Emily Windsnap by Liz Kessler Emily didn’t know it but it turns out she is a mermaid!

A Week in the Woods by Andrew Clements Mark is lost in the New Hampshire woods - with his teacher!

McBroom’s Ear by Sid Fleischmann (short chapter book) McBroom has an amazing farm that grows giant vegetables in no time flat!

Rats on the Range by James Marshall (short chapter book) Whoa! Those cowboy rats have a knack for ruining tea parties…

Picture Books:

Lionel in the Summer by Stephen Krensky (early reader) Fireworks, ice cream, and best of all, no school!

The Bears’ Picnic by Stan & Jan Berenstain (early reader) Papa Bear knows the perfect spot for a picnic….unless there’s something terribly wrong with it!

The Day the Babies Crawled Away by Peggy Rathmann Uh oh, nobody was watching those rascally babies at the picnic…

Ebb and Flo and the Greedy Gulls by Jane Simmons Ebb the dog was chasing naughty seagulls… but where did he go?

Piggy and Dad Go Fishing by David Martin Who gets to eat more donuts, Piggy or the fish?

Books for Parents:

Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder by Richard Louv (parenting)

Right Here: 52 Places to Visit North of Boston by Liz Nelson (nonfiction)

Places to Go: North of Boston & Beyond With Children by the Mother Connection  (parenting)

Great Big Book of Children’s Games by Debra Wise (nonfiction)

The Sierra Club Summer Book by Linda Allison (nonfiction)

Nature’s Art Box by Laura C. Martin (nonfiction)

Museum Passes:

for the Butterfly Place, Zoo New England, Museum of Science, Strawberry Banke, and more!
Click here to reserve these passes online!

Kids’ DVDs:

Eyewitness Weather and Mammal (nonfiction)

Wind in the Willows – the classic country tale in cartoon form

Hoot – can kids save a rare owl from extinction?

Over the Hedge – animated antics with a backyard raccoon and turtle

The Sign of the Beaver – Matt learns to survive in colonial Maine with the unexpected help of a local Indian

Online Resources:

Visit www.massaudubon.org for information on local wildlife sanctuaries including Joppa Flats in Newburyport and the Ipswich River!

Visit www.wolfhollowipswich.com for updates about their local wolf pack!

Visit http://familyfun.go.com/parenting for downloadable, seasonal activities for kids.

Learn how to turn your back yard into a wildlife habitat at  http://www.backyardwildlifehabitat.info !

Find all kinds of animals all over the world at http://www.ipl.org/kidspace !

http://www.thekidsgarden.co.uk/ has lots of gardening tips and activities for kids.

And, visit www.boxfordtownlib.org  for more great books, movies, and databases you can use with your library card!