A World Filled with Wonder

I Know the River Loves Me

Whether it's Earth Day or any other day, young readers will find themselves drawn to the stunning environments and creatures portrayed in these books. From the waterfalls and hummingbirds of the Iguazú to the Truffula Tress of The Lorax, these bilingual books will get kids thinking about what they can do to protect our fragile planet.

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Agua, Agüita/Water, Little Water

Animals near waterfall
Illustrated by: Felipe Ugalde Alcántara
Age Level: 6-9
Language: Spanish (Bilingual Eng/Sp)

"My name / is Water / but everyone / calls me Little Water." In this beautiful, poetic ode to the life-giving force of water, award-winning children's book author Jorge Argueta describes in English, Spanish and Nahuat the life cycle of water from the perspective of one drop. With stunningly beautiful illustrations by Felipe Ugalde Alcántara that depict the mountains, rocks, vegetation and animals of the natural world, this poem about the importance of water reflects Argueta's indigenous roots and his appreciation for nature.

All Around Us

All Around Us
Illustrated by: Adriana Garcia
Age Level: 6-9, 9-12
Language: English

Grandpa says circles are all around us. He points to the rainbow that rises high in the sky after a thundercloud has come. Can you see? That's only half of the circle. That rest of it is down below, in the earth. He and his granddaughter meditate on gardens and seeds, on circles seen and unseen, inside and outside us, on where our bodies come from and where they return to. They share and create family traditions in this stunning video adaptation of the Pura Belpré award-winning exploration of the cycles of life and nature.

Animal Poems of the Iguazú

Animal near the Iguazú
Illustrated by: Maya Christina Gonzalez
Age Level: 6-9
Language: Spanish (Bilingual Eng/Sp)

Inspired by a visit to the Iguazú National Park in South America, Francisco X. Alarcón celebrates its animals, skies, waterfalls, and more in these short and vibrant bilingual poems. Each page holds pulsating paintings that swirl and move, further vivifying each poem.

Butterflies on Carmen Street

Young girl looks at butterflies with her grandfather
Illustrated by: April Ward
Age Level: 6-9

Julianita is excited to receive her very own caterpillar to raise at school! Yet when her caterpillar, Tiger, finally emerges from his chrysalis, Julianita doesn't want to let him go. She worries that he will get lost on his way to Mexico. "Tiger knows the way to Mexico because it's in his heart," her Abuelito reassures her. She feels sad to see Tiger fly away, but Julianita knows that someday, she will follow him to back to her grandfather's beloved homeland.

Coquí in the City

Coquí in the City
Age Level: 6-9

Miguel's pet frog, Coquí, is always with him: as he greets his neighbors in San Juan, buys quesitos from the panadería, and listens to his abuelo's story about meeting baseball legend Roberto Clemente. Then Miguel learns that he and his parents are moving to the U.S. mainland, which means leaving his beloved grandparents, home in Puerto Rico, and even Coquí behind. Life in New York City is overwhelming, with unfamiliar buildings, foods, and people.

Forest World

Two children in the forest

Edver isn't happy about being shipped off to Cuba to visit the father he barely knows. The island is a place that no one in Miami ever mentions without a sigh, but travel laws have suddenly changed, and now it's a lot easier for divided families to be reunited. Technology in Cuba hasn't caught up with the times, though, and Edver is expecting a long, boring summer. He was NOT expecting to meet a sister he didn't know he had. Luza is a year older and excited to see her little brother, until she realizes what a spoiled American he is.

Galápagos Girl / Galapagueña

Young girl dancing on the Galapagos Islands
Illustrated by: Angela Dominguez
Age Level: 6-9
Language: Spanish (Bilingual Eng/Sp)

Valentina was born on an island formed by fire, surrounded by blue-green sea. As a Galapagueña, Valentina spends her days observing the natural world around her. She greets sea lions splashing on the shore, scampers over lava rocks with Sally-lightfoot crabs, and swims with manta rays. But Valentina also understands the fragility of this wondrous world, and she makes a solemn promise to protect the islands and her animal friends.

Giving Thanks: A Native American Good Morning Message

Painting of wilderness scene
Illustrated by: Erwin Printup, Jr.
Age Level: 6-9
Language: Spanish

In this poignant and graceful picture book, Chief Jake Swamp gives thanks to Mother Earth and all of her inhabitants for sharing their rare and precious gifts. According to the author's note, these words are still spoken at ceremonial and governmental gatherings held by the Six Nations. Available in Spanish. Related classroom activities are included in this teachers guide.

Hello Ocean / Hola Mar

Language: English, Spanish, Spanish (Bilingual Eng/Sp)

A child narrates her visit to the ocean, inviting readers to explore it with her. She experiences the sea with all of her senses through realistic illustrations and lyrical language in this gently rhyming tale.

I Know the River Loves Me

Girl near river

Celebrate the river's magic and music with this poetic tribute that also speaks to the importance of taking care of our rivers. Vivid aqua and green waves swirl across the pages, bringing the river and her friend to life.

Keepers of the Earth: Native American Stories and Environmental Activities for Children

Product Description: The flagship book in the Keepers of the Earth series, this environmental classic teaches children respect and stewardship for the Earth and all living things. Joseph Bruchac's lyrical retellings set the stage for Michael Caduto's abundance of related activities. Beginning with Native American stories, this invaluable and time-honored resource provides readers with an abundance of hands-on activities that will inspire children to understand and appreciate Native American cultures and the Earth.

Leo and the Butterflies

Young boy checks plants
Age Level: 3-6, 6-9
Language: Spanish

Meet a young boy named Leo who lives in Costa Rica. Learn all of the things Leo knows about the butterflies that live in the rainforest near his home. Spanish version also available.

Look Up! Henrietta Leavitt, Pioneering Woman Astronomer

Illustrated by: Raúl Colón
Age Level: 6-9

Meet Henrietta Leavitt, a 19th-century scientific pioneer. From careful observations, Leavitt discovered that the brightness of a star determines its distance from Earth, helping us better understand the vastness of the universe. Warm colored pencil and watercolor illustrations by Colón create a contemplative mood. Back matter includes quotations, a glossary, information about other female astronomers, and more.

My Colors, My World

Young girl in a colorful sky near her home
Age Level: 3-6
Language: English, Spanish (Bilingual Eng/Sp)

Product Description: Little Maya longs to find brilliant, beautiful, inspiring color in her world…but Maya's world, the Mojave Desert, seems to be filled with nothing but sand. With the help of a feathered friend, she searches everywhere to discover color in her world. In the brilliant purple of her mother's flowers, the cool green of a cactus, the hot pink sunset, and the shiny black of Papi's hair, Maya finally finds what she was looking for. Also available as a board book.

My Island and I: The Nature of Puerto Rico

Illustrated by: Alexis Lago
Age Level: 6-9

"Written by Caribbean naturalist Alfonso Silva Lee, My Island and I is a colorful children's picturebook about the natural ecology of an island — from fallen trees becoming food for fungi and termites to the thoughts of lizards and the interaction of fish. The watercolor-style illustrations by Alexis Lago bring to life the festive, multifaceted wonder of natural life." — Children's Book Watch

Native American Gardening: Stories, Projects, and Recipes for Families (The Keepers of the Earth series)

"Stories about the cycle of life illuminate learning activities in Native American Gardening: Stories, Projects and Recipes for Families by noted storytellers Michael J. Caduto and Joseph Bruchac. Using tribal tales from across the country as inspiration, the authors provide practical information about seed preservation, planting and maintaining the garden, reaping and cooking the harvest." — Publishers Weekly

Native Defenders of the Environment

Product Description: From the Native Trailblazers series comes a book with the stories of twelve brave people who work tirelessly to save our environment. Readers will learn about Grace Thorpe, who worked to keep Native reservations from becoming nuclear waste dumps; Tom Goldtooth, the director of the Indigenous Environmental Network; and Ben Powless, a founding organizer of the Canadian Youth Climate Coalition.

Owen & Mzee: The True Story of a Remarkable Friendship

When a tsunami orphans a young hippopotamus, a group of concerned Malidi (on the east coast of Kenya) villagers figure out how to capture the 600 pound baby thus beginning his new life in an animal sanctuary with a new and unlikely companion — a 130 year old tortoise named Mzee. Full color photographs and straightforward text are used in this inspiring, appealing and true story told first by a young girl and her father.

Parrots Over Puerto Rico

Collage art of parrots flying
Age Level: 6-9

Puerto Rican parrots, once abundant, came perilously close to extinction in the 1960s due to centuries of foreign exploration and occupation, development, and habitat destruction. In this compelling book, Roth and Trumbore use collage illustrations and a unique format to recount the efforts of the scientists of the Puerto Rican Parrot Recovery Program to save the parrots and ensure their future.

Stella Díaz #1: Stella Diaz Has Something To Say

Stella Diaz holding her arms open
Age Level: 6-9

Stella loves spending time with her best friend Jenny. Trouble is, Jenny is in another class this year, and Stella feels very lonely. When a new boy arrives in Stella's class, she really wants to be his friend, but sometimes Stella accidentally speaks Spanish instead of English and pronounces words wrong, which makes her turn roja. Plus, she has to speak in front of her whole class for a big presentation at school! But she better get over her fears soon, because Stella Díaz has something to say!

Summer Birds: The Butterflies of Maria Merian

Illustrated by: Julie Paschkis
Age Level: 3-6

Butterflies were once thought to be "beasts of the devil." Maria Merian, a perceptive young German naturalist, knew better. She recorded her notes and drawings on the butterflies' transformation in secret so that she would not be accused of witchcraft and later became a famous scientist and artist who helped the rest of the world understand natural life cycles. Margarita Engle brings her extraordinary story to life, accompanied by Julie Paschkis' gorgeous illustrations.

Talking with Mother Earth

Age Level: 6-9

"This literary offering stands out for its beauty and depth of expression. Argueta, a Pipil Nahua Indian, reaches deep into his childhood in rural El Salvador for memories and for his connection to Mother Earth. The poems alternate between bitterness and joy. Nahuatl words are peppered throughout, almost defiantly…Poems about fire, wind, and water speak to those life-giving forces as friends and protectors." — School Library Journal

The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, Young Reader's Edition

When a terrible drought struck William Kamkwamba's tiny village in Malawi, his family lost all of the season's crops, leaving them with nothing to eat and nothing to sell. William began to explore science books in his village library, looking for a solution. There, he came up with the idea that would change his family's life forever: he could build a windmill. Made out of scrap metal and old bicycle parts, William's windmill brought electricity to his home and helped his family pump the water they needed to farm the land.

The Desert Is My Mother

The Desert Is My Mother
By: Pat Mora
Illustrated by: Daniel Lechón

A girl with long, dark hair appreciates the surprisingly lush and colorful desert: "I say feed me,/She serves red prickly pears…" The poetic text in both Spanish and English is placed on different colors on one side of the page; crisp, full-color illustrations appear on the opposing page to celebrate this beautiful setting.

The Elders Are Watching

Illustrated by: Roy Henry Vickers
Age Level: 6-9

Product Description: As Native elders have advised from time immemorial, this is a gentle plea to respect the natural environment. When the award-winning poet David Bouchard first saw the artwork of First Nations artist Roy Henry Vickers, he was struck by Vickers' reverence for nature, the vibrancy of his colors, and his perceptive understanding of Canada's rugged West Coast. In this new edition of their collaboration, their vision is as fresh and relevant today as it was when the book was first published.

The Great Kapok Tree

The Great Kapok Tree is home to many inhabitants of the rain forest, including anteaters, bees and butterflies, monkeys, toucans, tree frogs, and jaguars. When a man who has come to cut the tree down falls asleep in its shades, the creatures whisper in his ear what will happen if they lose their home. The lush illustrations of the tropical setting practically hum with with the sounds of the rain forest. Spanish version also available.

The Quetzal's Journey

Illustration of a quetzal
Age Level: 6-9
Language: Spanish

From the Amazon rain forest to the Atacama desert, Latin America is without rival in its natural beauty, geographical jewels, and incredible variety of flora and fauna. The poetic flow of the text and the colorful illustrations take readers on a voyage into the wonders found south of the border.

The Sockeye Mother

a salmon and a bear
Illustrated by: Natasha Donovan

To the Gitxsan people of Northwestern British Columbia, the sockeye salmon is more than just a source of food. Over its life cycle, it nourishes the very land and forests that the Skeena River runs through and where the Gitxsan make their home. The Sockeye Mother explores how the animals, water, soil, and seasons are all intertwined.

We Are Water Protectors

child standing in waves holding a feather
Illustrated by: Michaela Goade

Inspired by the many Indigenous-led movements across North America, Carole Lindstrom's bold and lyrical picture book We Are Water Protectors issues an urgent rallying cry to safeguarding the Earth’s water from harm and corruption.

Water is the first medicine.
It affects and connects us all . . .

When a black snake threatens to destroy the Earth
And poison her people’s water, one young water protector
Takes a stand to defend Earth’s most sacred resource.

We're Sailing to Galapagos: A Week in the Pacific

Painting of people sailing in a ship
Illustrated by: Grazia Restelli
Age Level: 3-6

"A colorfully garbed couple take readers on a jaunty journey to the Galapagos Islands. For each day of the week, the rhymed text introduces one of the islands' unique animals. The repetition of the chorus "We're sailing to Galapagos. I wonder who we'll see" encourages audience participation. The bright collages create striking vistas that will also enhance group sharing. The youngest listeners will enjoy the visit to giant tortoises, black iguanas, and blue-footed boobies before they sail home." — School Library Journal

Zonia's Rain Forest

Zonia's Rain Forest
Age Level: 3-6

Zonia’s home is the Amazon rain forest, where it is always green and full of life. Every morning, the rain forest calls to Zonia, and every morning, she answers. She visits the sloth family, greets the giant anteater, and runs with the speedy jaguar. But one morning, the rain forest calls to her in a troubled voice. How will Zonia answer?

¡Olinguito, de la A a la Z!: Descubriendo el bosque nublado/Olinguito, from A to Z!: Unveiling the Cloud Forest

Illustration of an olinguito climbing through the trees
Age Level: 6-9
Language: Spanish (Bilingual Eng/Sp)

With lyrical text in both Spanish and English, we travel to the magical world of a cloud forest in the Andes of Ecuador. We discover the bounty of plants, animals, and other organisms that live there as we help a zoologist look for the elusive olinguito, the first new mammal species identified in the Americas since 1978. Not your usual ABC book, the alphabet works as an organizing feature and provides children with a vehicle to encounter rich vocabulary as they learn about a unique environment.