Ten Books Worth Reading

1. The Scoop on Poop by Wayne Lynch: This funny yet factual book about the science of how animals use poop.  For example, an elephant poops so much in one day that it can fill the trunk of a family size car.  This book is full of interesting facts about different types of animal poop and how the animals use their poop.  This is a fascinating book to read with children and discuss the idea of scat (poop).

 2. How Do Dinosaurs Say Good Night? By Jane Yolen and Mark Teague: This book discusses what happens at bedtime for many different dinosaurs at home. Some of the dinosaurs stomp and slam their tails because they aren't ready for bed, but most of them eventually give their parents a kiss goodnight and go to bed.  One great feature about this book is that in the beginning and end of the book, there are pictures of dinosaurs with their proper names such as Allosaurus, Stegosaurus, and Tyrannosaurus Rex.  

3. Parts by Tedd Arnold: In this book, this boy believes that the glue that holds his body together is coming undone.  He is losing his hair, teeth, and something gray and wet fell out of his nose.  Could it be his brain? This book goes on to explain the different parts of the body that he thinks might be coming unglued.

4. Oh Say Can You Say What's the Weather Today? by Tish Rabe:  The Cat in the Hat is back again, but this time to study the weather.  They go to the top of Mount Karakakoo where they study the weather with meteorologists.  They learn about different types of weather and where various crops grow based on the weather in that area.  At the end of the book, there is a glossary with weather terms such as anemometer, condensation, cumulus, and evaporation.  These would be great terms to discuss with children about weather.

 5. The Moon Seems to Change by Franklyn M. Branley:  This book discusses the various stages of the moon.  On the first night, there is a full moon.  Then the text goes on the describe the other stages of the moon such as a quarter moon or crescent moon.  The book also discusses why the moon is called a quarter moon or crescent moon and why it is that the moon seems to change.

 6. The Lorax by Dr. Seuss: The book is all about saving our planet.  In the book, all of the trees are being cut down and eventually there aren't any more trees left aside from one tiny seed.  This book is great for a discussion about pollution, over clearing of forests, and caring for our environment.

 7. A Seed is Sleepy by Dianna Hutts Aston: This book is a great introduction to seeds and plants for children.  The author uses simple sentences, but also includes a small paragraph on each page containing the science behind the sentence.  Also, the illustrations are exquisite with great detail depicting the information from the book.

8. An Egg is Quiet by Dianna Hutts Aston: This book discusses the process of an egg hatching into an animal.  The text also provides examples of different types of eggs including pictures of the eggs.  Additionally, the book describes the differences between the relationship of the eggs and the animals.  For example, it describes that a penguins father sits on the egg compared to a turtle who leaves the eggs in the sand.  This is a great book to discuss with children the concept of eggs hatching and the difference between eggs and animals.

9. I Wonder Why The Sea is Salty by Anita Ganeri: This book is all about the Sea.  It discusses various aspects about the sea such as the biggest ocean, the red sea, what makes a sea salty, and the deepest ocean.  This is a great book to use for young children who are curious about learning everything there is to know about the ocean.  A teacher could read one page from this book each day to introduce a lesson about the ocean.

 10. I Wonder Why Stars Twinkle By Carole Stott: This book has tons of facts about the universe and stars.  The book has information about the Milky Way, the sun, stars, and planets.  This would be a great book to have children explore if they wanted to learn more about the solar system and objects from outer space.