Nonfiction
Kindergarten-1st Grade
The Human Body
Me and My Amazing Body
Joan Sweeney
Grades K–1 All about the body
Muscles
Melvin & Gilda Berger
Grades K–1Facts and photos about muscles
My Body
Andrea Pinnington
Grades K–1The workings of the body made clear for young readers
My Five Senses
Aliki
Grades K–1How our senses lead us to new discoveries
Ocean Life
Baby Dolphin's First Day
Connie & Peter Roop
Grades K–1A surprisingly busy day
Dolphins
Melissa Stewart
Grades K–1All about dolphins and their habitats
Starfish
Edith Thacher Hurd
Grades K–1How starfish eat, move and grow
Animal Life Cycles
Animal Babies
Andrea Pinnington
Grades K–1Facts and photos about the little creatures kids love
See Me Grow
Penelope Arlon
Grades K–1Bright images bring an animal's journey alive.
Wonderful Worms
Linda Glaser
Grades K–1Exploring the role of earthworms in the planet's ecosystem
Popular American Symbols
The Story of the White House
Marge Kennedy
Grades K–1Inside a famous home
What Is Mount Rushmore?
Laine Falk
Grades K–1Tour the monument!
What Is the Story of Our Flag?
Janice Behrens
Grades K–1The role of an icon
True Lives
Betsy Ross
Becky White
Grades K–1A seamstress clips and stitches the first American flag.
Let's Read About...César Chávez
Jerry Tello
Grades K–1The story of a leader
Martin's Big Words
Doreen Rappaport
Grades K–1The life of Martin Luther King Jr.
Up in the Sky
My Book of Planets
Elise See Tai
Grades K–1A charming introduction to the planets
The Moon Book
Gail Gibbons
Grades K–1Exploring Earth's only natural satellite
The Sun
Melvin & Gilda Berger
Grades K–1A photo-filled book about the wonders of the sun
Weather
A Is for Autumn
Robert Maass
Grades K–1Magical moments of the season—with apples, leaves, frost and more
All the Water in the World
George Ella Lyon
Grades K–1Where does water come from, and how can we conserve it?
It's Snowing!
Gail Gibbons
Grades K–1What is snow? How does it form? An explanation of this winter wonder.
Storms
Miriam Busch Goin
Grades K–1What makes the wind howl and the night sky light up? Facts and photos for young readers about scary weather.
Wind
Ann Herriges
Grades K–1An introduction to the characteristics of wind
Plants
Apples for Everyone
Jill Esbaum
Grades K–1National Geographic photography and engaging text accompany this celebration of apples.
Seed, Soil, Sun
Cris Peterson
Grades K–1How air and water combine with seed, soil and sun to create our food
Seed, Sprout, Pumpkin, Pie
Jill Esbaum
Grades K–1Festive images and lively text celebrate pumpkins, a favorite symbol of autumn.
What Do Roots Do?
Kathleen V. Kudlinski
Grades K–1With rhyming text and bright illustrations, this peek underground allows kids to dig into the wonders of roots.
GRADES 2–3
Animals
Boy, Were We Wrong About Dinosaurs!
Kathleen V. Kudlinski
Grades 2–3A look at the mistakes that have plagued humans' understanding of dinosaurs
Nic Bishop Spiders
Nic Bishop
Grades 2–3Close-up photos and quirky facts about spiders
Pass the Energy, Please!
Barbara Shaw McKinney
Grades 2–3A rhyming story describes how the food chain connects herbivores, carnivores, insects and plants.
Penguins
Penelope Arlon
Grades 2–3How penguins eat, sleep, talk, walk and swim. Includes a digital companion book.
Who Eats What?
Patricia Lauber
Grades 2–3The story of food chains and food webs
Science
A Cool Drink of Water
Barbara Kerley
Grades 2–3Gorgeous photographs and poetic text convey our need for nature's most precious resource.
A Drop of Water: A Book of Science and Wonder
Walter Wick
Grades 2–3Evaporation, condensation, how clouds form and more
Living Sunlight
Molly Bang and Penny Chisholm
Grades 2–3A mesmerizing explanation of photosynthesis and its connection to all living things
Manfish: A Story of Jacques Cousteau
Jennifer Berne
Grades 2–3A tribute to the oceanographer and champion of the seas Jacques Cousteau
Neo Leo: The Ageless Ideas of Leonardo da Vinci
Gene Barretta
Grades 2–3Modern inventions, including helicopters, first conceived by da Vinci
The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind
William Kamkwamba and Bryan Mealer
Grades 2–3The story of a Malawi boy who saved his village during a drought
The Magic School Bus® at the Waterworks
Joanna Cole
Grades 2–3A field trip through the town's waterworks leads to surprising discoveries.
What Makes a Magnet?
Franklyn M. Branley
Grades 2–3The properties and behavior of magnets. Hands-on activities include making a magnet and compass.
Famous Americans
Martin Luther King, Jr. and the March on Washington
Frances E. Ruffin
Grades 2–3An account of the 1963 March on Washington
Rosa
Nikki Giovanni
Grades 2–3The story of Rosa Parks and her fateful bus ride in 1955
Side By Side / Lado A Lado
Monica Brown
Grades 2–3A colorful, bilingual account of the lives of Delores Huerta and César Chávez
Wilma Unlimited
Kathleen Krull
Grades 2–3How Wilma Rudolph became the world’s fastest woman
The Solar System
If You Decide to Go to the Moon
Faith McNulty
Grades 2–3A lyrical tour of space
Moonshot
Brian Floca
Grades 2–3The dramatic flight of Apollo 11
Planets
Penelope Arlon and Tory Gordon-Harris
Grades 2–3Unlocking the secrets of the Milky Way and other mysteries of space
The U.S. Government
Abraham Lincoln
Caroline Crosson Gilpin
Grades 2–3The fascinating life and legacy of one of the greatest U.S. Presidents
So You Want to Be President?
Judith St. George
Grades 2–3A look at U.S. leaders—from George Washington to George W. Bush
The Congress of the United States
Christine Taylor Butler
Grades 2–3The history behind the Senate and House; includes time lines and a glossary
Vote!
Eileen Christelow
Grades 2–3Using a town's mayoral election as a model, this introduction to voting covers every step in the process.
World History
Biblioburro: A True Story from Columbia
Jeanette Winter
Grades 2–3A man and his books bring joy to children in remote villages.
Mummies
Elizabeth Carney
Grades 2–3A riveting introduction to an ancient tradition
Mummies, Pyramids, and Pharaohs
Gail Gibbons
Grades 2–3A visit back in time to one of the world's oldest civilizations
GRADES 4–5
Animals
An Extraordinary Life
Laurence Pringle
Grades 4–5A monarch butterfly’s migratory route from Massachusetts to Mexico
Lizards
Nic Bishop
Grades 4–5Welcome to the irresistible world of geckos and dragons
Owen & Mzee
Craig Hatkoff; Isabelle Hatkoff; Dr. Paula Kahumbu
Grades 4–5The true story of a remarkable friendship
The Buzz on Bees
Shelley Rotner and Anne Woodhull
Grades 4–5Possible explanations for the alarming disappearance of bees
The Dinosaurs of Waterhouse Hawkins
Barbara Kerley
Grades 4–5An award-winning picture book about the life of an unusual artist
Famous Americans
Bad News for Outlaws
Micheaux Vaunda Nelson
Grades 4–5The story of Bass Reeves, a renowned—and feared—Deputy U. S. Marshall
The Amazing Life of Benjamin Franklin
James Cross Giblin
Grades 4–5A biography of one of America's most innovative and beloved figures
What to Do About Alice?
Barbara Kerley
Grades 4–5A biography of Theodore Roosevelt's uncoventional and adventurous daughter
Worst of Friends
Suzanne Tripp Jurmain
Grades 4–5Thomas Jefferson, John Adams and the story of their feud
The Solar System
Earth: The Life of Our Planet
Dr. Mike Goldsmith
Grades 4–5Stunning images help tell the story of Earth's formation
Our Solar System
Seymour Simon
Grades 4–5A dramatic tour of a vast and mystifying place whose secrets are still being unlocked
Biology
Bones
Steve Jenkins
Grades 4–5Human and animal skeletons and how they work
Dive!
Sylvia A. Earle
Grades 4–5The adventures of an undersea explorer and marine biologist
Face to Face With Sharks
David Doubilet and Jennifer Hayes
Grades 4–5Dramatic underwater photographs take you into shark territory.
Growing Patterns
Sarah C. Cambell
Grades 4–5Exploring the biggest mathematical mystery in nature—Fibonacci numbers
American History
And Then What Happened, Paul Revere?
Jean Fritz
Grades 4–5Anecdotes and facts shed light on Paul Revere's famous midnight ride.
The Bill of Rights in Translation
Amie Jane Leavitt
Grades 4–5A founding document translated into accessible language
The Crossing
Jim Murphy
Grades 4–5The gripping tale of George Washington's military prowess during the American Revolution
The Signers
Dennis Brindell Fradin
Grades 4–5The 56 stories behind the Declaration of Independence
Thunder on the Plains
Ken Robbins
Grades 4–5The tragic story of the demise of the buffalo
Extraordinary Americans
Now & Ben
Gene Barretta
Grades 4–5The inventive mind of Benjamin Franklin
Patience Wright
Peggy Deitz Shea
Grades 4–5The story of a widowed mother who became an artist and a spy during the American Revolution
Portraits of African-American Heroes
Tonya Bolden
Grades 4–5Picture-and-word portraits offer insights into each hero's personality.
When Marian Sang
Pam Muñoz Ryan
Grades 4–5The story of Marian Anderson and her remarkable voice
Ecosystems
Coral Reefs
Jason Chin
Grades 4–5As a girl turns the pages of a book about coral reefs, she enters a wondrous undersea world.
Volcano
Patricia Lauber
Grades 4–5The eruption and healing of Mount St. Helens
Understanding Weather Patterns
Blizzard!
Jim Murphy
Grades 4–5What caused the historic blizzard of 1888?
Weather
Penelope Arlon
Grades 4–5Eyewitness accounts of extreme weather events; includes a digital companion book
Around the World
Hands Around the Library
Susan L. Roth
Grades 4–5The story of Egyptian demonstrators who protected their library during the 2011 politcal uprising
If the World Were a Village
David J. Smith
Grades 4–5A look at the world's people through the lives of 100 villagers
Kubla Khan: The Emperor of Everything
Kathleen Krull
Grades 4–5A history of the fearsome 13th-century Emperor
Environment and Geography
Into the Volcano
Donna O’Meara
Grades 4–5A journey to the center of volcanoes
Ocean Sunlight
Molly Bang
Grades 4–5A look at the life cycles that keep oceans vibrant
Book List from:
Fiction
GRADES K–1
Poetry
Apple Banana Cherry
Joy Cowley
Grades K–1Read-aloud rhymes make learning the alphabet fun for young readers.
Pocket Poems
Bobbi Katz
Grades K–1These 50 short poems by a wide selection of poets span a range of kid-centric emotions.
Zin! Zin! Zin! A Violin
Lloyd Moss and Marjorie Priceman
Grades K–1This counting book is the perfect introduction to musical instruments.
Read-Aloud Stories
Blueberries for Sal
Robert McCloskey
Grades K–1While picking blueberries, Sal doesn't realize she's following the wrong mother—a mother bear.
Each Peach Pear Plum
Janet & Allan Ahlberg
Grades K–1This rhyme book will delight youngsters with familiar nursery rhyme characters hidden in playful drawings.
Lon Po Po: A Red Riding Hood Story From China
Ed Young
Grades K–1In this interpretation, three sisters are endangered by a wolf in disguise.
Make Way for Ducklings
Robert McCloskey
Grades K–1With help from a policeman, Mrs. Mallard and her family get home safely.
The Tale of Peter Rabbit
Beatrix Potter
Grades K–1A mischievous rabbit hops into trouble in Mr. McGregor's garden.
Realistic Fiction
A New Coat for Anna
Harriet Ziefert
Grades K–1A mother is determined to acquire a new coat for her daughter in post-World War II hard times.
An Orange in January
Dianna Hutts Aston
Grades K–1Follow an orange from blossom to market to learn about a plant's growth cycle and the produce industry.
Families Are Different
Nina Pellegrini
Grades K–1Nico, who is adopted, learns that children live in all types of families and that parents come in all shapes and sizes.
Miss Rumphius
Barbara Cooney
Grades K–1A spirited little girl grows up determined to make the world more beautiful.
No, David!
David Shannon
Grades K–1A toddler finds trouble in every corner of the house.
The Dot
Peter H. Reynolds
Grades K–1Vashti tries to convince her teacher that she can't draw. Then a dot changes everything.
The Snowy Day
Ezra Jack Keats
Grades K–1Vivid illustrations capture a boy's delight in the season's first snowfall.
Stories
Duck on a Bike
David Shannon
Grades K–1A duck decides to try riding a bike and ends up loving it.
Frog and Toad Together
Arnold Lobel
Grades K–1Frog and Toad learn the give-and-take of friendship in these five tales.
Hi! Fly Guy
Tedd Arnold
Grades K–1Is he a pest, or is he a pet? A fly flits around, looking for a tasty, slimy treat.
Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale
Mo Willems
Grades K–1Angst ensues when Trixie leaves her "somebunny" at the laundromat.
Little Bear
Else Holmelund Minarik
Grades K–1Designed for beginning readers, these simple tales tell the story of Little Bear and his loving mother.
Little Mouse Gets Ready
Jeff Smith
Grades K–1There's lots to do before Little Mouse is ready to go visit the barn. First, he must master getting dressed.
Not Norman: A Goldfish Story
Kelly Bennett
Grades K–1A goldfish wins a boy's heart.
Owl at Home
Arnold Lobel
Grades K–1Whether he's inviting Winter in on a snowy night or welcoming a new friend, Owl always has room for visitors.
GRADES 2–3
Poetry
American Poetry
John Hollander
Grades 2–3A collection of 26 poems by some of America's best poets about favorite landscapes
Animal Poems
John Hollander
Grades 2–3Poems by Blake, Dickinson, Yeats, Wordsworth and others are paired with captivating paintings.
Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening
Robert Frost
Grades 2–3A picture book version of Frost’s masterpiece
The New Kid on the Block
Jack Prelutsky
Grades 2–3More than 100 humorously illustrated poems about Baloney Belly Billy and other strange beings
Realistic Fiction
Amber Brown Is Not a Crayon
Paula Danziger
Grades 2–3Amber's best friend has to move away.
Clementine
Sara Pennypacker
Grades 2–3This lovable and realistic third grader has a huge heart, personality to spare and a talent for trouble.
Ramona Quimby, Age 8
Beverly Cleary
Grades 2–3Even though Ramona feels quite grown up, her teacher still considers her a nuisance.
Thank You, Mr. Falker
Patricia Polacco
Grades 2–3This autobiography tells the story of Little Trisha and her struggle with dyslexia.
The Talented Clementine
Sara Pennypacker
Grades 2–3Clementine panics when the talent contest is announced.
Thunder Cake
Patricia Polacco
Grades 2–3While gathering the ingredients for her grandmother’s "thunder cake," a girl overcomes her fear of storms.
Tía Isa Wants a Car
Meg Medina
Grades 2–3Although they send most of their money to help far-away relatives, a girl and her aunt still save enough for a car.
Stories
Amos & Boris
William Steig
Grades 2–3When Amos the mouse rolls off his ship in the ocean, Boris the whale rescues him, starting a lasting friendship.
Charlotte's Web
E. B. White
Grades 2–3Wilbur the pig makes friends with a delightful girl and a wise spider.
Crow Call
Lois Lowry
Grades 2–3Nine-year-old Liz and the father she barely knows begin their journey of reconnection through a hunting trip.
Grace for President
Kelly Dipucchio
Grades 2–3Grace wants to become the first woman president. But first she must become class president.
Granddaddy's Gift
Margaree King Mitchell
Grades 2–3When her grandfather registers to vote in segregated Mississippi, a young black girl learns the importance of school.
Henry and Mudge: The First Book
Cynthia Rylant
Grades 2–3Henry and his 180-pound dog Mudge are ready for adventure.
My Father's Dragon
Ruth Stiles Gannett
Grades 2–3A young boy is determined to rescue a baby dragon being used by a group of lazy animals to ferry them across the river.
Poppleton in Winter
Cynthia Rylant
Grades 2–3The story of Poppleton the pig, whose adventures charm readers
Sarah, Plain and Tall
Patricia MacLachlan
Grades 2–3What happens when Papa puts an ad in the paper asking for a wife?
Tsunami!
Kimio Kajikawa
Grades 2–3A wealthy old man sacrifices his lands and possessions in order to save villagers from an impending tsunami.
Historical Fiction
Amelia and Eleanor Go for a Ride
Pam Muñoz Ryan
Grades 2–3Amelia Earhart and Eleanor Roosevelt make history one night in 1933.
Freedom on the Menu: The Greensboro Sit-Ins
Carole Boston Weatherford
Grades 2–3Four young men take a stand at a Woolworth's counter in North Carolina.
In the Garden With Dr. Carver
Susan Grigsby
Grades 2–3George Washington Carver visits an Alabama town.
Mailing May
Michael O. Tunnell
Grades 2–3It's 1914, and Charlotte May Pierstorff wants to cross 75 miles of mountains to visit her grandma.
Ron's Big Mission
Rose Blue and Corinne Naden
Grades 2–3Challenger astronaut Ron McNair desegregates his hometown library through peaceful resistance.
The Memory Coat
Elvira Woodruff
Grades 2–3A tattered coat, made by Grisha's mother in Russia, changes his fate at Ellis Island.
Uncle Jed's Barbershop
Margaret King Mitchell
Grades 2–3After a life of obstacles, including segregation and the Great Depression, Uncle Jed opens a barbershop.
Wonder Horse
Emily Arnold McCully
Grades 2–3The true story of the world's smartest horse
Traditional Tales
Anansi the Spider: A Tale from the Ashanti
Gerald McDermott
Grades 2–3The adventure of the spider-hero of the Ashanti people of Ghana
Borreguita and the Coyote
Verna Aardema
Grades 2–3A little lamb tricks the fierce coyotoe that wants her for a meal in this clever story of brains versus brawn.
Ming Lo Moves the Mountain
Arnold Lobel
Grades 2–3In this whimsical folktale, Ming Lo's wife demands that he moves a mountain.
Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters: An African Tale
John Steptoe
Grades 2–3Two daughters react differently to the king's search for a wife.
Strega Nona
Tomie dePaola
Grades 2–3When Strega Nona is away, Big Anthony tries reciting the magic verse over her pasta pot, with disastrous results.
The Great Kapok Tree
Lynne Cherry
Grades 2–3A story set in the Amazon
The Irish Cinderlad
Shirley Climo
Grades 2–3An Irish twist on the Cinderella story
The Legend of the Indian Paintbrush