RAR #62: Inspiring a Love of Nature Through Books, Greta Eskridge

By the wonderful E.B. White, a touching tale of friendship, character and love, with charming illustrations by Garth Williams. Your kids will hang on every word—there's a reason this book is a classic! (psst... get out the kleenex)

A classic about an orphan who struggles to adjust to her new life until she discovers a secret garden. Excellent for all ages. Look for the one with illustrations by Tasha Tudor!

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

Everyone is scared of Heidi’s grandfather, but when she moves to the Alps to live with him her sunny personality helps them form a connection. Soon, however, they are separated. Will they reunite? This classic is an excellent read-aloud for all ages.

A classic story of friendship starring Toad, Rat, Mole and Badger, this river tale is a wonderful read-aloud full of big personalities. (Except for Mole, who is a little shy.) Look for the version illustrated by Ernest H. Shepard of Winnie the Pooh fame!

The March sisters are each distinctive in their own way, but they band together to help their mother while their father is serving in the Civil War. The original version follows the girls as they grow into womanhood. Girls might enjoy identifying with a particular sister -- Meg, Jo, Beth or Amy.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

When Sam leaves his family’s New York City apartment, he travels all the way to the Catskill Mountains where he survives in a hollowed-out tree, and finds independence and freedom.

Based on stories of the author’s grandmother, Caddie loves hunting and pranks, but refuses to be a “lady.” Set in Wisconsin in the late 1800s, Little House fans will love Caddie!

The story of the boy who will grow up to marry Laura, Farmer Boy tells the tale of Almanzo and his family, who live on a farm in New York. Based on a true story, of course! (You can read this Little House on the Prairie book out of order- it's a great introduction to the rest of the series, especially for boys.)

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

The first in Laura’s story about her family of American pioneers. Join the Ingalls family as they celebrate Christmas and the harvest and their first trip to town.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

Sal goes blueberry picking with mama, but it turns out a mama bear and baby bear had the same idea. Wait - will the right babies go home with the right mamas?

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

Easily among my all-time favorites. The story of little Alice, whose grandfather invites her to travel the globe, come home to the salty sea, and do something to make the world more beautiful. Listen to my special edition podcast episode about the author.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

Another classic from Robert McCloskey! Mr. and Mrs. Mallard are searching for the perfect place to raise their family. Will they find a place to call home?

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

Trees are beautiful. They fill up the sky. If you have a tree, you can climb up its trunk, roll in its leaves, or hang a swing from one of its limbs. Cows and babies can nap in the shade of a tree. Birds can make nests in the branches. A tree is good to have around. A tree is nice.

*Description from Amazon: Following a wild and raging storm, the Swiss family Robinson are stranded at sea. But the thundering waves have swept them off to a tropical island, where a new life awaits them. Their ship is laden with supplies and the island is packed with treasures, so they soon adapt and discover new dangers an...

**Description from Amazon: "If you are among evil people, you must be like the lion, gathering strength and awaiting your time."Africa is the only home Rachel Sheridan has ever known. But when influenza strikes down her missionary parents, she is left vulnerable prey to her family's wicked neighbors. Surrounded by greed and l...

**Description from Amazon: The adventures continue for Laura Ingalls and her family as they leave their little house in the Big Woods of Wisconsin and set out for Kansas. They travel for many days in their covered wagon until they find the best spot to build their little house on the prairie. Soon they are planting and plowin...

Fighting off a pack of starving wolves, wrestling alligators in the swamp, romping with bear cubs, drawing off the venom of a giant rattlesnake bite with the heart of a fresh-killed deer--it's all in a day's work for the Baxter family of the Florida scrublands. But young Jody Baxter is not content ...

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

Once there was a little island in the ocean. That little island changes as the seasons come and go. The storm and the day and night change it. So do the lobsters and seals and gulls that stop by. Then one day a kitten visits the little island and learns a secret that every child will enjoy.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

Robert McCloskey is perhaps one of the greatest children's book authors/illustrators we've ever known. This story is especially perfect for any child who has recently lost a tooth!

**Description from Amazon: The history of the Mississippi River Valley is told in text and pictures through the adventures of Minn, a snapping turtle, as she travels downstream.

**Description from Amazon: Tide pool life, hermit crab

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

Winner of the Caldecott Medal! For fans of Blueberries for Sal, One Morning in Maine, and Make way for Ducklings."Out on the islands that poke their rocky shores above the waters of Penobscot Bay, you can watch the time of the world go by, from minute to minute, hour to hour, from day to day . . ."...

**Description from Amazon: The woodland animals were all getting ready for the winter. Geese flew south, rabbits and deer grew thick warm coats, and the raccoons and chipmunks lay down for a long winter nap. Come Christmastime, the wise owls were the first to see the rainbow around the moon. It was a sure sign that the big sn...

**Description from Amazon: Mandy, the first children’s novel ever written by the beloved star of Mary Poppins and The Sound of Music, Julie Andrews, is a modern classic.Mandy, a ten-year-old orphan, dreams of a place to call her own. Escaping over the orphanage wall to explore the outside world, Mandy discovers a tiny deser...

**Description from Amazon: Renowned naturalist and author of children's books on wildlife successfully blends information and entertainment in his book about birds, among them saucy Jenny Wren, Redwing the Blackbird, Melody the Wood Thrush, Spooky the Screech Owl, Creaker the Purple Grackle, Downy the Woodpecker, and other fe...

**Description from Amazon: "An invaluable companion to any child spending a seashore holiday." — New York Herald TribuneFamiliar burgess characters Danny Meadow Mouse, Jimmy Skunk, and Reddy Fox explore every nook and cranny of the shoreline and learn first hand about the habits and habitats of spider crabs, sea cucumbers, ...

**Description from Amazon: Jack London's novels and ruggedly individual life seemed to embody American hopes, frustrations, and romantic longings in the turbulent first years of the twentieth century, years infused with the wonder and excitement of great technological and historic change. The author's restless spirit, taste f...

**Description from Amazon: This interactive workbook is packed with creative, year-round activities for curious naturalists ages 8 to 13. Clare Walker Leslie shows kids how to experience nature with all five senses, whether they live in the countryside, a major city, or somewhere in between. Guiding children through inspiring...

**Description from Amazon: Reconnect with nature through sketching and writing with these simple methods for capturing the living beauty of each season. Clare Walker Leslie and co-author Charles E. Roth offer easy techniques, exercises, and prompts for all ages.

**Description from Amazon: With dozens of simple prompts and exercises, best-selling author, naturalist, and artist Clare Walker Leslie invites you to step outside for just a few minutes a day, reignite your sense of wonder about the natural world, and discover the peace and grounding that come from connecting with nature. Us...

**Description from Amazon: The birds, the bees, the flowers and the…TREES! How do trees grow? Why do leaves change? What kind of tree is that? The acclaimed Brooklyn Botanic Garden’s guide answers all kids’ (and their parents’) tree-related questions in an easy-to-understand way. It features 33 different trees that g...

**Description from Amazon: See the world in a whole new way! Acclaimed illustrator Julia Rothman combines art and science in this exciting and educational guide to the structure, function, and personality of the natural world. Explore the anatomy of a jellyfish, the inside of a volcano, monarch butterfly migration, how sunset...

**Description from Amazon: Learn the difference between a farrow and a barrow, and what distinguishes a weanling from a yearling. Country and city mice alike will delight in Julia Rothman’s charming illustrated guide to the curious parts and pieces of rural living. Dissecting everything from the shapes of squash varieties t...

**Description from Amazon: This eBook is best viewed on a color device.This is a practical beginner's guide to the most common American wildflowers. Emphasis is on those with showy petals and those that the amateur is most likely to see. Special features include:Where to look for wildflowersTips on how to collect and grow the...

**Description from Amazon: Originally published in 1907, Birds Every Child Should Know is a collection of storyline descriptions of more than one hundred birds commonly found in the United States. Neltje Blanchan's detailed descriptions of birds—their physical attributes, calls, nesting and mating habits, and other beha...

Description from Amazon: Trees Every Child Should Know - Easy Tree Studies for All Seasons of the Year by Julia Ellen RogersThe best time to begin to study the trees is to-day! The place to begin is right where you are, provided there is a tree near enough, for a lesson about trees will be very dull unless there is a tree t...

**Description from Amazon: This eBook is best viewed on a color device.This Golden Guide from St. Martin's Press will help you identify--quickly and easily--the birds you are most likely to see. It tells you:What to look forWhere and when to lookHow to attract birdsRange maps show where each bird is found, and handy tables at...