From woodland paths and winding rivers to buzzing gardens and bug-filled jungles, there’s a whole world of adventure waiting just outside the front door. These beautifully illustrated children’s books invite little readers to slow down, look closely and discover the wonders of the natural world around them. Whether they’re spotting wildflowers, searching for creepy-crawlies or following Mouse through the changing seasons, each story encourages curiosity, imagination and a lifelong love of the outdoors.
1. Alice Melvin’s Mouse Series
Take a page out of Mouse’s book and travel through the seasons. Hop on a rowing boat, stroll by the sea or go on a woodland walk – adventure awaits!
Mouse’s Wood
The story follows Mouse as he ventures out in wintry January to visit his friend Squirrel. Mouse moves on to wake up Hedgehog for the arrival of spring, and as he continues along the path in the wood, Mouse’s journey from friend to friend maps out the changes in seasons from January to December, from picnicking among the bluebells with Mole in May and picking berries with Dormouse in June, to taking refuge in Fox’s cosy caravan as winter draws in.
Mouse by the sea
Join Mouse on his summer holiday by the seaside. Each day brings new excitement, from building sandcastles on the beach to eating ice creams on the promenade, sunbathing on the sand dunes to looking for treasures amongst the rock pools! Beautifully detailed illustrations feature many plants and animals to identify, and the atmospheric rhyming text sets the scene for this perfect summer holiday.
Mouse on the River
Taking place over the course of twenty-four hours, the gently rhyming story tracks the changing environment of the river’s banks, the shift from day to night, pleasant weather to rain and back again, and introduces a whole new cast of friendly characters who wave to Mouse on the way, including beavers, water voles and water fowl aplenty.
2. Once I was a Giant
My first memories were of darkness and reaching for sunlight. My roots connected me to everything. I was small, but I was also the forest.
When a picture-book maker runs out of stories, his pencil decides it's time to tell her own, a story of a green giant and a small wanderer who formed a friendship that spanned lifetimes. This luminescent and hopeful tale from award-winning author-illustrator Zeno Sworder is about hope for the future and the relationship between small beings and big giants. Open up a whole world of imagination and adventure in this fold-out book, allowing little readers to immerse themselves in the magic of Zeno Sworder’s storytelling.
Discover Once I was a Giant by Zeno Sworder
3. The Secret World of Spider Webs
Fond of creepy-crawlies? Then this one’s for you: a fascinating glimpse into the remarkable world of spider webs. A world without webs would be overrun by insects: spiders snare and consume around 800 million tonnes of insects every year, roughly the combined weight of all the humans in the world. Yet because spider webs are so skillfully concealed, surprisingly little is known about these beautiful yet deadly traps. The Secret World of Spider Webs reveals the incredibly diverse ways spiders catch their prey.
4. The Incredible 3D Bug Hunt
Discover the wonderful world of insects in this beautiful 3D search-and find book, which follows Little Ladybird and friends as they head off on a journey through an exciting world populated by beetles, spiders, butterflies and many more colourful little creatures. Clever 3D glasses are included so young readers can feel immersed in a hunt through the jungle and all the creatures that can be found there.
Discover The Incredible 3D Bug Hunt by Peggy Nille.
5. Little Bee's Book of Blooms
From renowned children’s author Yuval Zommer, follow Little Bee as she buzzes from garden to greenhouse to desert, discovering the beauty of blooms one petal at a time. This chunky board book is designed to instil a love of nature from an early age, great for reading aloud yet perfect for bedtime, finishing with a peaceful night-time scene.
Discover the rest of the The Big Book Series collection including: The Big Book of Bugs, The Big Book of Beasts, The Big Book of Birds and more.
6. The Field Guide series
Inspired by the Forest School movement, the Field Guide series encourages
children to learn in, with and about nature, and discover the beauty and wonder
of each season. Designed as guides to take out into the wild, the series prompts readers to explore the natural environment using their senses, curiosity and creativity, while also introducing them to the science behind the seasons.
A Field Guide to Spring
Hunt for seedlings, squelch about in the mud, identify birds’ eggs and build your own nest. Discover how tadpoles transform into frogs and why rainbows appear in the sky.
A Field Guide to Summer
Hunt for bugs, build your own sun dial, identify different trees and make your own flower crown. Discover how caterpillars transform into butterflies and why bees are so busy in summertime.
A Field Guide to Autumn
Go berry picking, make art out of fallen leaves, identify mushrooms and build a woodland den. Discover why the weather changes in autumn and how animals prepare for winter.
A Field Guide to Winter
Track paw prints through the snow, make your own woodland wind chimes, identify evergreen trees and write a bedtime story for a sleepy bear. Discover how snowflakes form and why some animals hibernate in winter.
Discover the Field Guide series.
7. Do bears poop in the woods?
Do you know your panda from your polar bear? Can you spot the difference between a sun bear and a sloth bear? Follow your expert field guide as we travel deep into the woods to learn all the ‘bear’ necessities. Field guide Huw Lewis Jones takes readers out into the wild to discover all there is to know and love about the eight different species of bears. So put on your walking boots, grab your binoculars and come along on a journey to see the eight incredible bear species in the wild.
Disover Do bears poop in the woods? by Huw Lewis Jones and Sam Caldwell.
8. The Glasshouse
Filled with intricate lasercuts and glorious images, this gorgeous, large-format book by Hélène Druvert follows Holly as she wanders the city streets, collecting fallen leaves and stray flowers. But one day she stumbles upon the biggest treasure of all, an amazing forgotten place bursting with life and colour that might change her grey world forever…
Discover The Glasshouse by Hélène Druvert.
9. Life
The first thing to capture your attention about this book are the beautiful illustrations of the natural world, adding elegance and depicting an underlying theme of wonder. How It Works
Life is the third title in the highly acclaimed ‘Wild Wonders’ series by award-winning author and illustrator Jennifer N. R. Smith. This immersive, intricately illustrated book introduces the concept of biodiversity to young readers and explains why it’s so important to the world we live in. Stunning illustrations and detailed diagrams bring to life such important concepts as food chains, pollination and genetic diversity. Learn the difference between a biome and a habitat, and discover the remarkable ways that different species have adapted to their natural environment.
Discover Life by Jennifer N. R. Smith.
10. There's a Mountain in This Book
There's a Mountain in This Book provides young readers with an immersive experience of breathtaking mountain environments. Featuring die-cut flaps and interactive gatefolds, it places young adventurers in the hiking boots of a mountain explorer to discover first-hand the plants, animals and environments these mighty landscapes contain. Visit forests and caves in the foothills of the Alps; canyons, lakes and spectacular geysers in the Rocky Mountains; rainforest and moorland in the uplands of Mount Kilimanjaro; and the snowy glaciers and icefalls of the Himalayas.
Discover There's a Mountain in This Book by Rachel Elliot.
