As the weather dazzles us with sunshine and flowers blooming, don't forget to grab one of these Children's Books Celebrating National Parks to help inspire your next trip or outdoor adventure.
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• Children's Books Celebrating National Parks •
TALLULAH THE MERMAID AND THE GREAT LAKES PLEDGE
Help Tallulah the mermaid protect the Great Lakes–and learn how you can become an honorary mermaid too!
Tallulah is ready to start her work as the Great Lakes' first official mermaid! After taking the pledge to protect and care for the lakes, she's off–caring for the various creatures that call the Great Lakes home, keeping the water and shores safe and clean, helping the boats navigate the waterways, and more! It's a big job. And when a raft carrying a pair of children gets swept from the beach into rough waters, she swims into action.
Maya and Finn can barely believe they've been rescued by a mermaid! When the kids and Tallulah find they have a love for the Great Lakes in common, Tallulah makes them honorary Great Lakes Mermaids–she could use the help! She presents them with their own Petoskey stones and has them recite the Great Lakes Pledge.
Backmatter includes information on how readers can become an honorary mermaid themselves!
TALLULAH THE MERMAID AND THE GREAT LAKES PLEDGE
Written by Denise Brennan-Nelson and Illustrated by Brooke O'Neill
Published by Sleeping Bear Press
As a boy, David loved exploring the wild places near his home in England, collecting fossils, rocks, and newts. When he grew older, he got a job in television, where he had an idea for a new kind of show: He would travel to wild places all over the world to film animals in their natural habitats. Over the span of seven decades, David's innovative documentaries have been treasured by millions of people.
But as time went on, he noticed the wild places he loved were shrinking. What could David do to help? What could we all do?
This is the story of David Attenborough. It’s also the story of our planet, which has changed rapidly over the course of one person’s lifetime, and a clarion call for us to do our part to bring back the wild places and protect the creatures who call Earth home.WILD PLACES
Written by Hayley Rocco and Illustrated by John Rocco
Published by G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers
50 ADVENTURES IN THE 50 STATES
Be brave and set your spirit free on an exciting journey across the U.S. of A, taking in 50 incredible adventures!
From the award-winning author of National Parks of the USA, Kate Siber
This stunning book showcases an amazing adventure activity to try in every single state. 50 Adventures in the 50 States features gripping outdoors activities, vividly illustrated and described alongside fascinating facts about the nature and geography of each activity location – the very best the U.S.A. has to offer budding young adventurers!
Each adventure is illustrated with a beautiful, poster-worthy image, with pull-out facts about how the adventure activity is accomplished and key information about the area's natural and cultural highlights.
Activities range from the high-octane, such as wind surfing the Gulf Coast in Texas or canyoneering in Utah, to the magical and inspiring, such as soaking in natural hot springs in Idaho, stargazing from a train in Nevada and witnessing the synchronous firefly displays in Tennessee. Wonder at the beauty as you:
- Walk on an active glacier in Alaska
- Climb the highest peak in the Northeast in New Hampshire
- Horseback ride through ancient canyons with a Navajo guide in Arizona
- Surf the iconic Venice Beach in California
This book is to be pored over and treasured by aspiring adventurers – be they children or adults!
50 ADVENTURES IN THE 50 STATES
Written by Lydia Hill and Illustrated by Kate Siber
Published by Wide Eyed Editions
Did you know the Colorado Plateau covers a region made up of four ecosystems? Situated in Utah, Zion National Park is a geologically unique region of the United States. Take a glimpse at Zion's colorful sandstone canyons, high plateaus, and rock towers–and more–in Zion National Park!
In each book in the series, young readers will discover a mini guidebook that includes:
- Unique park features
- Wildlife and weather
- Scenic views
- Park history and Indigenous peoples
- And more fun park activities!
Little ones will be ready to guide your next road trip from the back seat in no time!
ZION NATIONAL PARK
Written and Illustrated by Greg Paprocki
Published by Little Hero
I AM MADE OF MOUNTAINS:
An Ode to National Parks: The Landscapes of Us
Loujain watches her beloved baba attach his feather wings and fly each morning, but her own dreams of flying face a big obstacle: only boys, not girls, are allowed to fly in her country. Yet despite the taunts of her classmates, she is determined to do it–especially because Loujain loves colors, and only by flying can she see the color-filled field of sunflowers her baba has told her about. Eventually, he agrees to teach her, and Loujain's impossible dream becomes reality–and soon other girls dare to learn to fly.
Based on the experiences of co-author Lina AlHathloul's sister, Nobel Peace Prize nominee Loujain AlHathloul, who led the successful campaign to lift Saudi Arabia's ban on women driving, this moving and gorgeously illustrated story reminds us to strive for the changes we want to see–and to never take for granted women's and girls' freedoms.
I AM MADE OF MOUNTAINS: AN ODE TO NATIONAL PARKS THE LANDSCAPES OF US Written by Alexandra S. D. Hinrichs and Illustrated by Vivian Mineker
Published by Charlesbridge Publishing
IF I WERE A PARK RANGER
Imagine serving as a park ranger for our U.S. National Parks!
If you were a national park ranger, you'd spend every day in one of the most treasured places in America. You'd wear a special uniform, a hat, and a badge–but sometimes you might also need snowshoes or a life jacket. Maybe you'd track the movements of wild animals. You could help scientists make discoveries. You might even be part of a search and rescue team! You'd have an amazing job protecting animals, the environment, and our country's natural and historical heritage, from the wilds of Denali to the Statue of Liberty.
IF I WERE A PARK RANGER
Written Catherine Stier and Illustrated by Patrick Corrigan
Published by Albert Whitman & Company
THE SEQUOIA LIVES ON
This book shares the life story of the giant sequoia, casting light on natural questions: How does this tree grow so big? How does it live so long?
From tiny seed to world's largest tree, the giant sequoia is a living wonder of nature. This ancient and tremendous species grows naturally only on the western slopes of California's Sierra Nevada.Each sequoia begins life as a seed no larger than an oatmeal flake–yet can grow as tall as three blue whales stacked chin to tale.
The oldest sequoias have lived as long as forty human lifetimes. The largest are so enormous, twenty children holding hands can't wrap their arms around the trunks! In evocative text and vibrant paintings, The Sequoia Lives On reveals all of this fascinating information and more. An extensive author's note completes the portrait for young readers, inviting them to become the next generation of protectors for this amazing tree.
Published by Yosemite Conservancy
THE HIKE
A plucky and sweet adventure story, The Hike celebrates how fun and rewarding it is to explore nature in your own backyard!
Three intrepid young female explorers set out to conquer the outdoors in their local forest, enjoying the process in their own different ways. Wren brings a sketchbook and a flag, El brings a poetry notebook, and Hattie brings feathers (and holds Bean the dog's leash). They get lost and use maps to find their way. They draw wildlife, spot deer tracks, and see a deer before it startles and disappears, all before they finally and joyfully reach their destination.
Filled with lyrical language that captures the majesty of the natural world, coupled with a fun narrative, this spirited picture book tells the story of the girls' friendship–and their tribulations and triumphs in the great outdoors.
THE HIKE
Written and Illustrated by Alison Farrell
Published by Chronicle Books
A DAY IN THE LIFE OF THE DESERT
Tour 6 North American deserts in 24 hours from day break in the Mojave Desert through midnight in the Great Basin.
This meticulously illustrated picture book takes readers on a cross-continental tour in 24 hours, visiting 6 different deserts at different hours of the day, and returning to each desert as night falls. Meet the critters that call these habitats home, from the turkey vultures that fly under the hot daytime sun to the gila monster that crawls across the cool nighttime sand.
While exploring the desert, young readers can play hide and seek with all kinds of desert creatures! Every nook and cranny is filled with critters big and small for readers to identify using the matching key at the bottom of the page.
However, these incredibly important, fragile ecosystems are in danger. On the daytime visits, children in grades 2-4 can learn about the challenges these deserts and animals face due to climate change, invasive species, and other threats.
When returning to each desert at night, readers can also learn about what's being done to protect these unique habitats. The deserts depicted are the Mojave, the Chihuahuan, the Great Basin, the Sonoran, Painted Valley, and Death Valley.
Budding naturalists can dive into the extensive material in the back of the book, including an author's note with age-appropriate resources on how to get involved, a glossary with science vocabulary, and a bibliography.
The Books for a Better Earth(TM) collection is designed to inspire young people to become active, knowledgeable participants in caringfor the planet they live on. Focusing on solutions to climate change challenges, the collection looks at how scientists, activists, andyoung leaders are working to safeguard Earth's future.
A DAY IN THE LIFE OF THE DESERT
Written and Illustrated by Roxie Munro
Published by Holiday House
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Bethany Edwards is an elementary educator as well as a reading and literacy specialist. On Biracial Bookworms, she focuses on multiracial and multicultural resources for teaching literacy skills using reading, travel, and learning multiple languages. Additionally, she offers online and self-paced courses for parents and caregivers on Biracial Bookworms Academy.
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