CurriConnects Book List - Earth Science
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Earth Science
This collection features books about oceans, weather, and geology. Share it in connection with science in general or specifically to complement earth science curriculum.
Preschool and Picture Books
The Earth and I - Frank Asch, (978-0152063955), Fiction
Interest level: K-1, Lexile: 50
A child's senses and sensitivity to the wonders of the earth awake during this book.
The Berenstain Bears by the Sea - Stan Berenstain, (978-0679887195), Fiction
Interest level: K-2, Lexile: 160
The Berenstain Bear family must make many preparations before they can enjoy some time at the ocean.
Go Easy on Energy - Lisa Bullard, (978-0761385134), Non-fiction
Interest level: K-4, Lexile: 470
Learn about types of energy and energy pollution and how to prevent the latter.
Look Out for Litter - Lisa Bullard, (978-0761385141), Non-fiction
Interest level: K-4, Lexile: 520
Find out how to reduce litter by reusing "trash" items and recycling.
Power Up to Fight Pollution - Lisa Bullard, (978-0761385158), Non-fiction
Interest level: K-4, Lexile: 520
Find out how to recognize, prevent, and solve the problem of pollution
Rally for Recycling - Lisa Bullard, (978-0761385165), Non-fiction
Interest level: K-4, Lexile: 520
Can you help solve the earth's trash problem by increasing your recycling; learn how by following Tyler and Tina.
Watch Over Our Water - Lisa Bullard, (978-0761385172), Non-fiction
Interest level: K-4, Lexile: 520
Find out how humans can conserve the small amount of planetary water that is usable.
The Trouble with Dragons - Debi Gliori, (?978-0802797896), Fiction
Interest level: K-2
The dragon presence on earth is wreaking environmental havoc, heating up the air, raping the plants, etc, but other members of the animal kingdom try to help them to live within tighter boundaries so as to help conserve the available resources.
And Still the Turtle Watched - Sheila MacGill-Callahan, (978-0140558364), Fiction
Interest level: K-2, Lexile: 400
A stone turtle, originally carved by a Native American, is lost and refound as the environment he was designed to watch over becomes polluted and gradually recovers.
Octavia and Her Purple Ink Cloud - Donna Rathmell, (978-1607181170), Fiction
Interest level: K-3, Lexile: 730
Olivia the octopus is having trouble getting her protective ink cloud to come out purple!
Into the A, B, Sea: An Ocean Alphabet - Deborah Lee Rose, (978-0439096966), Non-fiction
Interest level: 1-3, Lexile: 30
Each letter of the alphabet introduces a different oceanic animal; told in rhyme, the pages go quickly as readers learn about the life in the sea.
Each Living Thing - Joanne Ryder, (?978-0152018986), Non-fiction
Interest level: K-2, Lexile: 580
This rhyming book rejoices in all creatures of the earth who demand respect and caretaking.
Let's Look at Spring - Sarah Schuette, (978-0736867078), Non-fiction
Interest level: K-2, Lexile: 180
Children learn how we know it is spring.
Big Earth, Little Me - Thom Wiley, (978-0545092258), Non-fiction
Interest level: K-2, Lexile: 120
Ten easy steps are all it takes to save and improve the environment.
Welcome to the Green House - Jane Yolen, (978-0698114456), Non-fiction
Interest level: K-3
This book describes all the delights of the rainforest, from climate to plants to animals.
The Seashore Book - Charlotte Zolotow, (978-0064433648), Fiction
Interest level: 5-3, Lexile: 840
A small boy is able to visualize a day at the ocean by listening to his mother.
Early Elementary Books
Oceanos Y Mares/Oceans and Seas - Cassie Mayer, (978-1432903862), Non-fiction
Interest level: 1-3, Lexile: 380
This Spanish version of "Oceans and Seas" distinguishes between oceans and other bodies of water, describing their locations, life, and uses.
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs - Judi Barrett, (978-0689306471), Fiction
Interest level: 1-5, Lexile: 730
In the fantasy land of Chewandswallow, weather means food, and the portions keep getting larger and larger.
Snow - Marion Dane Bauer, (978-0689854378), Non-fiction
Interest level: 1-3, Lexile: 440
Readers will revel in the delight of winter snow in this ready to read book.
The Magic School Bus Inside the Earth - Joanna Cole, (978-0590407595), Non-fiction
Interest level: 2-4, Lexile: 500
Mrs. Frizzles' class studies the formation of the earth from the inside out as they voyage there on a field trip.
One Tiny Turtle - Nicola Davies, (978-0763623111), Non-fiction
Interest level: 2-4, Lexile: 650
Readers follow the endangered loggerhead turtle from birth out of a turtle egg to her trek to the water, her life in the ocean, and her return to the beach to start her own family.
Follow the Water from Brook to Ocean - Arthur Dorros, (978-0064451154), Non-fiction
Interest level: 2-5, Lexile: 600
Pink Snow and Other Weird Weather - Jennifer Dussling, (978-0448418582), Non-fiction
Interest level: 1-4, Lexile: 300
Readers will enjoy hearing stories of strange but true "weird" weather happenings, including finding a turtle frozen in a hail stone.
Out of the Ocean - Debra Frasier, (978-0152163549), Fiction
Interest level: K-4, Lexile: 690
The ocean provides an almost mystical source of wonder for a family walking on the beach.
A Planet Called Home - Lisa French, (978-1602706620), Fiction
Interest level: 1-3
This rhyming book shows Eco-Pig and his discovery of friends whose homes had been destroyed because of man's influence.
The Earth Has Caught a Cold - Roxane Marie Galliez, (841-671400), Fiction
Interest level: K-3
A very young man takes it upon himself to try and cure some of the Earth's ills, including pollution and misuse of resources.
Weather Words and What They Mean - Gail Gibbons, (978-0823408054), Non-fiction
Interest level: 1-3, Lexile: 450
Readers learn words for many weather phenomenon, often in the context of complete sentences.
Moray Eel: Dangerous Teeth - Meish Goldish, (978-1597169417), Non-fiction
Interest level: 2-4, Lexile: 860
Learn about the dangerous moray eel in this exciting non-fiction description of its characteristics and habitats.
Whaleshark: The World's Biggest Fish - Meish Goldish, (978-1597163972), Non-fiction
Interest level: 1-4, Lexile: 660
Learn about how whale sharks live, grow, and reproduce.
The Weather - Mike Goldsmith, (978-0778747246), Non-fiction
Interest level: 2-5, Lexile: 630
Younger children will enjoy having their weather questions answered about how different weather phenomena form and what the different indicators of weather are (clouds, frost, storms, fog, etc.)
Sandy's Incredible Shrinking Footprint - Femida Handy, (978-1897187692), Fiction
Interest level: K-3, Lexile: 610
As a result of Sandy's finding litter on a beautiful beach, she learns how to limit her own footprint on earth.
Amazing Impossible Erie Canal - Cheryl Harness, (978-0689825842), Non-fiction
Interest level: 5-8, Lexile: 1050
Punxsutawney Phyllis - Susanna Leonard Hill, (978-0823418725), Fiction
Interest level: 1-4, Lexile: 590
Will Punxsutawney Phil's niece be able to step into his role when and if he retires?
Ocean Seasons - Ron Hirschi, (978-0977742325), Non-fiction
Interest level: K-4, Lexile: 950
Beautiful illustrations help readers understand whale migrations and the food web in the ocean that varies from season to season
The Big Storm - Bruce Hiscock, (978-0689317705), Non-fiction
Interest level: 1-4, Lexile: 740
Readers learn about weather formations as they follow the history of a particular devastating storm in the U.S. from 1982.
Wild Weather: Blizzards! - Lorraine Jean Hopping, (978-0590397308), Non-fiction
Interest level: 2-5, Lexile: 610
Readers learn about some of the fiercest blizzards ever experiences besides reading about how a blizzard forms and how meteorologists predict them.
Micro Life in Soil - Natalie Hyde, (978-0778754152), Non-fiction
Interest level: 2-6, Lexile: 750
With plenty of examples and activities, this book illustrates the importance of soil to life on Earth.
Atlantic - Brian Karas, (978-0142400272), Non-fiction
Interest level: K-2
This book examines the size and location of the Atlantic Ocean; also explored are characteristics of this great body of water.
Water Beds: Sleeping in the Ocean - Gail Langer Karwoski, (978-1934359013), Non-fiction
Interest level: 2-7, Lexile: 880
Learn about how marine animals sleep.
Ocean Hide and Seek - Jennifer Kramer, (978-1934359914), Non-fiction
Interest level: 2-4, Lexile: 670
In verse, this book shows the many ocean animals that are able to hide from predators by mimicking their surroundings.
River Friendly, River Wild - Jane Kurtz, (978-1416934875), Fiction
Interest level: K-4, Lexile: 400
A family must evacuate during a flood; their return home is more appreciated than ever before.
Two Bobbies: A True Story of Hurricane Katrina, Friendship, and Survival - Kirby Larson, (978-0802797544), Non-fiction
Interest level: K-4, Lexile: 810
An enterprising pet dog escapes during a hurricane and comes to the aid of a blind cat.
Water Dance - Thomas Locker, (978-0152163969), Fiction
Interest level: 2-5, Lexile: 310
Told from water's point of view, this book explores all of water's manifestations and cycles of change.
Let's Recycle - Anne Mackenzie, (978-0736863230), Non-fiction
Interest level: 1-3, Lexile: 530
This simple, well-illustrated book shows what recycling is and how everyone can take part in it.
Tough, Toothy Baby Sharks - Sandra Markle, (978-0802795939), Non-fiction
Interest level: K-5, Lexile: 1050
Great photographs help readers follow baby sharks from pre-birth to survival stage.
Snowy Weather Days - Katie Marsico, (978-0531167731), Non-fiction
Interest level: K-3, Lexile: 540
This book provides an interesting look into what happens to snow after it arrives.
The Red Rock - Tomio Nitto, (978-0888996695), Fiction
Interest level: K-2
When Beaver's lovely valley is eyed by developers, the animals and a young human start a movement to retain the natural beauty of their surroundings.
Every Day is Earth Day - Jane O'Connor, (978-0061873263), Fiction
Interest level: K-3, Lexile: 350
Nancy's over enthusiastic response to becoming "green" causes problems with her family.
Dory Story - Jerry Palotta, (978-0881060768), Fiction
Interest level: 1-4, Lexile: 500
A young boy in his bathtub daydreams about sailing alone on the ocean and finding out how animals get their food.
Twisters! - Lucille Recht Penner, (978-0375862243), Non-fiction
Interest level: 2-4, Lexile: 520
This book shows readers how storm chasers follow storms to learn about them; it also explores their formation.
Our Earth - Anne Rockwell, (978-0152023836), Non-fiction
Interest level: 2-5, Lexile: 580
Readers learn how the earth and also its volcanoes formed; they also read about the effects of springs on rivers.
Animal Camouflage in the Ocean - Martha Rustad, (978-1429633253), Non-fiction
Interest level: 1-3, Lexile: 410
Readers view many animals that can camouflage themselves effectively in their ocean homes.
Earthdance - Joanne Ryder, (978-0805062311), Non-fiction
Interest level: K-3, Lexile: 820
People who read this book become the earth, turning, feeling, and experiencing different things that impact the environment.
Tornadoes - Mari Schuh, (978-1429634342), Non-fiction
Interest level: 2-4, Lexile: 490
This book describes the formation and prediction of tornadoes for younger readers.
The Environment - Louise Spilsbury, (978-1432934828), Non-fiction
Interest level: 1-8, Lexile: 760
With a series of questions, this book provokes thoughtful enquiry into problems of environmental conservation and protection.
Somewhere in the Ocean - Jennifer Ward, (978-0873587488), Non-fiction
Interest level: 1-4, Lexile: 470
Marine animals and their offspring are featured in this counting book.
Flotsam - David Wiesner, (978-0618194575), Fiction
Interest level: K-3
When a young boy begins collecting items the great ocean has left on the beach, he finds a camera containing many secret photographs in this fascinating wordless picture book.
The Day Ocean Came to Visit - Diane Wolkstein, (978-0152017743), Fiction
Interest level: K-3, Lexile: 370
This book is a retelling of a Nigerian folktale about a time the ocean came to visit the sun and moon.
The Earth Dragon Awakes: The San Francisco Earthquake of 1906 - Laurence Yep, (978-0060275242), Fiction
Interest level: 1-7, Lexile: 510
Henry and his friend Chin find some of the heroes they love reading about while in the midst of the great San Francisco earthquake of 1906.
Upper Elementary to Middle School Books
Beyond the Sunrise - Ben Baglio, (978-0439446174), Fiction
Interest level: 3-6, Lexile: 660
When Jody's new friend, a Bengali dolphin, disappears, she suspects poachers may have captured it.
Columbus's Chart - Gerry Bailey, (978-0778737087), Non-fiction
Interest level: 3-8, Lexile: 900
Read about the life and accomplishments of Christopher Columbus.
Sylvia Earle: Guardian of the Sea - Beth Baker, (978-0822549611), Non-fiction
Interest level: 5-9, Lexile: 1040
This biography describes the adventurous life of deep sea diver, Sylvia Earle, who became a famous and groundbreaking marine biologist.
Nobody Particular: One Woman's Fight to Save the Bays - Molly Bang, (805-053964), Non-fiction
Interest level: 5-12
A woman attempts to put a halt to a chemical company's dumping its waste into a Texas waterway.
Can It Rain Cats and Dogs: Questions and Answers about the Weather - Melvin Berger, (978-0613169035), Non-fiction
Interest level: 4-6, Lexile: 710
Readers learn about the weather by finding answers to many of the most common weather questions.
Natural Disasters: A Chapter Book - Madeline Boskey, (978-0516229188), Non-fiction
Interest level: 2-5, Lexile: 570
In this book, readers will learn about how studying hurricanes, tornadoes, El Nino, and other natural disasters helps scientists learn about their formation and prediction.
Tsunamis - Lisa Bullard, (978-0822588290), Non-fiction
Interest level: 3-5, Lexile: 530
Learn about characteristics and origins of tsunamis; also find out how to stay safe in you are near one.
Tracking Trash: Flotsam, Jetsam, and the Science of Ocean Motion - Loree Griffin Burns, (978-0618581313), Non-fiction
Interest level: 5-12, Lexile: 1200
Nightmare on the Titanic - William Caper, (978-1597163620), Non-fiction
Interest level: 3-6, Lexile: 760
Find out about the events leading up to the crash of the Titanic in 1912 when it hit a fierce iceberg and sank, killing hundreds of people.
Hurricane and Tornado - Jack Challoner, (978-0756606909), Non-fiction
Interest level: 6-9, Lexile: 1090
Besides hurricanes and tornadoes, readers learn about other dangerous weather phenomena from all over the globe including lightning, hail, and drought; photographs, histories, and cultural beliefs add to the interest of this book.
The Magic School Bus Inside a Hurricane - Joanna Cole, (978-0590446877), Non-fiction
Interest level: 3-6, Lexile: 500
The Magic School Bus students learn about a hurricane from being on the inside of one!
The Deep-Sea Floor - Sneed B. Collard, III, (978-1570914027), Non-fiction
Interest level: 2-7, Lexile: 1070
Down to Earth Guide to Global Warming - Laurie David, (978-0439024945), Non-fiction
Interest level: 3-7, Lexile: 1090
This book is a great introduction to the contributing factors and problems resulting from global warming for middle school kids.
What Will the Weather Be? - Lynda DeWitt, (?978-0064451130), Non-fiction
Interest level: 3-6, Lexile: 500
Readers come to understand weather's basic components and how meteorologists use the information they collect with various instruments to make weather predictions.
Be a Storm Chaser - David Dreier, (978-0836889291), Non-fiction
Interest level: 3-6, Lexile: 750
Learn how meterologists forecast severe storms and how storm chasers collect data about them.
Fossils - Rebecca Faulkner, (978-1410927606), Non-fiction
Interest level: 3-6, Lexile: 570
Readers learn everything about fossils including their origins and formation, characteristics, and varieties; additionally, budding scientists will be delighted to find out fossils are clues to the animals they came from.
Ocean Food Webs - Paul Fleisher, (978-0822567325), Non-fiction
Interest level: 3-6, Lexile: 500
The interrelated food webs of ocean animals, particularly birds, provide the content of the book.
Ocean Life - Carolyn Franklin, (978-0531204511), Non-fiction
Interest level: 3-6, Lexile: 940
Learn about a wonderful variety of strange and amazing creatures who inhabit the world's oceans.
Everglades - Jean Craighead George, (978-0064461948), Non-fiction
Interest level: 3-7, Lexile: 660
This book explains the natural history of the Florida Everglades including the impact people have made there.
Planet Earth/Inside Out - Gail Gibbons, (978-0688158491), Non-fiction
Interest level: 4-7, Lexile: 800
This book describes the formation of the earth throughout history.
Chasing the World's Most Dangerous Storms - Clive Gifford, (978-1429645645), Non-fiction
Interest level: 4-7, Lexile: 860
Readers learn about the formation of severe storms, the excitement of being a storm chaser, and the effects of violent weather.
Recycle This Book - Dan Gutman, (978-0385737210), Non-fiction
Interest level: 4-9
This collection of essays by children's authors stresses the importance of conservation and recycling.
The Man Who Named the Clouds - Julie Hannah, (978-0807549742), Non-fiction
Interest level: 4-8, Lexile: 910
Luke Howard's youthful interest in weather and particularly clouds led him to creating a weather system people still use today for classifying types of clouds.
Twisters! - Kate Hayden, (978-0756658809), Non-fiction
Interest level: 3-5, Lexile: 490
Readers learn about the causes, formation, and short and long-term effects of tornadoes.
Investigating Storms - Debra Housel, (978-0756543037), Non-fiction
Interest level: 5-8, Lexile: 940
Readers learn about meteorologists and the severe storms they study all over the earth.
Explore the Ocean - Kay Jackson, (978-0736864060), Non-fiction
Interest level: 4-7, Lexile: 880
Readers learn about the marine ecosystem with its plants, animals, and delicate balance.
Sand Dollar Summer - Kimberly Jones, (978-1416958345), Fiction
Interest level: 3-8, Lexile: 790
A summer in Maine along the shore turns out to be less than idyllic when Lise and her young, mute brother experience some challenges including a hurricane.
Escaping the Giant Wave - Peg Kehret, (978-0689852732), Fiction
Interest level: 5-8, Lexile: 750
Kyle wants to save everyone he can after a post-tsunami earthquake hits his family's resort.
Shipwreck - Gordon Korman, (978-0439164566), Fiction
Interest level: 5-8, Lexile: 610
Several teens embark on a last-chance, imposed ocean journey mandated because of their various types of bad behavior, but the challenge of a deadly storm unifies them as they attempt to survive with few resources.
Ocean Mammals - Elaine Landau, (978-0516261102), Non-fiction
Interest level: 4-7, Lexile: 870
This book offers lots of interesting information about ocean animals: beloved dolphins, mysterious manatees and walruses, and awesome whales among others.
Planet Patrol - Marybeth Lorbiecki, (978-1587285141), Non-fiction
Interest level: 3-7
In this book, children learn they have the power to improve problems of the earth including all kinds of pollution, species extinction, and overpopulation.
Ocean Monsters - Natalie Lunis, (978-1597167130), Non-fiction
Interest level: 3-6, Lexile: 770
Learn about enormous sea monsters of the past.
Diving to a Deep-Sea Volcano - Kenneth Mallory, (978-0618332052), Non-fiction
Interest level: 4-8, Lexile: 1250
Judy Moody Saves the World - Megan McDonald, (978-0763648602), Fiction
Interest level: K-5, Lexile: 500
Judy inspires her class to try to save the environment with an award-winning project despite her brother's skepticism.
Crystal the Snow Fairy - Daisy Meadows, (978-0439813877), Fiction
Interest level: 2-5, Lexile: 610
One of the weather fairies has lost her magic feather which helps bring weather to fairyland; Jack Frost has stolen it, and the weather is not normal
Storm Runners - Barbara Mitchelhill, (978-1842706404), Fiction
Interest level: 4-8, Lexile: 630
A group of dangerously scheming meterologists in Scotland try to control the weather with evil intentions, but two young girls try to expose them.
The Magic School Bus Kicks up a Storm: A Book About Weather - NA NA, (978-0439102759), Fiction
Interest level: 3-5, Lexile: 290
The Magic School Bus transforms into a glider and rides out a storm.
Dolphins and Sharks: Magic Tree House Research Guide - Mary Pope Osborne, (978-0375823770), Non-fiction
Interest level: 3-8, Lexile: 730
In this companion book to the fictional Dolphins at Daybreak by the same author, readers learn about dolphins, sharks, and their oceanic habitats.
Hands on Science Experiments: Earth - Chris Oxlade, (978-1844767120), Non-fiction
Interest level: 2-5, Lexile: 370
Shaping the Earth - Dorothy Hinshaw Patent, (978-0395856918), Non-fiction
Interest level: 4-8, Lexile: 550
In this book, readers learn about the internal forces that created the earth and how they continue to shape it.
The Young Man and the Sea - Rodman Philbrick, (978-0439368308), Fiction
Interest level: 3-12, Lexile: 800
Young Skiff needs to earn a living after his mother dies, so he goes off alone to catch a large tuna in the ocean.
Earth's Weather and Climate - Jim Pipe, (978-0836889208), Non-fiction
Interest level: 3-6, Lexile: 800
This book is an interesting examination of normal and extreme weather; it also gives insight into the jobs related to weather such as weather watchers.
Where Does Lightning Come From? - June Preszler, (978-0736867542), Non-fiction
Interest level: 3-6, Lexile: 690
This book explores weather phenomena that arise with unsettled weather.
Partners in the Sea - Mary Jo Rhodes, (978-0516254920), Non-fiction
Interest level: 4-7, Lexile: 790
Marine plants and animals have all kinds of relationships with each other to help their partners.
Geologists: From Pythias to Stock - William Rice, (978-0756539665), Non-fiction
Interest level: 4-7, Lexile: 780
This book describes personalities and contributions of famous contributors to the field of geology including the early Greks, Friedrich Mohs, Alfred Wegener and Joann Stock.
Oceans: Underwater Worlds - Laura Purdie Salas, (978-1404830974), Non-fiction
Interest level: 3-6, Lexile: 690
Complete with a glossary, this book gives information about the oceans' animal and plant life, the water cycle, and the dangers oceans face from human neglect.
Earth Is Like a Giant Magnet: and Other Freaky Facts About Planets, Oceans, and Volcanoes - Barbara Seuling, (978-1404837577), Non-fiction
Interest level: 6-9, Lexile: 980
This book presents a collection of unusual facts about the earth and other planets.
Dolphins - Seymour Simon, (978-0060283933), Non-fiction
Interest level: 4-8, Lexile: 1040
With great photos, this book explores the lives and personalities of fascinating dolphins.
Blizzards and Winter Storms - Mark Stewart, (978-0836891508), Non-fiction
Interest level: 4-6, Lexile: 790
This book details the causes, characteristics, and effects of severe winter storms.
Waves: Energy on the Move - Darlene Stille, (978-0756512590), Non-fiction
Interest level: 5-8, Lexile: 970
This book explores not only ocean waves, but also waves of sound and light.
Earthquakes and Volcanoes - Lin Sutherland, (978-0794402655), Non-fiction
Interest level: 5-9, Lexile: 1000
Besides learning about the history and formation of these two disasters, readers have the opportunity to get hands on experience in various activities described in the book.
How Many Fish in the Sea: A Book about Oceans - Linda Tagliaferro, (978-0736867863), Non-fiction
Interest level: 3-6, Lexile: 770
This book contains multiple facts about oceans and their aspects including waves, currents, the ocean floor, etc.
Experiments with Weather - Salvatore Tocci, (978-0516227900), Non-fiction
Interest level: 4-6, Lexile: 780
This is a helpful book which explains basic weather principles and offers ideas of experiments that help students understand, utilize, and prove the principles.
Octopuses, Squids, and Cuttlefish - Trudi Trueit, (978-0531163771), Non-fiction
Interest level: 5-8, Lexile: 990
With fantastic photographs and helpful illustrations, this book gives information about cuttlefish, squids, and octopuses.
Just a Dream - Chris Van Allsburg, (978-0547520261), Fiction
Interest level: K-12, Lexile: 550
Walter's dream wakes him up to the necessity of conserving the environment.
Dangerous Crossings - Carole Vogel, (978-0531166796), Non-fiction
Interest level: 6-9, Lexile: 1080
This book follows people who have faced massive challenges at the sea side including bad weather, pirates, terrrorism, and other accidents.
Reefs - Sally Walker, (978-0822579977), Non-fiction
Interest level: 3-6, Lexile: 680
Find out how different kinds of reefs develop and differ from each other.
My Season with Penguins: An Artarctic Journal - Sophie Webb, (978-0618432349), Fiction
Interest level: 6-10, Lexile: 1040
This journal details scientist Sophie Webb's visit to Antartica to draw and observe the Adelie penguins.
Cook: James Cook Charts the Pacific Ocean - Jean Kinney Williams, (978-0756511401), Non-fiction
Interest level: 5-8, Lexile: 880
Read the biography of explorer James Cook who explored and mapped man Pacific Ocean sites.
Saint Louis Armstrong Beach - Brenda Woods, (978-0142421864), Fiction
Interest level: 3-12, Lexile: 660
Saint, a young boy, finds his dog Shadow and accompanies the pet and an older acquaintance to a hurricane shelter during Hurricane Katrina.
Jacques Cousteau: Conserving Underwater Worlds - John Zronik, (978-0778724551), Non-fiction
Interest level: 6-9, Lexile: 1090
Read about the life and accomplishments of the famous Jacques Cousteau.
Middle School to Young Adult Books
Global Warming - , (978-1599053493), Non-fiction
Interest level: 5-12, Lexile: 1040
This book discusses global warming's effects on the environment and efforts to reduce its power. (Saddleback Educational Publishing)
Silent Spring - Rachel Carson, (978-0618249060), Non-fiction
Interest level: 9-12
Rachel Carson's classic book admonishing the world to beware the use of pesticides and other chemicals and describing their effects on the natural world became a leading force in the environmental movement and caused the banning of DDT.
Reducing Pollution - John Coad, (978-1432924904), Non-fiction
Interest level: 5-12, Lexile: 1030
The modern way of life is at odds with protecting the environment, but responsible partners in industry and waste disposal can make a difference in conserving Earth's bounty.
Flash Point - Sneed Collard, (?978-1561453856), Fiction
Interest level: 7-10, Lexile: 830
Luther's after-school work with a vet who helps birds of prey forces him to think about the impact of community land use despite alienating his friends, family, and community with his new beliefs.
Weather - Brian Cosgrove, (978-0756607371), Non-fiction
Interest level: 9-12, Lexile: 1220
Photographs take readers on an amazing journey through different weather patterns and phenomena.
The Down-To-Earth Guide to Global Warming - Laurie David, (978-0439024945), Non-fiction
Interest level: 5-12, Lexile: 1090
This comprehensive look at the causes, effects, and solutions to global warming presents an eye-catching look at ways young people can help solve its problems.
Dive: My Adventures in the Deep Frontier - Sylvia Earle, (978-0792271444), Non-fiction
Interest level: 5-12, Lexile: 1230
The author, a scientist, tells about her adventures collecting information while working in or near the oceans.
Emperors of the Ice: A True Story of Disaster and Survival in the Antarctic, 1910-13 - Richard Farr, (978-0374319755), Fiction
Interest level: 7-12, Lexile: 1050
A younger member of Robert Scott's exploration in Antaractica describes his findings on penguins and the challenges of researching during unpredictable weather.
We are the Weather Makers - Tim Flannery, (?978-0763636562), Non-fiction
Interest level: 8-12, Lexile: 1280
Readers learn about the history of weather and how people are responsible for preventing climate catastrophes of the future.
Droughts - Judith Fradin, (978-1426303395), Non-fiction
Interest level: 6-10, Lexile: 1060
This book describes droughts and the ways science recommends the government should deal with them; it also reviews famous droughts of history.
Dance of the Continents - Roy Gallant, (978-0761409625), Non-fiction
Interest level: 8-12, Lexile: 1120
The historical approach in this book add's to the reader's knowledge of ancient Greek views of geological formations to the present reliance on plate tectonic movements and earthquake predictions.
Geysers: When Earth Roars - Roy Gallant, (978-0531158388), Non-fiction
Interest level: 8-12, Lexile: 1110
This book discusses the formation and location of geysers, their make-up, uses, and future.
The Talking Earth - Jean Craighead George, (978-0064402125), Fiction
Interest level: 7-12, Lexile: 770
Interested in the stories her ancestors told, Billie goes on a "pilgrimage" to the Florida Everglades where she "listens" to the communications the earth gives her.
Holding up the Earth - Dianne Gray, (978-0618007035), Fiction
Interest level: 5-10, Lexile: 880
A fourteen-year-old foster daughter learns about the richness of farm life while visiting a Nebraska farmstead and reading her foster mother's family's dairies and old letters.
Wish Me Luck - James Heneghan, (978-0440227649), Fiction
Interest level: 5-12, Lexile: 680
Jamie's father sends his son, along with other children, to Canada during WWII in order to escape the terrible London bombing, but (based on a true account of the bombing of a children's transport) the ship members face possible death when their ship come
Extreme Scientists: Exploring Nature's Mysteries from Perilous Places - Donna Jackson, (978-0618777068), Non-fiction
Interest level: 4-9, Lexile: 1130
This book follows the careers of three different "extreme" scientists whose jobs take them to dangerous places and situations.
Down, Down, Down: A Journey to the Bottom of the Sea - Steve Jenkins, (978-0618966363), Non-fiction
Interest level: 6-9, Lexile: 1040
By going to the very bottom of the ocean floor, readers learn about plants, animals, birds, and other ocean phenomena.
The Voyage of the Continental - Katherine Kirkpatrick, (978-0823415809), Fiction
Interest level: 8-12, Lexile: 670
A young orphan girl follows a call for settlers to go to the Washington Territories (modern-day Seattle); she not only makes the ocean trip to her new location but also grows as a person, makes friends, and survives when someone tries to kill her.
Ecology - Donna Latham, (978-1410933362), Non-fiction
Interest level: 5-12, Lexile: 770
Plants and animals rely on a tenuous but complex system of interrelatedness; ecosystems can be affected by violent weather as well as other sources of cataclysmic change.
A Sand County Almanac - Aldo Leopold, (978-0345345059), Non-fiction
Interest level: 8-12
Aldo Leopold discusses his beautiful surroundings in central Wisconsin and introduces suggestions about how to preserve our natural environment.
Cave Sleuths - Laurie Lindop, (978-0761327028), Non-fiction
Interest level: 9-12, Lexile: 1220
Readers learn about cave science (speleology), particularly how caves form, what natural life there is in them, and what some famous caves are like.
Venturing the Deep Sea - Laurie Lindop, (978-0761327011), Non-fiction
Interest level: 8-12, Lexile: 1200
See the eyes of the ocean floor through the scientists who work there.
Ocean - Miranda MacQuitty, (978-0756607104), Non-fiction
Interest level: 7-12, Lexile: 1160
This book shows the amazing diversity of life and phenomena in the ocean; plenty of graphics make it all easy to imagine.
The Ancient Ocean Blues - Jack Mitchell, (978-0887768323), Fiction
Interest level: 5-9, Lexile: 800
A supporter of the classic Julius Caesar braves an oceanic journey fraught with perils in order to try and keep Cicero from preventing Caesar's rise to power.
Ocean, Tidal, and Wave Energy: Power from the Sea - Lynn Peppas, (978-0778729198), Non-fiction
Interest level: 7-12, Lexile: 1090
Readers learn how power can be harnessed from a variety of water sources; advantages and also drawbacks discussed make this an up-to-date book.
Life as We Knew It - Susan Beth Pfeffer, (978-0152058265), Fiction
Interest level: 6-12, Lexile: 770
A young teen relates the story of how a meteor strike affects her family and the world with its resulting earthquakes, tsunamis, and erupting volcanoes.
Nation - Terry Pratchett, (978-0061433016), Fiction
Interest level: 5-12, Lexile: 790
Into the Deep: The Life of Naturalist and Explorer William Beebe - David Sheldon, (978-1580893428), Non-fiction
Interest level: 5-8, Lexile: 940
William Beebe, a scientist who loved nature from the time he was a young boy, explored many aspects of nature including the ocean and the rain forest, and forwarded the practice of ecology.
Tree of Life: The Incredible Biodiversity of Life on Earth - Rochelle Strauss, (978-1553376699), Non-fiction
Interest level: 5-9, Lexile: 910
An exploration of the five kingdoms of biology introduces readers to the ideas of biological classification of species and biodiversity.
Amelia Earhart: This Broad Ocean - Sarah Stewart Taylor, (?978-1423113379), Non-fiction
Interest level: 8-12, Lexile: 1080
A young reporter sees Amelia Earhart off as she leaves Newfoundland and receives news of her arrival in Ireland after less than 24 hours; Earhart's goal was to cross the Atlantic Ocean in an airplane.
Hurricane Force: In the Path of America's Deadliest Storms - Joseph Treaster, (978-0753460863), Non-fiction
Interest level: 8-12, Lexile: 1170
Aided with vivid photographs and excerpts from real newspapers, this book describes the formation, scientific response, lasting effects, and personal reactions to strong hurricanes.
Rocks, Gems, and Minerals - Trudi Strain Trueit, (978-0531121955), Non-fiction
Interest level: 8-12, Lexile: 1120
This book helps readers appreciate the wonder of the formation of rocks and minerals.
Generation Us: The Challenge of Global Warming - Andrew Weaver, (978-1554698042), Non-fiction
Interest level: 5-12, Lexile: 1070
How does global warming occur and what are its solutions? This book presents a careful look at this all-encompassing problem.
Books for Mature Teens and Adults
El Nino: Stormy Weather for People and Wildlife - Caroline Arnold, (978-0618551101), Non-fiction
Interest level: 10-12, Lexile: 1250
This book goes into the effects the weather phenomenon El Nino has on the weather, the human populace, and the animal kingdom.
The Armchair Environmentalist - Karen Christensen, (978-1840728620), Non-fiction
Interest level: 9-12
In this book, readers get specific suggestions of everyone can use small steps to help save the environment.
An Inconvenient Truth: The Planetary Emergency of Global Warming and What We Can Do about It - Al Gore, (978-1594865671), Non-fiction
Interest level: 8-12, Lexile: 1070
This book summarizes all the arguments for trying to save the environment from global warming's effects and how to prevent its increase.
Earth in the Balance - Al Gore, (159-4866376), Non-fiction
Interest level: 8-12
This book trumpets the necessity of political involvement in global warming and mankind's responsibility toward preventing more global warming and alleviating its effects.
David Suzuki's Green Guide - David Suzuki, (978-1553652939), Non-fiction
Interest level: 9-12
Suzuki discusses the effort and benefits of green living.
Middle Grade Books
The Earth Dragon Awakes: The San Francisco Earthquake of 1906 - Laurence Yep, (978-0060008468), Fiction
Interest level: 3-7, Lexile: 510
Friends Henry and Chin love to read popular short novels called "penny dreadfuls." When the earth starts to shake, they are sure the earth dragon has awoken.