Animal Habitat Books for Children
I know firsthand the excitement that comes with raising children who love animals. If my sons and I had our way, we would have one of every species living with us. Since that was not practical, we settled with some pups, guinea pigs, geckos, bearded dragons, and the occasional cold-blooded critter. To fill in the gaps, we watched a whole lot of Wild Kratts and filled the shelves with all sorts of great animal titles. Here are just a few books to introduce your children to the wonderful world of animals.
4 Animal Habitat Books for Children
Let’s Read and Find Out: Animals in the Winter (Stage 1)
Author Henrietta Bancroft and Richard G. Van Gelder
Illustrated by Helen K. Davie
Titles in the Let’s Read and Find Out series for Preschool to Elementary Schooltand out
This series of books is a great way to introduce concepts about animal habitats, animal behavior, and nature. In Animals in the Winter, we are introduced to several species of animals and how they prepare for the cold, short days. The illustrations provide clues to the meanings of some of the more challenging words, such as 'hibernate' and 'migrate'. At the back of the book, there are suggestions on how you can help keep your backyard friends fed during this season.
Stage 1 books are written on a Pre-K to Kindergarten level. Stage 2 books are written on an Elementary level.
Explore other animal-related topics with these titles:
What Color Is Camouflage? (Level 2)
Where are the Night Animals? (Level 1)
The Arctic Fox’s Journey (Level 1)"
An Usborne Lift-the-Flap Book: Animal Homes
Usborne Books
Ages 5 and 6
This book was so loved that I had to purchase a second one to keep for the future. My sons enjoyed this book before they could read on their own. It was great fun for them to lift the flaps and help tell the story while their mom read to them. A bonus feature is that there are two flaps on each spread, allowing two kids to take turns opening each scene. Unfortunately, this version can only be purchased used.
You can find a used copy of this title for close to $10 on Amazon.
If you prefer a printed alternative with an interactive component that teaches about animal habitats, here are two options from Usborne that you can purchase from CBD:
Here is an option for Pre-School Children. It has similar text and more stylized illustrations of the animals. The titles in the Peep Inside series have small flaps to lift and cutouts to peep through. Usborne Peep Inside Animal Homes
Another great option for Early Elementary Children. Usborne Look Inside Animal Homes
Pagoo
Author and Illustrator: Holling C Holling
For 4th to 8th graders
Holling C Holling, both author and illustrator, printed his series of books about the natural world when my father was a small boy in the 1950s. This author and illustrator made a comeback in this century due to the many families who want to connect their children with great illustrations and living books. A living book is written by an author who has first-hand knowledge of the topic and can connect the reader in a more meaningful way to the topic. Holling and his wife Lucille used their first-hand knowledge of the geography and animals of the United States to create several wonderful books. Our favorite title is Pagoo, a lively tale of a hermit crab and the tidal pool community he calls home.
You can find this book at Beautiful Feet. Pagoo
Holling has another book that follows a baby turtle as she travels down the Mississippi River. You can find this book Minn of the Mississippi here.
Dear Polar Bearhere
Barry Ablett Author and Illustrator
Pre-School to Early Elementary
There are not many shcolastic books that became treid and true favorites in our home but who could resist a book that features a penguin mail carrier traversing the globe so a polar bear can exchange letters with all his bear friends. The interactive nature guaranteed my son would pick it up again and again. This book is a fun way to learn about the different bear species and the habitats they live in.
The onlyplace to purchase this book is here