As we focus on this season of gratitude, the Hike it Baby Book Club has compiled some awesome book selections that help remind us why we are grateful for nature!
The Table Where Rich People Sit by Byrd Baylor
A young girl discovers that her impoverished family is rich in things that matter in life, especially being outdoors and experiencing nature.
When Grandma Gives You a Lemon Tree by Jamie L.B. Deenihan
When Grandma gives you a lemon tree, definitely don’t make a face! Care for the tree, and you might be surprised at how new things, and new ideas, bloom.
All the World by Liz Garton Scanlon
All the world is here. It is there. It is everywhere. All the world is right where you are. Now.
Following a circle of family and friends through the course of a day from morning until night, this book affirms the importance of all things great and small in our world, from the tiniest shell on the beach, to the warmth of family connections, to the widest sunset sky.
Giving Thanks by Jonathan London
A father passes on to his son the gift of seeing the beauty around him — and giving thanks.
Thank you, Mother Earth. Thank you, Father Sky. Thank you for this day.
How can a young boy ever show his gratitude for all the beauty he sees? He will learn from his father, who thanks the earth and the sky, the frogs and the crickets, the hawk and the deer — even the trees that wave their arms in the breeze.
Apple Cake: A Gratitude By Dawn Casey
In this simple rhyming story, a child says thank you for the gifts nature provides, from hazelnuts in the hedge to apples from the tree, eggs from the hens to milk from the cow. Eventually, the family has enough ingredients to make something special…a delicious apple cake!
When I Was Young in the Mountains by Cynthia Rylant
This classic story highlights the simple pleasures of country living, both indoors and out.
Wonderful Nature, Wonderful You by Karin Ireland
Learn about different animals in various habitats, while exploring nature with children in Wonderful Nature, Wonderful You. This inspirational book for kids will also allow children to develop a deeper appreciation for the life lessons one can learn by observing nature outdoors.
The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein
“Once there was a tree…and she loved a little boy.”
So begins a story of unforgettable perception, beautifully written and illustrated by the gifted and versatile Shel Silverstein. This moving parable for all ages offers a touching interpretation of the gift of giving and a serene acceptance of another’s capacity to love in return.
Here We Are: Notes for Living on Planet Earth by Oliver Jeffers
Here is Oliver Jeffers’ user’s guide to life on Earth. He created it especially for his son, yet with a universality that embraces all children and their parents. Be it a complex view of our planet’s terrain (bumpy, sharp, wet), a deep look at our place in space (it’s big), or a guide to all of humanity (don’t be fooled, we are all people), Oliver’s signature wit and humor combine with a value system of kindness and tolerance to create a must-have book for parents.
Snowflake Bentley by Jacqueline Briggs Martin
From the time he was a small boy in Vermont, Wilson Bentley saw snowflakes as small miracles. And he determined that one day his camera would capture for others the wonder of the tiny crystal. Bentley’s enthusiasm for photographing snowflakes was often misunderstood in his time, but his patience and determination revealed two important truths: no two snowflakes are alike; and each one is startlingly beautiful.
Thank You, Earth: A Love Letter to Our Planet by April Pulley Sayre
Thank You, Earth introduces concepts of science, nature, and language arts through stunning photographs and a poetic text structured as a simple thank-you note. Touching on subjects from life cycles to weather, colors, shapes, and patterns, this is an ideal resource for science and language art curriculums and a terrific book for bedtime sharing.
Giving Thanks: A Native American Good Morning Message by Chief Jake Swamp
Giving Thanks is a special children’s version of the Thanksgiving Address, a message of gratitude that originated with the Native people of upstate New York and Canada and that is still spoken at ceremonial gatherings held by the Iroquois, or Six Nations.
