Non fiction nature books for 8 year old.
November 4, 2018 5:07 AM Subscribe
My niece is interested in crystals, minerals, animals and natural phenomena (the stranger the better). Could I get some recommendations for books (not nat geo for kids, she already has a subscription) that would be age appropriate?
My niece is going to be 8 in February and in the past year, she has gone off fiction completely. I am absolutely thrilled she has an interest in nonfiction and would like to buy some books for Christmas in support of this. She likes learning about unusual natural things as well as animals - specifically those considered scary or strange (sharks, spiders, snakes, insects, crocodiles etc)and she also loves crystals.
I would ideally like things that aren't too basic, the national geographic subscription she has seems too young for her and the issues aren't long enough.
Essentially there's extra points for grotesque things, she really likes the weird and wonderful.
Suggestions would be so appreciated. Thank you!!
My niece is going to be 8 in February and in the past year, she has gone off fiction completely. I am absolutely thrilled she has an interest in nonfiction and would like to buy some books for Christmas in support of this. She likes learning about unusual natural things as well as animals - specifically those considered scary or strange (sharks, spiders, snakes, insects, crocodiles etc)and she also loves crystals.
I would ideally like things that aren't too basic, the national geographic subscription she has seems too young for her and the issues aren't long enough.
Essentially there's extra points for grotesque things, she really likes the weird and wonderful.
Suggestions would be so appreciated. Thank you!!
How about some grownup field guides? I got some around her age and treasured them for many years. The Audubon guides are lovely. You could start with the insects/spiders and rocks/minerals guides and have a tradition of getting a new one for the collection every year.
posted by dayintoday at 5:48 AM on November 4, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by dayintoday at 5:48 AM on November 4, 2018 [1 favorite]
Came here to say DK Eyewitness.
A lot of kids' nature books have something like "weird" in the title. If you are close to a bookstore with a kids section, it might be worth stopping by and browsing. Some of the books sold online turn out to be disappointingly thin, use public domain images, etc.
posted by BibiRose at 5:54 AM on November 4, 2018
A lot of kids' nature books have something like "weird" in the title. If you are close to a bookstore with a kids section, it might be worth stopping by and browsing. Some of the books sold online turn out to be disappointingly thin, use public domain images, etc.
posted by BibiRose at 5:54 AM on November 4, 2018
My 8-year-old enjoyed this Elements book.
She also adores all the weird info in the Ripley's Believe it or Not series.
posted by belladonna at 6:38 AM on November 4, 2018 [3 favorites]
She also adores all the weird info in the Ripley's Believe it or Not series.
posted by belladonna at 6:38 AM on November 4, 2018 [3 favorites]
I was going to say the Ripley's books too. They are sooooo good. Both of my kids loved them at that age and they come out with a new edition every year.
posted by selfmedicating at 6:41 AM on November 4, 2018
posted by selfmedicating at 6:41 AM on November 4, 2018
This book has great art, interesting facts, and a sense of humour. Also a young female protagonist!
Dinosaur Empire! (Earth Before Us #1) : Journey through the Mesozoic Era, Abby Howard
"Ronnie is just a normal fifth-grader trying to pass her science class's impossible quiz on the history of dinosaurs . . . until she happens upon her neighbor - Ms. Lernin - a retired paleontologist. With the assistance of Science Magic, Ronnie and Ms. Lernin travel back through time and space to experience the Mesozoic Era firsthand. They visit three important time periods in the development of the Mesozoic Era: the Triassic, the Jurassic, and the Cretaceous. Along the way, Ronnie finds herself face-to-face with real-life dinosaurs and reptiles, like stegosauruses, velociraptors, and thalattosaurs. With the help of her neighbor's trusty knowledge of prehistoric times, she learns the differences between herbivores, carnivores, and omnivores, as well as between dinosaurs, insects, and reptiles. This insightful and informative graphic novel uses engaging art to bring facts to life, giving kids the tools to understand the evolution of these prehistoric creatures and the important effects this era had on our world today."
posted by Murderbot at 6:46 AM on November 4, 2018
Dinosaur Empire! (Earth Before Us #1) : Journey through the Mesozoic Era, Abby Howard
"Ronnie is just a normal fifth-grader trying to pass her science class's impossible quiz on the history of dinosaurs . . . until she happens upon her neighbor - Ms. Lernin - a retired paleontologist. With the assistance of Science Magic, Ronnie and Ms. Lernin travel back through time and space to experience the Mesozoic Era firsthand. They visit three important time periods in the development of the Mesozoic Era: the Triassic, the Jurassic, and the Cretaceous. Along the way, Ronnie finds herself face-to-face with real-life dinosaurs and reptiles, like stegosauruses, velociraptors, and thalattosaurs. With the help of her neighbor's trusty knowledge of prehistoric times, she learns the differences between herbivores, carnivores, and omnivores, as well as between dinosaurs, insects, and reptiles. This insightful and informative graphic novel uses engaging art to bring facts to life, giving kids the tools to understand the evolution of these prehistoric creatures and the important effects this era had on our world today."
posted by Murderbot at 6:46 AM on November 4, 2018
Also Science Comics: Bats: Learning to Fly by Falynn Koch.
"Every volume of Science Comics offers a complete introduction to a particular topic—dinosaurs, coral reefs, the solar system, volcanoes, bats, flying machines, and more. These gorgeously illustrated graphic novels offer wildly entertaining views of their subjects. Whether you're a fourth grader doing a natural science unit at school or a thirty year old with a secret passion for airplanes, these books are for you!
This volume: In Bats, we follow a little brown bat whose wing is injured by humans on a nature hike. He is taken to a bat rehabilitation center where he meets many different species of bats. They teach him how they fly, what they eat, and where they like to live."
posted by Murderbot at 6:56 AM on November 4, 2018 [2 favorites]
"Every volume of Science Comics offers a complete introduction to a particular topic—dinosaurs, coral reefs, the solar system, volcanoes, bats, flying machines, and more. These gorgeously illustrated graphic novels offer wildly entertaining views of their subjects. Whether you're a fourth grader doing a natural science unit at school or a thirty year old with a secret passion for airplanes, these books are for you!
This volume: In Bats, we follow a little brown bat whose wing is injured by humans on a nature hike. He is taken to a bat rehabilitation center where he meets many different species of bats. They teach him how they fly, what they eat, and where they like to live."
posted by Murderbot at 6:56 AM on November 4, 2018 [2 favorites]
Seconding Murderbot, check out the whole Science Comics series (published by First Second) - they have graphic novels on coral reefs, dogs, polar bears, volcanoes, the solar system, the human body, etc.
Wide Eyed Books makes gorgeous natural sciences focused picture books. They're picture books, but the text is aimed at older readers and the art is so beautiful they act as art books too.
Would she also be interested in books about coding? Or about women in the sciences?
Or space adventures with mad science?
posted by Geameade at 7:17 AM on November 4, 2018 [2 favorites]
Wide Eyed Books makes gorgeous natural sciences focused picture books. They're picture books, but the text is aimed at older readers and the art is so beautiful they act as art books too.
Would she also be interested in books about coding? Or about women in the sciences?
Or space adventures with mad science?
posted by Geameade at 7:17 AM on November 4, 2018 [2 favorites]
Some tried-and-true recommendations from my 4th/5th grade classroom:
Animals:
Unusual Creatures
The Private Lives of Animals
Animal Architects
Crystals:
Understanding Minerals and Crystals
Smithsonian Handbooks: Rocks and Minerals
posted by mai at 7:44 AM on November 4, 2018
Animals:
Unusual Creatures
The Private Lives of Animals
Animal Architects
Crystals:
Understanding Minerals and Crystals
Smithsonian Handbooks: Rocks and Minerals
posted by mai at 7:44 AM on November 4, 2018
As always I recommend the Cricket-brand magazine. Muse is aimed at kids 9-14 into science. I always adored magazine subscriptions because I kept getting new things.
posted by jeather at 10:11 AM on November 4, 2018 [2 favorites]
posted by jeather at 10:11 AM on November 4, 2018 [2 favorites]
Walking the World in Wonder is a book for kids age 5-10 with an herbalist point of view, to explore nature and plants around them.
posted by jillithd at 7:23 PM on November 4, 2018
posted by jillithd at 7:23 PM on November 4, 2018
Seconding dayintoday - field guides! Sibley, Peterson, Audubon, et. al. As a kid I wore out what was probably the 1964 version of Herbert S. Zim's "Guide to Insects"!
posted by Wylie Kyoto at 2:30 PM on November 5, 2018
posted by Wylie Kyoto at 2:30 PM on November 5, 2018
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by Knicke at 5:37 AM on November 4, 2018 [5 favorites]