Nature Trails: Fun and Survival Outdoors

Books for Preschoolers

To order any of these titles, contact the library by email, mail or phone. You may also request these titles online through our OPAC. Happy Reading!

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At the Edge of the Woods: A Counting Book by Cynthia Cotten.
BR 14044.
A counting book, from one to ten and back again, in rhymes about animals and insects found at the edge of the woods. Print/Braille. Preschool through grade 2.

The Baby’s Good Morning Book by Kay Chorao.
BR 7121.
A collection of poetry, rhymes and songs about waking up, morning activities, beginnings and nature. Print/Braille. Preschool through grade 2.

The Bear That Heard Crying by Natalie Kinsey-Warnock and Helen Kinsey.
RC 46524.
A fictionalized account of the day in 1783 when three-year-old Sarah Whitcher wandered away from home. Lost in the woods and crying, Sarah attracts the attention of a big black bear. Preschool through grade 2.

Blueberries for Sal by Robert McCloskey.
BR 13566 or RC 52440.
One day in Maine, Little Sal goes blueberry picking with her mother. Little Bear also comes with his mother to eat blueberries on the other side of the hill. There is quite a mix up when the little ones stray from their mothers. Preschool through grade 2.

The Brave Little Bunny by Linda Jennings.
RC 41930.
Millie is a lop-eared rabbit who lives in a hutch with her brothers and sisters. But she longs to explore the outside world. Millie's chance comes one day when someone leaves the door open. She scampers across the yard, under a hedge, and straight into the path of a fox. What will Millie do now? Preschool through grade 2.

Castles, Caves, and Honeycombs by Linda Ashman.
LP 677.
Describes some of the unique places where animals build their homes, such as in a heap of twigs, on a castle tower, in a cave, or in the hollow space inside a tree. Preschool through grade 2.

Fireflies! by Julie Brinckloe.
RC 12673 or LP 1205.
A young boy is proud of having caught a jar full of fireflies, which seems to him like owning a piece of moonlight, but as the light begins to dim, he realizes he must set the insects free or they will die. Preschool through grade 2.

Franklin Is Lost by Paulette Bourgeois.
BR 53704.
Franklin wanders off while playing hide and seek with his friends. Print/Braille. Preschool through grade 2.

Going for a Walk by Beatrice Schenk De Regniers.
BR 5458.
A little girl goes for a walk, greeting many animals on her way and meeting someone who becomes her new friend. Print/Braille. Preschool through grade 2.

In the Tall, Tall Grass by Denise Fleming.
BR 8945.
Hummingbirds sip, bees hum, ants lug, moles scratch, beetles hurry, fireflies glow, and much, much, more as we tour the tall, tall grass with a fuzzy caterpillar. Print/Braille. Preschool through grade 2.

Inch by Inch: The Garden Song by David Mallett.
RC 43794
A youngster takes his rake and hoe and, inch by inch and row by row, plans to make a garden grow. Preschool through grade 2.

Little Bear’s New Friend by Else Holmelund Minarik.
LP 926.
After Little Bear meets a bear cub living alone by a stream, he and his friends help the cub find his missing parents. Preschool through grade 2.

Little Bunny on the Move by Peter McCarty.
BR 13007.
A little bunny is hurrying through the countryside, past other animals and even past a little girl who wants him for a pet, for the little bunny has a special destination. Print/Braille. Preschool through grade 2.

The Night Call by Jeanne Modesitt.
RC 38283.
Late one night, when everyone is asleep, a star falls from the sky. Starman sends a message on the wind to stuffed animals Rabbit and Mr. Bear. They go to a secret world hidden beneath a hollow tree, where they join their friends in a search for the fallen star. Preschool through grade 2.

Over in the Meadow by Paul Galdone.
RC 28057.
This well-known counting rhyme introduces the numbers one to 10 using familiar animals. Preschool through grade 2.

Owl Moon by Jane Yolen.
RC 42932 or LP 50092.
On a cold winter's night, under a bright full moon, a young girl and her father trek into the woods to see the Great Horned Owl. Preschool through grade 2.

P.J. Funnybunny in the Perfect Hiding Place by Marilyn Sadler.
RC 32363.
P.J. Funnybunny and his friends don't usually play with girls, so everyone is surprised when he lets his little sister Honey Bunny and her friend Donna Duck play hide-and-seek. But it is just a trick, and P.J. and his friends go off on their tricycles, leaving the girls hidden. Returning home for supper, P.J. feels ashamed when his mother asks "Where's Honey Bunny?" Preschool through grade 2.

Pip’s Magic by Ellen Stoll Walsh.
BR 10044.
Pip, a salamander, is afraid of the dark. His frog friends tell Pip he should ask Old Abra, the wizard, for some magic that will help him be brave. Pip thinks it is a wonderful idea, but finding Old Abra means going through the dark woods and a darker tunnel. Print/Braille. Preschool through grade 2.

Rolling Rose by James Stevenson.
RC 39336.
A humorous nonsense story about Rose, a baby in a rolling walker, her Rosemobile. One day when her mother is cooking, her father is reading, her brother is playing, and the dog is napping, Rose rolls right out the door. Soon she is joined by Robby, Ruthie, Michael, Debbie, and 80 other babies in a rollicking, rolling parade! Preschool through grade 2.

Rosa’s Special Garden by Dale Fife.
RC 24707.
A four-year-old girl gets to have a garden. Instead of it being a garden for plants and seeds, she wants it to be a place for animals to visit. Preschool through grade 2.

The Snow Speaks by Nancy White Carlstrom.
RC 41554.
From the first snowfall of the season, the children listen to the snow speak. It squeaks and crunches under their feet, blows in waves and spray, and tells of magic in the woods. And just when the snow finally seems silent, it begins to whisper and then sing of Christmas. Preschool through grade 2.

Sweet Dreams of the Wild by Rebecca Kai Dotlich.
RC 42581.
Poems that explain to a sleepy child where different kinds of animals go to bed. A hummingbird sleeps in a teacup-sized nest, a turtle rests on a moss-covered log, sheep nap in the open countryside, and all "cuddle up tight with sweet dreams of the wild." Preschool through grade 2.

Ten Seeds by Ruth Brown.
LP 697.
The reader can join in a gardening countdown, from the planting of 10 seeds and watching their progress, to the harvesting. Preschool through grade 2.

Those Summers by Aliki.
RC 43608.
A tone poem describes an extended family's summers at the seashore sharing a big shady house. The children spend their days playing at the beach, their evenings on the boardwalk, and rainy days reading and playing games. Preschool through grade 2.

We’re Going on a Bear Hunt retold by Michael Rosen.
RC 34744.
Delightful retelling of an action-packed chant that tells the story of a brave young family who set out to hunt a bear. They go through long grass, "swishy, swashy!" And through a river, "splash, splosh!" Through the mud, "squelch, squerch!" And through the forest, "stumble trip!" Through a snowstorm, "hoooo, woooo!" And into a long, narrow, gloomy cave. Preschool through grade 2.

When Will It Snow ? by Bruce Hiscock.
RC 47160.
In the North Country a little boy named Robin is waiting impatiently for the first snow. Others are preparing for it, too: a deer mouse is storing seeds, birds are eating more, a groundhog is hibernating, and a brown rabbit's fur is turning white. Preschool through grade 2.

Where Did Bunny Go? by Nancy Tafuri.
LP 670.
Bird cannot find Bunny during a game of hide-and-seek and worries that Bunny has run away. Preschool through grade 2.

Where Have You Been? by Margaret Wise Brown.
BR 5452.
Simple rhyming verses about birds and animals that young children know and love. Print/Braille book. Preschool through grade 2.

Wild Animals: A Very First Picture Book by Nicola Tuxworth.
LP 249.
Sometimes fierce and sometimes fascinating, the world of nature is a never ending source of attraction for young children. This presentation of common and more rare species is an excellent opportunity to hold the attention of children while building vocabulary skills and understanding the natural world. Picture and Words series. Preschool through grade 2.