Nature Trails: Fun and Survival Outdoors

Books for Readers in the Primary Grades

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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Abel’s Island by William Steig.
RC 10693.
A Robinson Crusoe-like tale about the adventures of the gallant mouse, Abelard Hassam di Chirico Flint, who is swept away from his wife's side in a torrential storm and marooned on a desert island for a year. For grades 3-5.

Arthur’s Camp-out by Lillian Hoban.
RC 50942 or LP 1007.
Arthur is bored with spring vacation. When his little sister is invited to a camp out in the woods behind their house, Arthur decides to go on an overnight field trip by himself. But it's pretty scary out there! An easy chapter book. For grades K-3.

The Bears on Hemlock Mountain by Alice Dalgliesh.
RC 40773.
Jonathan's mother has invited 20 members of the family for dinner, and she needs to borrow a big iron pot from Aunt Emma, who lives on the other side of Hemlock Mountain. Although his mother says there are no bears on Hemlock Mountain, Jonathan is not sure he wants to go over the mountain alone to get the pot. When darkness falls and the animals come out of the forest, Jonathan learns to be brave. For grades 2-4.

Blaze Finds the Trail by C.W. Anderson.
BR 13407.
When Billy and his pony, Blaze, go for a long ride in the woods, they become lost. Billy is frightened as a storm approaches because he cannot find the road home. But Blaze knows where Billy wants to go. For grades 2-4.

Cardinals by Lynn M. Stone.
LP 548.
Describes the physical characteristics, habitats, and behavior of different kinds of cardinals, including the red-capped cardinal, pyrrhuloxia, and red cardinal. For grades K-3.

Daytime and Nighttime Animals by Barbara J. Behm.
LP 535.
Introduces 10 animals and their behavior, including the lemur, marine iguana, and fox, identifying them either as daytime or nighttime animals. For grades K-3.

First Light by Gary Crew.
LP 271.
A young boy who would rather spend time with his model airplane reluctantly accompanies his father on a fishing trip that starts before the first light of day. For grades 2-4.

Five on a Secret Trail by Enid Blyton.
LP 961.
The Famous Five are camping near an old ruined cottage--but is the cottage really abandoned? Anne hears strange noises at night, but the others don't believe her! Then they see the ghostly lights. Grades 3-6.

Grandfather’s Christmas Camp by Marc McCutcheon.
RC 42654.
It is Christmas Eve, but Lizzie and Grandfather can't get ready for the holiday until they find Mr. Biggins--grandfather's three-legged dog who often wanders off to hunt deer. All bundled up, they set off up the mountain, carrying Grandfather's backpack along. Lizzie gets tired on the long trip, and they decide to spend the night in the woods. In the morning, there is a surprise waiting for Lizzie. For grades K-3.

Grasshopper on the Road by Arnold Lobel.
LP 998.
When lighthearted Grasshopper sets out to follow the road wherever it takes him, he runs into some memorable characters. He meets an exclusive club of beetles, a meticulous housefly who wants to sweep the whole world clean, and a worm who becomes angry when Grasshopper takes a big bite out of his apple house. An I Can Read book; level 2. For grades K-3.

The Great Kapok Tree by Lynne Cherry.
RC 51149.
When a man walks into the rain forest and begins to chop down a great kapok tree, all the different animals that live in the tree try to convince him of the importance of sparing their home. For grades K-3 and older readers.

Ice Wreck by Lucille Recht Penner.
BR 14650.
Describes the true story of British explorer Shackleton's attempted 1914 expedition to Antarctica. When the ship was caught in the frozen sea, he and his crew experienced an eighteen-month ordeal, during which they camped on ice floes and lived on an island. Road to Reading series. Uncontracted braille. For grades 3-6 and older readers.

Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey.
BR 10039 or RC 42913.
Five helpful Boston policemen stop busy city traffic so that Mrs. Mallard can move her family of eight ducklings from their island in the Charles River to their new home in the Public Garden. Print/Braille. Caldecott Medal 1942. For grades K-3.

One Brave Summer by Ann Turner.
RC 42102.
Katy is just getting used to a new school and house when her mother decides they will spend the summer in a mountain cabin. Certain that she will be bored while her mother writes her novel, Katy has no interest in going. But a red-haired girl named Lena May is waiting for them when they arrive. She is determined that the two girls will have adventures whether careful Katy wants to or not. For grades 2-4.

Poppy by Avi.
RC 42709.
The deer mice know they must ask Mr. Ocax the owl for permission before they wander far from their home. Poppy's father says it is because Mr. Ocax wants to protect them against porcupines, but Poppy soon learns otherwise. While she and her boyfriend, Ragweed, are out for a forbidden night stroll, Mr. Ocax eats Ragweed. If Poppy cannot convince her father and the other mice of the danger, she must somehow protect them. For grades 3-6.

Secret Journey by Peg Kehret.
LP 1267.
In 1834, when a storm at sea destroys the slave ship on which she is a stowaway, twelve-year-old Emma musters all her resourcefulness to survive in the African jungle. For grades 3-6.

The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats.
BR 10045 or RC 43471.
Young Peter is thrilled to wake up to snow piled high. He spends the day crunching, sliding, building a snowman, making snow angels, and having a great time. Print/Braille book. Caldecott award winner. For grades K-3.

Stories from Firefly Island by Benedict Blathwayt.
RC 39406.
On Firefly Island, a beautiful place with blue seas, shady woods, cold mountains, and a beach, the animals gather together to hear local legends told by their wise, elderly leader, Tortoise. Each of these ten tales focuses on a different creature. Included are an explanation for why frogs croak at night and a tale of the nearly disastrous fate of a young porcupine who accepts a dare to climb the forbidden Snake Tree. For grades 2-4 and older readers.

The Storm by Marc Harshman.
RC 42144.
When Jonathan's teacher talks about what to do in a tornado, a classmate remarks that a big storm would be really scary for Jonathan because he is in a wheelchair. But Jonathan isn't afraid of storms--he loves them. Alone on the farm that afternoon, Jonathan gets a chance to show he knows how to handle a tornado. For grades K-3.

Top of the World: Climbing Mount Everest by Steven Jenkins.
BR 13015.
Discusses the history and geography of the tallest mountain peak in the world, which is located between Nepal and China. Describes the equipment needed to climb Mount Everest and what dangers are involved. Print/Braille. For grades 2-4 and older readers.

Tracks in the Snow by Lucy Jane Bledsoe.
RC 47853.
Erin is sure something has happened to her babysitter Amy when she doesn't show up one evening. Her parents and even the police refuse to help, pointing out that Amy and her mother had planned to move to Arizona by now. Knowing how much Amy didn't want to move, Erin begins searching for Amy and faces survival in a raging snowstorm. For grades 3-6.

Weslandia by Paul Fleischman.
BR 12042.
Wesley has a great idea for a summer project--to grow his own staple food crop and use it as the basis for his own civilization. His garden becomes a place for all kinds of changes. Print/Braille. For grades K-3.

What If? A Kid’s Guide to Surviving Just about Anything by Lynne Gibbs.
BR 14788 or RC 56332.
Basic safety tips to help children handle hazardous situations. Self-protection information covers materials, methods, and skills for coping in the wilderness or in strong weather conditions, reacting to encounters with dangerous animals, applying simple first aid, and being "street-smart." For grades 3-6.

Why Do Leaves Change Color? by Marian B. Jacobs.
LP 536.
Explains how leaves begin to change color in the fall, as the days grow shorter and the leaves get less sunlight to keep them green. For grades 2-4.

Why Do We Have Different Seasons? by Isaac Asimov.
LP 254.
Describes how the seasons affect people and other living things. Ask Isaac Asimov series. For grades K-3.

The Wildlife Detectives: How Forensic Scientists Fight Crimes against Nature by Donna M. Jackson.
RC 52109.
Describes how undercover agents at the National Fish and Wildlife Forensics Laboratory in Ashland, Oregon, verify species, analyze evidence to solve crimes against animals, and help to convict those responsible for such misdeeds. For grades 3-6. 2000.