Classics, Nonfiction, and Children's Literature
The nonfiction picture book Volcanoes by Franklyn M. Branley (illustrated by Megan Lloyd; Let’s-Read-and-Find-Out book, Level 2; published 1985/reissued 2008) starts by telling the story of a few famous volcanoes, including Mount Tambora, Mount Vesuvius, and Mount Saint Helens. These very real stories immediately draw in the reader to the subject. Subsequent pages cover the
The text-heavy picture book The Island that Moved: How Shifting Forces Shape Our Earth by Meredith Hooper (illustrated by Lucia deLeiris; Viking, 2004) may be too wordy for a read-aloud, but it is an illustrated example of the changing geologic earth from era to era, thanks to the many forces at work on the tectonic
Volcano: Where Fire and Water Meet by Mary M. Cerullo (Capstone, 2021; a Smithsonian book) features color photography from around the world to teach about volcanoes. The book focuses on Hawaiian island volcanoes, although it does talk about other types of volcanoes, other famous volcanoes, and how volcanoes change the face of the Earth. There
How Tectonic Plates Shaped Earth by Jane P. Gardner (Jump, 2020; Earth Shapers series) an on-level early reader nonfiction book that fantastically covers the basics of tectonic plates using early reader vocabulary. It includes captions and labels for photos, a glossary of unfamiliar words, “Did you Know?” sidebars, and a sample project at the end.
The quirky picture book How to Dig a Hole to the Other Side of the World by Faith McNulty (illustrated by Marc Simont; Harper Collins, 1990). This quirky book shares the (obviously) fictional story of a child who succeeds in digging through the Earth. The sites he sees on the way down are helpful for
With a child-friendly tone, Volcano Dreams: A Story of Yellowstone by Janet Fox (illustrated by Marlo Garnsworthy; Web of Life, 2018) introduces a variety of creatures that live in Yellowstone National Park, as well as personifies the geological features of the park, such as geysers and bubbling hot springs. The only one sleeping is the
The nonfiction picture book Planet Earth Inside Out by Gail Gibbons (published 1995) provides a great overview of the planet. It covers a large range of subtopics, including the layers of the earth, the tectonic plates and Pangea, how plates interact, the results of earthquakes on land, and details about volcanoes, including seafloor spreading. It
The fictional picture book Gopher to the Rescue: A Volcano Recovery Story by Terry Catasus Jennings (illustrated by Laurie O’Keefe; Sylvan Dell Publishing, 2012) will help young children understand how habitats are recovered after a natural disaster such as a volcano or fire. In the story, our title character Gopher naturally digs under the ground
Earthquakes by Ellen J. Prager (illustrated by Susan Greenstein; National Geographic Kids, 2017; Jump into Science! series) is an illustrated nonfiction picture book that teaches about earthquakes in a child-friendly way. Cartoon illustrations, maps, and diagrams make the book easy to approach. By asking questions, the book encourages the reader to consider before they continue
Dear Katie, The Volcano is a Girl by Jean Craighead George (illustrated by Daniel Powers; Hyperion, 1998) is the story about a grandmother and a granddaughter on vacation in Hawaii. They tour a volcano, and while Katie insists that the volcano is Pele (a goddess) her grandmother disagrees and explains how volcanoes form because cracks
How Mountains Are Made by Kathleen Weidner Zoehfelt (illustrated by James Graham Hale; Harper Collins, 1995) is a Lets-Read-and-Find-Out book (Level 2). The books in this picture book informational science series are sometimes uneven, but this one hits the mark for teaching many concepts with a friendly frame. In How Mountains Are Made, the facts
As a large-format fold-out nonfiction picture book, The Street Beneath My Feet by Charlotte Guillain (illustrated by Yuval Zommer; Words & Pictures, 2017) is sure to be fun for the kids to unfold out and explore. The journey is directed by a friendly narrator speaking with the personal “you” to take us from the street
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