In recent years, there have been many beautiful new nature picture books published. Here are some that have caught my attention. The books have all been published in 2022-2024.
What’s Inside a Caterpillar Cocoon? & What’s Inside a Bird’s Nest?
Both What’s Inside a Caterpillar Cocoon (2023) and What’s Inside a Bird’s Nest (2024) are by talented artist Rachel Ignotofsky. Rachel Ignotofsky’s distinctive art style and engaging, informative text clearly answers many of the questions a child (or adult) could have on these subjects.
We are Starlings: Inside the Mesmerizing Magic of a Murmuration
We are Starlings (2023) is about murmurations. Murmurations are huge groups of starlings that twist, turn, swoop and swirl across the sky in beautiful shape-shifting clouds. The word murmuration was a new word for me and I enjoyed learning about this topic. You can find beautiful videos on YouTube showing starling murmurations. These are more common in Europe, the starlings’ original home. If you are able to witness a murmuration, this blog post by Donna Long has nature study questions to ask yourself.
Listen the the Language of the Trees
Listen the the Language of the Trees (2022) talks about how forests communicate underground. This is a fascinating look at how trees help each other through a vast underground network.
What Goes on Inside a Beaver Pond?
This spring, we discovered a muskrat on our pond. Unfortunately, I haven’t found very many good books on muskrats, but I found What Goes on Inside a Beaver Pond? (2023) at our library.
Since muskrats and beavers have some similar habits and both live in ponds, I checked it out. This book is by Becky Cushing Gap and illustrated by Carrie Shryock. It is packed full of beautiful illustrations and all sorts of facts about pond life. It also tells the story of a young beaver heading out on its own. I love all the tiny details! The beaver even runs into a muskrat on his journey.
Jumper: A Day in the Life of a Backyard Jumping Spider
Jumper (2023), written and illustrated by Jessica Lanan, is a stunning picture book about a day in the life of a backyard jumping spider.
“What if you were small as a bean,
Could walk on the walls and ceiling,
Sense vibrations through your elbows,
And jump five times your body length?
That is Jumper’s world.”
I love how the text and pictures draw you into the spider’s world. I believe this book could help someone who’s afraid of spiders learn to appreciate their unique beauty and skill. There’s also great information in the back of the book about the life of jumping spiders.
Home by Isabelle Simler
The stunning cover of Home immediately caught my eye at the library. Home was originally written by Isabelle Simler in 2022, and was translated by Vineet Lal in 2024. The book pictures different animals from around the world and the unique homes they live in. The language is a bit complicated, but I would get it for the youngest child and explain the animals and their homes in my own words.
“A spectacular tour through the dwellings of twenty-seven different animals, from a hermit crab’s secondhand shell to a beaver’s lakeside dam to a comet moth’s silk cocoon.“
I hope you’ve enjoyed this collection of beautifully illustrated new nature picture books. These books will probably find there way on to my book lists for Wonder-Filled Days in Nature. These booklists are extensive lists that organize books according to the topic being studied. I try to include living books when possible or nonfiction books about naturalists, poets, and artists.
Thanks! I love beautiful nature books.
You’re welcome!