Life Science Books for Preschool

Preschool Life Science Books

Do you have a hard time finding age-appropriate life science books for preschool or kindergarten? You’re not alone!

Finding books that explain science concepts in ways that young children can relate to and understand can be very difficult.

You can use this book list at home or in your classroom to find age-appropriate books to help you teach life science concepts to your kids.

50 Life Science Books for Preschool

Life Science Books for Preschoolers

Science Books About Animals for Preschool

Living or Nonliving? by Kelli Hicks – Teaching living and non living things through fun and engaging images.

What Do Living Things Need? by Elizabeth Austen – Simply describes basic needs of living things.

Living Things and Nonliving Things: A Compare and Contrast Book  by Kevin Kurtz – Compare and contrast living verses non living things.

Daylight Starlight Wildlife by Wendell Minor – Vivid paintings detail wildlife in both daytime and nighttime.

Bears and Their Cubs by Linda Tagliaferro – Describes the lives of bear cubs from birth to early maturity.

Woodpecker Wham! by April Pulley Sayre – Chop! Chip! Chop! A day in the life of a woodpecker.

Birds and Their Nests by Linda Tagliaferro – Introduces birds and the nests in which they build, live, and raise their young.

Hippos are Huge! by Jonathan London – Jump into the wide and hungry world of hippos.

Bumble Bees by Fran Howard – Describes the physical characteristics, behavior, and habits of bumble bees.

Bee Dance by Rick Chrustowski – Learn the dance of the honey bee as she shares where to find honey with her hive.

A Butterfly is Patient by Dianna Aston – A beautifully illustrated book that strikes a balance between information and creativity. From caterpillar to butterfly, this is the perfect life science book to read-aloud to your class.

Cows and Their Calves by Margaret Hall – The lives of baby cows, also known as calves, from birth to early maturity.

Dogs and Their Puppies by Linda Tagliaferro – The lives of young dogs or puppies from birth to early maturity.

Ducks and Their Ducklings by Margaret Hall – The lives of ducklings from birth to maturity.

Elephants and Their Calves by Margaret Hall – The lives of baby elephants calves from birth to early maturity.

Science Books About Gardens for Preschool

Best Life Science Books

Flower Garden by Eve Bunting – Follow the progress of a little girl and her father as they purchase “a garden,” and board the bus to carry it home. The pansies, tulips, daffodils, geraniums, and daisies are lovingly planted in a window box, and the candles on the cake are lighted—just as Mom walks in the door to find her daughter, her husband, and her birthday surprise.

Flowers by Vijaya Khisty Bodach – Introduces the flowers found on plants, and includes information on how they grow, along with their uses.

Growing Vegetable Soup by Lois Ehlert – Together, a father and child share the joys of planting, watering, and watching seeds grow. And once their harvest of tomatoes, potatoes, cabbage, and corn is ready, they’ll cook it up into the best soup ever!

Hearing by Rebecca Rissman – Learn about different sounds they can hear, how to keep their ears safe, and how hearing aids can help some people to hear.

In the Small, Small Pond by Denise Fleming – Gives young readers a frog’s-eye view of life in a pond throughout the seasons.

It’s Pumpkin Time by Zoe Hall – A brother and sister get an early start on Halloween by planting a pumpkin patch.

Ladybugs by Margaret Hall – Describes the physical characteristics, behavior, and habits of ladybugs.

Leaves by Vijaya Khisty Bodach – Introduces leaves found on trees and plants, and includes information on how they grow, along with their uses.

Living and Nonliving by Carol K. Lindeen – Presents living and nonliving things and explains their differences.

Living or Nonliving by Kelli Hicks – Highlights differences between living and nonliving entities, such as the ability to breathe and move.

5 Senses Science Books for Preschool

Books About Living Things

Look! A Book About Sight by Dana Meachen Rau – Provides examples and illustrations of sight, one of the five senses.

Me and My Amazing Body by Joan Sweeney – From your head to your toes and everything in between, this playful introduction to anatomy explains all the important parts of your body.

My Feet by Aliki – Walk, run, skip, march, kick. We use our feet all the time! Our feet hold us up, help us balance, and most importantly, take us wherever we want to go.

22. My Five Senses by Aliki – This is a Stage 1 Let’s-Read-and-Find-Out, which means the book explains simple science concepts for preschoolers and kindergarteners.

My Hands by Aliki – Clapping, waving, pushing, pulling, scratching, digging, tickling–how many ways do you use your hands every day? Find out how important your hands are!

Plant and Garden Science Books for Preschool
Pie in the Sky by Lois Ehlert – Do pies grow on trees? Join a father and child as they watch over their backyard cherry tree–and all the colorful living things surrounding it–throughout the seasons. At the end of the summer, they harvest the cherries together and make a delicious pie for the whole family to enjoy.

Planting a Rainbow by Lois Ehlert – This educational and enjoyable book helps children understand how to plant bulbs, seeds, and seedlings, and nurture their growth.

Praying Mantises by Margaret Hall – Describes the physical characteristics, behavior, and habits of the praying mantis.

Pumpkin Circle: The Story of a Garden by George Levenson – We can be sure of this: It’s a circle without end. It’s pumpkin seeds to pumpkins To pumpkin seeds again! This treat of a picture book comes cloaked in the colors of fall.

Pumpkin, Pumpkin by Jeanne Titherington – Jamie plants a pumpkin seed in the spring and, after watching it grow all summer, carves a face in it for Halloween! But best of all, he saves some seeds that he will plant again next spring.

Red Leaf, Yellow Leaf by Lois Ehlert – Watercolor collage and pieces of actual seeds, fabric, wire, and roots in this innovative and rich introduction to the life of a tree. A special glossary explains how roots absorb nutrients, what photosynthesis is, how sap circulates, and other facts about trees.

Roots by Vijaya Khisty Bodach – Introduces the roots found on trees and plants, including how they grow, along with their uses.

Seeds by Vijaya Khisty Bodach – The seeds of plants, including how they grow, along with their uses.

Seeing by Rebecca Rissman – Readers learn how they use their eyes to see, how to keep their eyes safe, how some people wear glasses to see better, and how some people do not see at all.

Science Books for Preschoolers
Shh… A Book About Hearing by Dana Meachen Rau – Informative book at our ears and how we hear.

Smelling by Rebecca Rissman – Readers learn how their nose can smell different scents, and that some smells can be dangerous.

Sniff, Sniff: A Book About Smell by Dana Meachen Rau – Accurately describes how our sense of smell works

Soft and Smooth, Rough and Bumpy: A Book about Touch by Dana Meachen Rau – Provides examples and illustrations of touch, one of our five senses.

Spiders and Their Webs by Linda Tagliaferro – Spiders and the webs in which they build.

Taking Care of My Teeth by Terri DeGezelle – Introduces teeth, and reviews ways to take care of them.

Tasting by Rebecca Rissman – Readers learn how they use their mouth and tongue to taste different flavors.

The Carrot Seed by Ruth Krauss – When a little boy plants a carrot seed, everyone tells him it won’t grow. But when you are very young, there are some things that you just know, and the little boy knows that one day a carrot will come up. So he waters his seed, and pulls the weeds, and he waits…

Age Appropriate Science Books for Preschoolers
The Listening Walk by Paul Showers – Put on your socks and shoes — and don’t forget your ears! We’re going on a listening walk. Shhhhh. Do not talk. Do not hurry. Get ready to fill your ears with a world of wonderful and surprising sounds.

The Surprise Garden by Zoe Hall – As the sun’s warmth brings their garden to life, small children watch the small shoots became all kinds of tasty vegetables in eye-catching colors.

The Tiny Seed by Eric Carle – In autumn, a strong wind blows flower seeds high in the air and carries them far across the land. One by one, many of the seeds are lost — burned by the sun, fallen into the ocean, eaten by a bird. But some survive the long winter and, come spring, sprout into plants, facing new dangers — trampled by playing children, picked as a gift for a friend. Soon only the tiniest seed remains, growing into a giant flower and, when autumn returns, sending its own seeds into the wind to start the process over again. What better way to learn about life science than from Eric Carle?

The Vegetables We Eat by Gail Gibons – Who knew there were so many different kinds of vegetables? From glossy red peppers to lush, leafy greens to plump orange pumpkins, vegetables are explored in depth in this fascinating picture book that clearly explains the many vegetable varieties, how they are grown, and why they are so good for us to eat.

The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle – A newly hatched caterpillar eats his way through all kinds of food.

This Is the Sunflower by Lola M. Schaefer – First there is a sunflower. Seasons pass … and soon there is a patch of sunflowers. Budding young gardeners will discover that what makes this happen is not magic – but is most definitely magical.

Tigers and Their Cubs by Margaret Hall – The lives of baby tigers, also known as cubs, from birth to early maturity.

Touching by Rebecca Rissman – Readers learn how nerves under their skin help them to feel different things.

Waiting for Wings by Lois Ehlert – Every spring, butterflies emerge and dazzle the world with their vibrant beauty. But where do butterflies come from? How are they born? What do they eat–and how?

Yum!: A Book About Taste by Dana Meachen Rau – Provides examples and illustrations of taste, one of our five senses.

More Science Ideas

Recycling Activity for Preschoolers
Homemade Seed Paper Recipe
black flannel background featuring the different parts of a flower
raising butterflies
Color Changing Flowers experiment

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