Nature Magazines for Kids

Last night before I fell asleep, I found myself tucked in bed, perusing the pages of National Wildlife Federation's (NWF) Your Big Backyard--alone. That's right, I was reading a magazine for preschoolers by myself. I enjoyed the photos of darling sifaka lemurs, and, yes, comparing the beak shapes and sizes in an article called "Take a Peek at Beaks."

We just started my son on Your Big Back Yard, which is written for ages three to seven. It contains a nice mix of simple nonfiction articles on animals and not-so-factual stories, such as the adventures of Ricky Raccoon. I recommend it.

We're still reading NWF's magazine for kids under age four, t00. Wild Animal Baby comes in a sturdier, smaller format. It includes very simple articles about animals, poems, a simple game where babies match an animal cracker on one page to the real animal on the adjacent page, a story about kids encountering nature, and more. My son loves the stories and still asks for them by the characters' names. These magazines are big hit with all the little kids we know. Indeed, my five-year-old niece won't part with hers.

Our family also likes National Geographic's Little Kids. This magazine covers nature and world cultures in a format aimed at preschoolers. It includes stories and games. A nice touch is the punch-out animal cards that come with each issue. For older children, check out National Geo Kids.

National Wildlife Federation also publishes Ranger Rick for young people over age seven.

Nature Books for Kids

My two-year-old now wants definitions of everything. "What's American flag?" "What's is that cloud?" I know that the whys can't be far behind. Fortunately, we'll have a little help.

Since he was a year old we've been reading the marvelous "Let's-Read-And-Find-Out Science"(HarperTrophy) books. This vast series has two tiers. Stage 1 books are for preschoolers and kindergarteners (age 3 to 6), but with some occasional editing, you can read these books to toddlers, too. Stage 2 books are for kids in elementary school.

My son's first favorite was "From Seed to Pumpkin." This lovely book follows the plant's growth, culminating with Halloween and pumpkin pies. Unlike some other science books for kids, this series often puts the information in a narrative, which is appealing for little kids.

There are oodles of these books and they explain just about everything from "Our Puppies are Growing" to "My Five Sense." Some of our other favorite Read-And-Find-Out Science books:

• Ducks Don't Get Wet
• A Nest Full of Eggs
• What's it Like to be a Fish?
• Animals in Winter

That last book is the reason my two-year-old says he's going to "migrate" from one pillow den to another. The fish book stars a goldfish--handy if your kid has one. It also offers instructions on setting up a fishbowl. Other titles include "From Caterpillar to Butterfly," "A Tree is a Plant," "What Makes a Shadow," "From Tadpole to Frog," and "Sleep is for Everyone."

We also love "About Amphibians: A Guide for Children" (Peachtree Publishers). It's part of a series that has even simpler text, suitable for very young children. More complex information is found in an afterword. The chief virtue of these books, aside from the simplicity, are the gorgeous illustrations. They were written by Cathryn Sill and illustrated by her husband, John Sill, a prize-winning wildlife artist. We also own their "About Fish: A Guide for Children."

Finally, a word of praise for Aliki, the prolific author of many books for children (including some of the Read-And-Find-Out Science series). Her "Quiet in the Garden" is beautifully illustrated. This simple text about animals (and a boy) eating in a garden is perfect for babies and toddlers.

More great books for little kids.

Wildflowers of the San Gabriels

Recommended Reading

Curious about the flowers you saw on your last local hike? For starters, pick up a copy of Wildflowers of the San Gabriel Mountains by Ann and Gerald Croissant and, next time you hike in the Angeles National Forest, toss it in your backpack. It's a nice introduction to some of the most common flora. The book is light, small and arranged by blossom color, which is helpful for beginners. 

However, be prepared for some frustration: On any single hike you'll only spot a few of these. Still, once you figure out what lupines, salvias, penstemon, etc, look like in general, it will be easier for you to use more detailed field guides. (Here's my list of my faves.) This book also identifies nonnative (invasive) plants that have taken root in the forest, so take note before you tout all the amazing wild mustard plants you've seen. 

Although nothing compares to seeing the plants in the wild, one of the easiest ways to learn local flora is to visit Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden or stroll a guided (interpretative) trail, such as those near park nature and visitor centers. Because these areas are landscaped, there's usually a higher concentration of flowering plants. (Not to mention, they're labeled!)

Getting to Know You

My Favorite Field Guides for Southern California

And Tips on How to Get Started

Learning about local plants and animals is exciting, but can be frustrating when you first start out. For years, I hiked around with a backpack full of field guides, stopping frequently and furiously thumbing pages. And I bought many books that didn't have sufficient or good photos for identification. I'm going to share some of my favorites with you. But first some tips:

• Take guided walks whenever possible. For bird watching, join your local chapter of Audubon. Chapters usually offer regular walks lead by an experienced birder.
• When you visit parks and forests, look for interpretative trails. These offer some plant identification and basic ecological information. For plants, also visit Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden, the Theodore Payne Foundation nursery (it has a short, landscaped trail), or Tree of Life nursery in San Juan Capistrano. While not impressive, Descanso Garden also has a native section. 
• Hike in places with nature and visitor centers, such as Eton Canyon, Monrovia Watershed Park, Stough Canyon, Placerita Canyon, Franklin Canyon Park, Topanga State Park, Will Rogers State Park, Malibu Creek State Park, and Debs Park. Volunteers or staff can help you identify things you've seen. 
• Get as local as possible. When trying to identify flora and fauna, it helps to narrow things down. Look for bird and plant lists at nature centers, and troll their bookshelves for local field guides. 
• Support you local nature center. Parks are chronically underfunded, so donations and volunteer help are greatly needed.

Following are some of the books I find most helpful for identifying species and understanding ecosystems. 

BIRDS

Birds of Los Angeles (including SB, Ventura and OC Counties), Chris C. Fisher and Herbert Clarke.This guide has great illustrations, and because it only lists birds found here, you can save yourself hours of frustration, for example, trying to figure out which of the many North America Sparrows you've seen.

Kaufman Focus Guide: Birds of North America by Kenn Kaufman. This is hands down my favorite book, but it does include all of North America, so if you're a beginner, use it in combination with local guides. Once you get to know some of the basic categories of related birds, it will be a wonderful guide for you.

The Sibley Guide to Birds by David Allen Sibley. This book has gorgeous drawings and brief descriptive information created by this famous ornithologist. Above I've posted a link to the smaller volume of just Western birds. For more about the life and times of these tweeties, buy the Sibley Guide to Bird Life and Bird Behavior. For birding tips, try Sibley's Birding Basics.

Bird Songs of California by Geoffrey A. Keller. This is a CD from the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology. Some birds refuse to show themselves. If you're haunted by the twitters, this CD can help you ID some 220 species. Still, you have to have a pretty good idea of what you think you heard, because cycling through hundreds of calls without any notion of what bird it might be would be incredibly frustrating. To get you started, search the CD for a few of your favorite birds, and become familiar with their calls.

Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology. Not a book, but an important website. 

SO CAL NATIVE PLANTS

An Introduction to The Plant Life of Southern California by Philip Rundel and Robert Gustafson. This book won't help you identify every plant, but it's a great overview of local plant communities. Once you know the types of plants we have here, and where they're found, it's a lot easier to figure out what you're looking at.

California Native Plants for the Garden by Carol Bornstein, David Fross, and Bart O'Brien. Not a field guide, but one of the best reference books on natives. Plus, a good way to learn is to plant a few in your yard.

Flowering Plants of the Santa Monica Mountains, Coastal and Chaparral Regions of Southern California by Nancy Dale. Comprehensive, more useful once you already have a little knowledge of the plants. 

Wildflowers of the San Gabriel Mountains by Ann and Gerald Croissant. A nice introductory book.

Nature Guide to the Mountains of Southern California by Bill Havert and Gary Gray. This, too, I think is out of print, but available used. It includes plants and animals. I'm partial to this book as short, sweet, introductory guide. I hauled it on many hikes, and still appreciate it. No color photos but good drawings.

INSECTS

An Introduction to Southern California Butterflies by Fred Heath. Lots of color photos and good, local info.

FURRY CRITTERS

Mammals of California by Tamara Eder. This guide has nice color photos and drawings. Plus, drawings of the animals' footprints, and information on the their habitats and life cycles. Since the number of mammals you're likely to see is small, don't buy this unless you're a wildlife nut like me. Just visit local nature centers for information on the furry creatures that live in the area. But if you love field guides, this is a good one.

COAST

Beyond the Beach Blanket: A Field Guide to Southern California Coastal Wildlife by Marina Curtis Tidwell. Hooray for this book! I own several authoritative tomes on marine ecosystems that are good textbooks, but not accessible or fun. I recommend this one for beginners. It's a small press book, so if you're interested, buy it while you can still get it. 

California Marine Life by Marty Snyderman. A lovely introduction to marine ecology. More enjoyable even than the Tidwell book above, but doesn't have as much local information.

Got a favorite guide? Please let us know.

Best Science Books For Kids 2008

The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) has announced the finalists  for its Science Books and Films prizes. Here are the finalists for best picture book.

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"Eggs," by Marilyn Singer, illustrated by Emma Stevenson. Holiday House, New York, 2008. 32 pp. $16.95. Eggs provide a shelter in which a developing animal can breathe, be nourished with food and drink, and grow. They are laid by birds, invertebrates, fish, amphibians, reptiles, and even some mammals. Singer presents examples of their innumerable shapes, sizes, colors, and patterns. She also discusses how burial, brooding, and nests protect eggs, and she describes varieties of hatching. Stevenson's detailed gouache paintings convey the eggs' allure.

"Sisters and Brothers: Sibling Relationships in the Animal World," by Steve Jenkins (illustrator) and Robin Page. Houghton Mifflin, Boston, 2008. 32 pp. $16. Animals and families always fascinate children, but the facts about siblings that fill this book will also engage adults. For example, young shrews line up holding each others' tails, with the mother leading the way. Female termites lay 30,000 eggs a day, whereas giant anteaters are always single offspring. Nile crocodiles cooperate even before they hatch, but hyena cubs can fight to the death. The authors' collages are sure to appeal to young readers.

"Spiders," by Nic Bishop. Scholastic, New York, 2007. 48 pp. $17.99. Spider enthusiasts and arachnophobes alike will be drawn to the amazing, up-close photographs in this informative introduction to these eight-legged predators. The concise, well-written text offers numerous interesting facts about spiders. For example, they were among the earliest terrestrial predators, having arisen more than 350 million years ago. And although "silk is the secret of spider success," many of the more than 38,000 species do not use webs. Fishing spiders dart over the water's surface, and some jumping spiders can leap 20 times their body length to pounce on prey.

"Wings," by Sneed B. Collard III, illustrated by Robin Brickman. Charlesbridge, Watertown, Massachusetts, 2008. 32 pp. $16.95. ISBN 9781570916113. Paper, $7.95. Insects, birds, and bats all move through the air on wings. Collard introduces the diversity of these appendages and their uses. Wings can be covered with scales, feathers, or bare skin. They allow peregrines to twist and turn in a dive, leaf-nosed bats to lazily flap over the ground, milkweed bugs to move short distances among patches, and Arctic terns to migrate between the polar regions. They help animals chase, catch, flee, and mate. To illustrate this variety, Brickman sculpted painted paper into colorful collages.

"The Wolves Are Back," by Jean Craighead George, illustrated by Wendell Minor. Dutton Juvenile, New York, 2008. 32 pp. $16.95. The wolves of Yellowstone were once shot until they were eliminated. However, with changed values and the yearning to again hear howls in the wild, wolves were reintroduced to the national park in 1995. As the wolves multiplied, wildflowers reappeared (wolves chased away the mountain sheep that had eaten them) and birds returned (wolves hunted bison and elk that had trampled young aspen needed for perches and grasses needed for food). By following along as a wolf pup wanders the Lamar Valley, readers learn how wolves are even important to halting riverbank erosion. George's simple text and landscape artist Minor's beautiful illustrations convey the importance of maintaining all parts of ecosystems.

AAAS has also announced nominees in the Middle Grades and Young Adult categories.