Fiction Picture Books with a Science Theme

(While these books are classed as fiction, all contain useful factual information. At junior level the line between fiction and non-fiction is not always clear-cut)

Allen, Pamela ; Mr Archimedes’ bath Originally published 1980; Who sank the boat? Originally published 1982
(junior level physics)

Anderson, Derek Blue Burt and Wiggles 2006
(seasons)

Armstrong, Grey; ill. Nicki Wise Little duck checks it out 2004
(life cycles)

Aslund, Tatiana; ill. Vasanti Unke The bean’s story 2007
(growth; plant cycle)

Baker, Keith Hickory dickory dock 2007
(telling the time)

Brown, Ruth Ten seeds 2001
(plant cycle)

Church, Caroline Jayne Little Apple Goat 2007
(plant cycle)

Cooper, Elisha Bear dreams 2006
(hibernation)

Crowe, Carole; ill. Jim Postier Turtle girl 2008
(life cycle of turtle)

Cumberbatch, Judy; ill. Ken Wilson-Max Can you hear the sea? 2006
(sound)

Davies, Nicola; ill. Michael Foreman White owl, barn owl 2007
(owl physiology and life cycle)

Doyle, Malachy; ill. Judith Allibone Jody’s beans 1999
(plant cycle)

Doyle, Malachy ill. Angela Rinaldi Horse 2008
(life cycle)

Edwards, Nancy; ill. Sarah K. Hoctor Glenna’s seeds 2001
(plant cycle)

Elschner, Geraldine; ill. Jean-Pierre Corderoch Max’s magic seeds 2008
(seeds, growth, plant cycle)

Finchler, Judy; ill. Kevin O’Malley Miss Malarkey’s field trip 2004
(school trip to Science Alive!- type exhibition)


Fleischman, Paul; ill. Barry Root The birthday tree (Sophisticated in content) 2008
(growth; plant cycle)

Frasier, Debra The incredible water show 2004
(water cycle)

Garland, Sarah Eddie’s garden and how to make things grow 2004
(plant cycle)

George, Jean Craighead Goose and Duck (early reader) 2008
(life cycles; migration; nurturing)

Glaser, Omri; ill. Byron Glaser and Sandra Higashi Round the garden 1999
(water cycle)

Greenstein, Elaine One little seed 2004
(plant cycle)

Hodgkinson, Leigh Colin and the wrong shadow 2008


Hol, Coby The birth of the moon 2000
(phases of the moon)

Holzwarth, Werner; ill. Wolf Erlbruch The story of the little mole who knew it was none of his business 2007 edition (originally published 1989)
(different types of animal faeces)

Hughes, Susan; ill. Stephane Poilin Earth to Audrey 2005
(earth in space)

Isadora, Rachel. What a family! : a fresh look at family trees 2006
(junior level genetics)

King, Stephen Michael Leaf 2008
(growth cycles)

Kirk, Daniel Bigger 1998
(growth)

Knudsen, Michelle; ill. Barry Gott A moldy mystery (‘Science Solves It’ early reader series) 2006
When messy Wayne goes away to camp, his younger brother Jeff throws out some old food containers that he finds in their room, but then he learns that Wayne is working on a science project about mould, and he must try to recreate the experiment before Wayne gets home. Includes facts about mould, and instructions for making a mould terrarium. ( Note American spelling)

Krauss, Ruth; ill. Helen Oxenbury The growing story 2000
(growth; life cycles)

Light, John; ill. Lisa Evans The flower 2006
(growth; plant cycle)

Lynch, Kate; ill. Lamia Aziz The sun 2004
(life cycle of a tree; phases of the sun)

McNamara, Margaret; ill. G. Brian Karas How many seeds in a pumpkin? 2007
(growth)

Maddern, Eric; ill. Paul Hess Death in a nut 2006
(biology—a Sophisticated Picture Book with an offbeat explanation for the fact that all living things have to die)

Manning, Mick and Granstrom, Brita Honk! Honk! : a story of migration 1997
(bird migration)

Matthews, Penny; ill. Andrew McLean A year on our farm 2002
(cycle of the seasons)

Matthews, Tina Out of the egg 2007
(growth; plant cycle)

Metcalf, Paula Mabel’s magical garden 2005
(seeds and growth; plant cycle)

Miles, Victoria; ill. Molly Bang Old Mother Bear 2007
(growth; animal lifecycles)

Morris, Jill; ill. Lynne Muir Argonauta octopus navigator (Sophisticated Picture Book) 2006
(life cycle)

PICT OLF Von Olfer, Sibylle; ill. Sieglinde Schoen Smith Mother Earth and her children : a quilted fairy tale 2008
(cycle of the seasons)

Paul, Ruth The king’s bubbles 2007
(air; bubbles; changes)

Pettenati, Jeanne K.; ill. Paolo Rui Galileo’s journal 1609-1610 2006
(astronomy)

Pfeffer, Wendy; ill. Gail Piazza Marta’s magnets 1995

Pilegard, Virginia Walton; ill. Nicolas Debou The warlord’s fish 2002
(magnetism)

Pollak, Barbara Our community garden 2004
(plant cycle)

Roberts, Lynn; ill. David Roberts Little Red : a fizzingly good yarn 2005
(chemical changes—junior level)

Rohmann, Eric A kitten tale 2008
(seasons)

Roth, Susan L. Great big guinea pigs 2006
(animal evolution—junior/primary level)

Schuett, Stacey Somewhere in the world right now 1995
Describes what is happening in different places around the world at a particular time.
(timezones, geography)

Scieszka, Jon; ill. Lane Smith Science verse 2004
Poetry with a science theme—a companion volume to the same author’s Math curse (accompanied by audio CD)

Sherry, Kevin I’m the biggest thing in the ocean 2007
(sealife—comparative sizes)

Stein, David Ezra Leaves 2007
(hibernation; cycle of the seasons)

Tauss, Marc Superhero 2005
(plant biology; ecology)

Toft, Kim Michelle; text by Alan Brown Turtle’s song 2001
(life cycle of a turtle)
A sea of words: an ABC of the deep blue sea 2006
(aquatic creatures)

Trotter, Deborah W.; ill. Julie Downing How do you know? 2006
(weather—fog)

Turner, Gwenda Once upon a time 1990
(telling the time)

Tyers, Jenny When it is night When it is day 1996

Velthuijs, Max Frog in winter 2005 edition
(insulation—junior level)

Weeks, Sarah; ill. Suzanne Duranceau Without you (2003)
(Emperor penguin life-cycle)

Weiss, Ellen; ill. Margeaux Lucas The nose knows (‘Science Solves it!’ early reader) 2002

Wells, H.G. The magic shop 2005
(Sophisticated Picture Book—re-issue of science fiction classic)

Whitmore, Denise Pepetuna (NZ) 2008
(life cycles)

Wild, Margaret; ill. Julie Vivas Puffling 2008
(life cycles)

Wood, Audrey; ill. Bruce Wood The deep blue sea : a book of colors 2005

Zagwyn, Deborah Turney Turtle spring 1997
(hibernation; seasons)

cecily.fisher@natlib.govt.nz

Full bibliographic details of these resources can be found on the National Library’s online catalogue http://nlnzcat.natlib.govt.nz

A link to suggested science activities for New Zealand schools, centred around many of these picture books

http://www.sciencepostcards.com/index.html