Book Roundup Wednesday: Critter Books for Kids

Every Wednesday, we review a selection of new and upcoming books addressing a specific aspect of environmentalism. Today we're recommending books that teach children to look closely at nature to discover exciting creatures.

You Can Be a Nature Detective (by Peggy Kochanoff, $14, Mountain Press, 2009): Spotting fox tracks in the snow, hearing a frog's call, or smelling a skunk's spray is just the beginning of a mystery that young "nature detectives" will be eager to solve with the help of this intriguing book.

Earl The Earthworm Digs for His Life (by Tim Magner, $16, Green Sugar Press, 2009): When an earthworm named Earl is born, he doesn't quite know what he was meant to do. As he explores his environment and finds his purpose (spoiler alert: he's meant to dig), the reader is supplied with interesting facts about the creatures that inhabit Earl's world.

Down, Down, Down: A Journey to the Bottom of the Sea (by Steve Jenkins, $17, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2009): The artistry in this book is breathtaking--each page is a collage of exquisite torn-paper illustrations--but the suspense of the slow decent into the mysterious, dark, deep ocean leaves this book poised to be an instant favorite.

Butterflies and Moths (by Nic Bishop, $18, Scholastic Nonfiction, 2009): Children and adults will delight in an up-close look at the lives of butterflies and moths. Gorgeous photography is paired with engaging text that moves from the practical to the exotic. Kids will be delighted to learn that butterflies can taste with their feet and even adults will be fooled by a caterpillar that looks like a poisonous snake.

--Della Watson