Stories About Nature

Core Idea

Many picture books are about the natural world -- animals, trees, seasons, weather, and life outdoors. Some tell true facts about nature while others use nature as the setting for a made-up story. Stories about nature help you notice and appreciate the world around you and spark curiosity about how things grow, change, and connect.

How It's Best Learned

Read a nature-themed picture book and then go outside to observe something from the story -- a bird, a tree, a rainstorm. Talk about whether the book showed real nature facts or used nature for a make-believe story. Draw a picture of your favorite outdoor place and tell a story about it.

Common Misconceptions

• Thinking nature stories are only nonfiction; many use animals and forests as settings for imaginative tales.
• Believing you need to live in the country to enjoy nature stories; nature is everywhere, including cities and backyards.
• Assuming nature stories are boring; they often feature exciting adventures, beautiful illustrations, and fascinating discoveries.

Explainer

Stories about nature are stories that take place in the outdoors. They are about animals, plants, weather, seasons, and everything in the natural world. Maybe the story is about a butterfly that is learning to fly, or a tree through all four seasons, or a family exploring the forest. The nature is a big part of what makes the story special.

Some nature stories are nonfiction -- they teach you true facts about real animals and plants. You might read a true story about how a caterpillar becomes a butterfly, and learn the actual stages it goes through. But other nature stories are make-believe. A talking rabbit and a wise owl might become friends in a forest -- that is imaginative and not real, but it is still a nature story because the setting is nature.

Here is something wonderful: nature is everywhere, not just in forests and fields far away. Nature is in cities too! You might see birds landing on buildings, flowers growing in pots on balconies, rain falling, wind blowing leaves, and insects crawling. Nature is in backyards and parks. So everyone can enjoy and find nature stories interesting.

When you read a nature story, you can go outside afterward and look for the things from the story. Did you read about ladybugs? Go outside and see if you can spot one. Did you read about clouds? Look up at the sky and watch them change. This connection between the story and the real world makes nature stories extra special and meaningful.

Nature stories are often full of excitement and beauty. Animals have adventures, seasons change in amazing ways, and there are fascinating discoveries to make. The illustrations in nature books are often gorgeous, showing colors and details that help you see how beautiful nature really is. Nature stories help you notice and appreciate the amazing world around you!