# Books about nature assigned in US schools

**36** books in the US-school assigned-reading canon explore _nature_. Sourced from state ELA standards, AP/IB syllabi, and Common Core exemplar lists.

**Lexile range:** 460L–1020L
**Grade span:** K–12
**Canonical URL:** https://readinglist.school/theme/nature
**Wikipedia (entity):** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nature
**License:** [CC BY 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) — please credit ReadingList.school when citing.

## Authors who explore nature

- [Gary Paulsen](https://readinglist.school/author/gary-paulsen) (2 books)
- [Peter Brown](https://readinglist.school/author/peter-brown) (2 books)
- [Barb Rosenstock](https://readinglist.school/author/barb-rosenstock)
- [Ben Mikaelsen](https://readinglist.school/author/ben-mikaelsen)
- [Candace Fleming](https://readinglist.school/author/candace-fleming)
- [Christina Soontornvat](https://readinglist.school/author/christina-soontornvat)
- [E.B. White](https://readinglist.school/author/eb-white)
- [John Steinbeck](https://readinglist.school/author/john-steinbeck)

## nature canon

- [A Journey Under the Sea](https://readinglist.school/book/a-journey-under-the-sea) by Craig Foster _(Grades 2–5)_
- [A Mischief of Mice](https://readinglist.school/book/a-mischief-of-mice) by Christie Matheson _(Grades K–3)_
- [Butt or Face?](https://readinglist.school/book/butt-or-face) by Kari Lavelle _(Grades K–2)_
- [Dinosaurs Before Dark (Magic Tree House #1)](https://readinglist.school/book/magic-tree-house-dinosaurs-before-dark) by Mary Pope Osborne _(510L · Grades 1–4)_
- [Global](https://readinglist.school/book/global) by Eoin Colfer & Andrew Donkin _(Grades 6–8)_
- [Haiku, Ew! Celebrating the Disgusting Side of Nature](https://readinglist.school/book/haiku-ew) by Lynn Brunelle _(Grades 3–6)_
- [Hatchet](https://readinglist.school/book/hatchet) by Gary Paulsen _(1020L · Grades 5–8)_
- [Ida B. and Her Plans to Maximize Fun, Avoid Disaster, and (Possibly) Save the World](https://readinglist.school/book/ida-b-and-her-plans-to-maximize-fun-avoid-disaster-and-save-the-world) by Katherine Hannigan _(Grades 2–8)_
- [Island of the Blue Dolphins](https://readinglist.school/book/island-of-the-blue-dolphins) by Scott O'Dell _(1000L · Grades 4–7)_
- [Just Keep Walking](https://readinglist.school/book/just-keep-walking) by Erin Soderberg Downing _(Grades 3–6)_
- [Millie Fleur's Poison Garden](https://readinglist.school/book/millie-fleurs-poison-garden) by Christy Mandin _(Grades K–3)_
- [Mountain of Fire: The Eruption and Survivors of Mount St. Helens](https://readinglist.school/book/mountain-of-fire) by Rebecca E. Barone _(Grades 4–8)_
- [Narwhal: Unicorn of the Arctic](https://readinglist.school/book/narwhal-unicorn-of-the-arctic) by Candace Fleming _(Grades 3–6)_
- [Pax](https://readinglist.school/book/pax) by Sara Pennypacker _(760L · Grades 4–7)_
- [Race for the Ruby Turtle](https://readinglist.school/book/race-for-the-ruby-turtle) by Stephen Bramucci _(Grades 3–6)_
- [Rascal](https://readinglist.school/book/rascal) by Sterling North _(Grades 5–8)_
- [Smack Dab in the Middle of Maybe](https://readinglist.school/book/smack-dab-in-the-middle-of-maybe) by Jo Watson Hackl _(Grades 4–7)_
- [Spooky Lakes: 25 Strange and Mysterious Lakes that Dot Our Planet](https://readinglist.school/book/spooky-lakes) by Geo Rutherford _(Grades 4–8)_
- [Summer of the Monkeys](https://readinglist.school/book/summer-of-the-monkeys) by Wilson Rawls _(Grades 4–7)_
- [Thank a Farmer](https://readinglist.school/book/thank-a-farmer) by Maria Gianferrari _(Grades K–2)_
- [The Dark!: Wild Life in the Mysterious World of Caves](https://readinglist.school/book/the-dark-caves) by Lindsey Leigh _(Grades 3–7)_
- [The Guardian Test (Legends of Lotus Island #1)](https://readinglist.school/book/the-guardian-test) by Christina Soontornvat _(Grades 2–5)_
- [The Mystery of the Monarchs](https://readinglist.school/book/the-mystery-of-the-monarchs) by Barb Rosenstock _(Grades 4–8)_
- [The Old Man and the Sea](https://readinglist.school/book/the-old-man-and-the-sea) by Ernest Hemingway _(940L · Grades 8–12)_
- [The Pearl](https://readinglist.school/book/the-pearl) by John Steinbeck _(1010L · Grades 6–9)_
- [The River](https://readinglist.school/book/the-river) by Gary Paulsen _(Grades 5–8)_
- [The Trumpet of the Swan](https://readinglist.school/book/the-trumpet-of-the-swan) by E.B. White _(Grades 3–6)_
- [The Very Hungry Caterpillar](https://readinglist.school/book/the-very-hungry-caterpillar) by Eric Carle _(460L · Grades K–2)_
- [The Wild Robot](https://readinglist.school/book/the-wild-robot) by Peter Brown _(740L · Grades 4–6)_
- [The Wild Robot Escapes](https://readinglist.school/book/the-wild-robot-escapes) by Peter Brown _(Grades 3–6)_
- [Touching Spirit Bear](https://readinglist.school/book/touching-spirit-bear) by Ben Mikaelsen _(Grades 6–9)_
- [Volcanoes](https://readinglist.school/book/volcanoes) by Nell Cross Beckerman _(Grades 3–6)_
- [When Sea Becomes Sky](https://readinglist.school/book/when-sea-becomes-sky) by Gillian McDunn _(Grades 3–6)_
- [Wildful](https://readinglist.school/book/wildful) by Kengo Kurimoto _(Grades 4–8)_
- [Willa of the Wood](https://readinglist.school/book/willa-of-the-wood) by Robert Beatty _(Grades 4–7)_
- [Wishtree](https://readinglist.school/book/wishtree) by Katherine Applegate _(590L · Grades 3–6)_

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_Generated from primary-source citations indexed on ReadingList.school. JSON API: https://readinglist.school/api/theme/nature · HTML view: https://readinglist.school/theme/nature._