Space week · Elementary · Related story
Mousetronaut
Mark Kelly
A tiny mouse saves the day on a real space mission. Written by an astronaut.
Dig by subject
Science
How things work, from bugs to black holes.
Space week · Elementary · Theme book
The Darkest Dark
Chris Hadfield
A real astronaut wrote this about being afraid of the dark as a boy. Good for brave and not-so-brave readers.
Space week · Elementary · Play day
Glow-in-the-dark solar system kit
Paint the planets, hang them up, and turn off the lights.
Space week · Elementary · Theme book
Moonshot
Brian Floca
The Apollo 11 trip told in beautiful pictures. Read it in a whisper during the landing.
Space week · Elementary · Theme book
Mae Among the Stars
Roda Ahmed
Mae Jemison dreamed of space and got there. Ask your reader what they dream of doing.
Space week · Elementary · Theme book
There's No Place Like Space!
Tish Rabe
The Cat in the Hat tours the planets. Silly rhymes with real facts inside.
Dinosaurs week · Elementary · Related story
Dinosaurs Before Dark
Mary Pope Osborne · Hardcover
The first Magic Tree House book. If they like it, there are dozens more.
Dinosaurs week · Elementary · Theme book
Little Kids First Big Book of Dinosaurs
Catherine D. Hughes
Big pictures and short facts. Great for kids who want to know every name.
Dinosaurs week · Elementary · Play day
Dinosaur fossil dig kit
Chip, brush and dig out the bones. Do it outside or on a big tray.
Dinosaurs week · Elementary · Theme book
Dinosaur Bones
Bob Barner
Short and punchy, with bright cut-paper art. Count the bones together.
Dinosaurs week · Elementary · Theme book
Dinosaur Lady
Linda Skeers · Paperback
Mary Anning found fossils on the beach when girls weren't supposed to. A real hero.
Dinosaurs week · Elementary · Theme book
Barnum's Bones
Tracey Fern
The man who found the first T. rex, and loved fancy suits. Funny and true.
Ocean week · Elementary · Related story
The Snail and the Whale
Julia Donaldson · Board book
A tiny snail, a giant whale and a rescue. Rhymes that beg to be read twice.
Ocean week · Elementary · Theme book
Shark Lady
Jess Keating · Paperback
The true story of Eugenie Clark, who loved sharks when everyone feared them.
Ocean week · Elementary · Play day
Ocean animal figurines
Good for bath time, the sandbox or sorting by size.
Ocean week · Elementary · Theme book
Hello Ocean
Pam Munoz Ryan · Paperback
The ocean through all five senses. Read it slowly and out loud.
Ocean week · Elementary · Theme book
Manfish: A Story of Jacques Cousteau
Jennifer Berne
Dreamy pictures and a real explorer. Ask what they'd want to see underwater.
Ocean week · Elementary · Theme book
Ocean Sunlight
Molly Bang
How sunlight feeds the whole sea. Big ideas made simple.
Apples week · Elementary · Related story
How to Make an Apple Pie and See the World
Marjorie Priceman
A silly trip around the world for ingredients. Get a map out and follow along.
Apples week · Elementary · Theme book
How Do Apples Grow?
Betsy Maestro
Clear and gentle science. Cut an apple across the middle afterward and find the star.
Apples week · Elementary · Play day
Toy fruit and vegetable cutting set
Velcro fruit to slice and serve. Little ones love running a pretend farm stand.
Apples week · Elementary · Theme book
Seed to Plant
Kristin Baird Rattini
Short, bright and full of real photos. Save some seeds from your apple to try.
Apples week · Elementary · Theme book
The Apple Pie Tree
Zoe Hall
Follows one tree through the seasons, with a pie at the end. Good for little bakers.
Apples week · Elementary · Theme book
Johnny Appleseed: The Legend and the Truth
Jane Yolen · Paperback
Sorts the tall tales from the real man. A nice first taste of how history gets told.