Book Info: DK (2020). Life cycles: Everything from start to finish.(S. Falconer, Illus.). DK Publishing. 

This book shares over 60 life cycles. This book has different facts about each living thing as well as the whole life cycle. This book has amazing illustrations that help the reader understand each step. This book shows the life cycle of so many living things including plants, animals, and people.

Type: Browsable Nonfiction

STEM Concepts: Life cycles of animals, plants, and people, climate

Challenging Aspect: (Language usage) Some of the vocabulary used as well as possibly confused on the correct order that the life cycles go in. There is a lot of beautiful illustrations on each page and the text is woven in between, possibly making it difficult to follow the cycle. 

Keating, J. (2017). Shark lady: The true story of how Eurgine Clark became the ocean’s most fearless scientist. (M.A. Miguéns, Illus.).Sourcebooks Explore. 

This colorful book shares the amazing life of Eugenie Clark and how she got the nickname “Shark Lady”. This book shares how she started to love sharks and her fascination with sharks. People thought that she was crazy for loving sharks because they thought they were gross and mean animals, so she used her problem solving skills to prove them wrong in so many ways.

Type: Narrative Nonfiction

STEM Concepts: Problem solving, animal science, habitats

Challenging Aspect: (illustrations) The illustrations might be a little off putting for some individuals because it looks like the sharks are actually floating all over the place rather than just in an aquarium which might scare some kids. 

This book takes students through an exploration of all animals can smell and use their noses for from recognizing their young to finding food and more.

Type: Browsable Nonfiction

STEM Concepts: compare and contrast animal characteristics, critical thinking about topic, observe and describe patterns between animals traits

Challenging Aspect: (Language Used) This book is full of challenging words like substance and domestic. I would go through the book and pick out the words beforehand and use them to create a vocabulary lesson before reading. I would also read aloud the book and pause to review the tough words before making it available for my students to read independently. 

Sea Otters immerses readers in everything sea otter, each section focusing on a specific aspect from where they live and their diets to their special fur. 

Type: Traditional Nonfiction

STEM Concepts: make observations of animals, make connections about inheritance of traits, ask and answer questions

Challenging Aspect: (Knowledge Required) Students likely do not know that there is more than one type of otter. I would begin by building background knowledge through reading, showing photos and maps about the two most common types: the sea otter and the river otter.

This book follows the journey of a pregnant Great White Shark as she travels to warmer waters before giving birth to her pups. The way Saxby weaves facts into her narrative story-telling while teaching us all about Great White Sharks is entrancing.

Type: Expository Literature

STEM Concepts: make observations of animals, science of ecosystems, ask and answer questions

Challenging Aspect: (Structure Used) The enticing illustrations and captivating storytelling might confuse students about the type of book they are reading. Before the lesson I would introduce the book as nonfiction and review the types of nonfiction before inviting students to try and figure out which type this book is. During the reading I would point out facts and other nonfiction text features. At the end we would discuss what type of nonfiction this book falls under. 

This book follows the life of Margaret Lowman as she grows up loving plants and eventually becomes the first to study the rainforest from the treetops. 

Type: Narrative Nonfiction

STEM Concepts: women in STEM, perseverance, make a plan, study of plants, engineering

Challenging Aspect: (Knowledge Required) One part of the book it talks about many different kinds of plants that Margaret studied, pressed and labeled when she was young. Students might be unfamiliar with the types listed and what it means to press them. I would show students pictures of the flowers and bring in a flower press to show them what Margaret was doing. 

This book explains how plants defend themselves using adaptations that help them survive being eaten, trampled and so much more.

Type: Expository Literature

STEM Concepts: plant life cycle, adaptations, questioning, ecosystems

Challenging Aspect: (Language Usage) Students may be unfamiliar with the word adaptations. Before reading I would introduce and define the word then discuss some adaptations in animals. I would also encourage students to identify the adaptations on each page as we read and discuss as a class what they found after we finish reading. 

This book draws readers into the depths of the ocean with its eye catching illustrations and vibrant colors. Each page focuses on 1-2 types of creatures that can be found deep in the ocean.

Type: Browsable Nonfiction

STEM Concepts: ecosystems, analyze and interpret data, obtaining and evaluating information

Challenging Aspect: (Knowledge Required) Students may not know what “the deep” is referring to besides the water is deep. I would start with a mini lesson on the 4 zones of the ocean and looking at photos for what each zone is like before diving into our book. 

This true story is about a wilder cougar, P-22, that lived in Los Angeles in a national park. Once He was old enough to leave the national park, he had a very interesting journey to get where he needed to be. People all around Los Angeles wanted to help the cougar as much as they could. 

Pincus, M. (2021). Cougar crossing: How hollywood’s celebrity cougar helped build a bridge for city wildlife. (A. Vidal, Illus.). Beach Lane Books.

Type: Narrative Nonfiction

STEM Concepts: Animals, environments, problem solving

Challenging Aspect: (reality vs fiction) I feel as though some students might not believe that this story is based on a real event that happened. The illustrations make it seem like fiction, so this might throw some students off.