Kids Fiction Nature

Aiko is a courageous astronaut, specially trained to brave the extremes of space. The whole of humanity is counting on her success. But on a planet that shows signs of life, something goes awry, and when she wakes up, she finds . . . a pack of dogs? And . . . they can talk? Descended from the valiant astro-dogs who first traveled in space, these canines have cut off all contact with Earth. They’ve found a new planet where they can live, far from humanity and their former masters.

Katerina and Luka, two majestic, mated white storks, are in flight when Katerina is shot down by a hunter and left severely injured. Nearby, a man and his granddaughter see the bird fall from the sky and rush to her rescue. As they nurse Katerina back to health, Luka, who has been by her side night and day, feels the coming cold and knows he must migrate—even though it means leaving his beloved Katerina behind, to be cared for by the family who rescued her. When spring arrives, Katerina watches the sky, hoping that she might see Luka's familiar silhouette again . . . and he returns!

It’s nighttime in the rainforest, and when Mama tells young Faly to shut his eyes, he objects. “Only if Mahandry sleeps, too,” he tells his mother. “But I am bigger than you, Faly,” answers the older lemur brother. “I am allowed to go to bed later.” Thus begins a spirited back-and-forth and a family gambol that brings a mama and her two lemur sons from the hollow of their tree to a dangerous wide river crossing to a slippery rushing waterfall and eventually to a tall tree filled with orchids to snack on.

Miguel Rosado wants nothing more than to see and draw the world … or at least anywhere beyond the four walls of his family’s bodega in Washington Heights. Too bad his mami and papi have him working long hours after school, hoping he’ll appreciate the sacrifices they’ve made to keep the store afloat. For street-savvy and newly adopted cat Lolo, that sounds just perfect if it means he’s far, far away from the hungry, lonely nights he once spent in the freezing-cold outdoors.

Stu likes to help people by using his karate skills to chop things. But sometimes, he chops the wrong things. Listeners will enjoy practicing their decodable skills with this fun story.

Bestselling author and Magnolia cofounder Joanna Gaines welcomes you on an imaginative adventure through nature’s small surprises and invites you and your kids to be curious, slow down, and take in everyday wonders. Inspired by Joanna’s young son’s insistence to “look up!” and the shift to a slower perspective she enjoyed after having her last child, this book shares the delight of taking a friend by the hand, getting your boots muddy, and discovering the secrets just waiting to be uncovered.

Meet Tariq, a kind and talented tortoise who worries his Tourette’s makes him different. As we learn more about his condition, his friends help him realize he has nothing to worry about, and that he is brilliant, just the way he is.

It’s 1889, barely twenty-five years after the Emancipation Proclamation, and a young Black family is tired of working on land they don’t get to own. So when Will and his father hear about an upcoming land rush, they set out on a journey from Texas to Oklahoma, racing thousands of others to the place where land is free—if they can get to it fast enough. But the journey isn’t easy—the terrain is rough, the bandits are brutal, and every interaction carries a heavy undercurrent of danger.

In a small, medieval village lives the 13-year-old Arah, who was raised as an orphan in the household of the kind pastor. Arah loves books and often retreats into her own dream world. A significant day comes when a travelling exorcist comes into the village searching for hidden witches. Although Arah likes to fantasize about magic and deep down in her heart would love to have magical powers, she can only listen to the exorcist's words with suspicion. There could not possibly be witches in the real world.... When she is suddenly accused of being a witch, it is time for her to flee.

"Long, long ago, it was incredibly busy. No one had time to stop for a moment. Everything and everyone had to be higher, faster, further, bigger, prettier, more!" Thus begins Grandpa Hedgehog's story of the Rush Era. A time not so different from our own, where everyone was constantly on the move and no one had time to stop for a moment, even to care for the forest. Everyone except for a tiny hero named Quill. Can this gentle soul teach the rushing world to stop and smell the flowers before it's too late?

Its Christmas time! A puppy called the Littlest Coyote makes a few mistakes and gets banned from the house. They take him to a kennel for the night where he meets strange singing dogs and he gets to howl a lot. Does his family come and get him ever?

A puppy called the Littlest Coyote decides to go exploring one day. He makes new friends and spends the night alone out there. Does he make it home to his family? Listen and find out!

Evelyn Witch has everything a witch needs. Messy hair, bubbling potions, and perfectly carved pumpkins. But there’s something missing… A pet! Perhaps she’ll get a bat or a griffin, or—Oh. She can only afford the mystery pet: a plain white egg. She watches and waits for it to hatch. Sniveling snails, something has to be done! Evelyn rolls up her sleeves and heads to the library, where they keep all the best spells. It’s time to get serious.

Mr. Ben and Mrs. Ben were traveling to another state for a program. They sat down with Mark and Cynthia and instructed them to play gently with their horse. They told Cynthia Mark should not ride the horse alone, but Cynthia should help him.

On a street of old houses, a big hairy spider is searching for a home with dark corners to hide in. But when he wakes up, he finds a hand reaching for him and a lady proclaiming that she has always wanted a kitten and will name him Luigi! At first, a somewhat puzzled Luigi—used to being left alone to creep and dangle and spin webs—resists her kind advances. But soon, tasty breakfasts and getting tucked into bed (no one’s ever wished him good night before) have him thinking that kittens surely live magical lives. I will be a kitten! he decides. But how long can he keep up his facade?

Two food trucks staffed by sworn enemies: ducks vs. geese. Before you can say "curly fries", these two rivals are in an epic food truck face-off. "Battle on! At dawn, we ride!" But soon, Goose becomes overwhelmed by hangry crowds. He sure could use some extra wings to help out! Will these foes find a solution and become feathered friends?

Susan the duck has the worst luck. Her rollerskates are two sizes too big. She's lost her favorite marble. And she's run out of pickles. But with each unfortunate discovery, Wolf shows up with a gift she's won. Her luck has turned around . . . hasn't it? Come see just how lucky Susan is, in this slyly funny story about finding luck when you least expect it.

Small One, the youngest elephant in her herd, is in a hurry to grow up. One day, at the watering hole, she decides to show the herd how big she really is. She gets trapped, and has to be rescued by her family. She learns that having her family watch over her isn’t so bad after all!

Where can those baby snakes be? Rachael must help a mother snake find those slippery slitherers before the cat does. While her daddy is busy cooking up an overflowing batch of spaghetti and peas, Rachael escapes into the backyard for fun and adventure. What she finds is a grand old mystery when she meets and befriends a mother snake who needs help finding her missing babies.

This set of stories set on the farm in the context of a family explains nature concepts to kids through storytelling. In listening to these stories children will learn about the role bees and other insects, squirrels, manure, renewable energy, seasons, and care for animals all play in maintaining a healthy natural environment. The stories are told from a child's perspective making concepts accessible and easy to follow. Importantly, each stories contains educational nuggets for curious minds.