My preschoolers and I are embarking on a reptile theme this month! One of the first things I do when researching and planning for a new theme is look into books. With a science theme like this one, I like to use both fiction and nonfiction. Below is a selection of books for preschoolers to learn about all things reptiles! I think many of these books would be great with older children, as well.
Are you following Fun-A-Day’s Reptile Theme Pinterest board?
nonfiction reptile books for preschoolers
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Reptiles and Amphibians by Roger Priddy
This is the book that started it all! My preschool directory purchased the book last year, and it has been a staple in our reading center since then. This year’s group adore it so much – it’s read or looked at almost every single day (no, I’m no exaggerating). The kids’ love of this book is what inspired a month devoted to a reptile theme!
Reptiles and Amphibians has great photographs on each page, along with a variety of facts about different reptiles and amphibians. The kids especially love the “danger factor” chart that indicates how dangerous each animal is. I like the comparison drawing, showing the size of each animal in comparison to a human. Oh, and apparently there’s a version that has stickers, too!
Usborne Pocket Books: Reptiles
This is a small reference book devoted to reptiles. It has information and pictures on over 100 of them. I think my students will be most interested in the “diet” portion of the facts! They’re always interested in what different animals eat!
Snakes (Usborne Beginners) by James MacLaine
A beginning reader that explains a variety of facts about snakes, including how they shed their skin and why they hiss. The book includes illustrations and photographs of various snakes, along with internet links to find out even more!
Sea Turtles by Gail Gibbons
Gail Gibbons discusses the different kinds of sea turtles, explaining how they live and grow using easy-to-understand language. Gibbons’ watercolor paintings accompany the text, illustrating how the turtles travel in the ocean and live their day-to-day lives.
Komodo Dragons by Ruth Bjorklund
This books is filled with photographs and information about those infamous reptiles! There’s information about how the komodo dragons are related to dinosaurs, which kiddos will find intriguing.
fiction reptile books for preschoolers
The Mixed-Up Chameleon by Eric Carle
The poor chameleon gets himself into a bind when he decides he wants to look like all of the animals in the zoo. Colorful illustrations and wackiness abound.
A Color of His Own by Leo Lionni
I couldn’t resist another chameleon book, as I adore it so! A chameleon is upset that it doesn’t have its own color, like most other animals. It tries to stay in one spot to remain one color, but that doesn’t work out as planned. Then it makes a friend, and that makes all the difference.
Verdi by Janell Cannon
Verdi is a young, fast, yellow python who doesn’t want to grow up to be an old, slow, green python. He tries to outrun growing up, but that doesn’t work out too well for him. Along the way, he learns that growing up doesn’t mean he can’t be himself.
Yertle the Turtle by Dr. Seuss
Yertle decides he wants a throne where he can see everything. He gets the other turtles to stack up on top of each other to create such a throne. What happens when the other turtles aren’t so happy about the arrangement? This short story is full of Dr. Seuss’ whimsical rhyming fun!
I Wanna Iguana by Karen Kaufman Orloff
Alex really wants an iguana, but his mom isn’t too keen on that idea. They write letters back and forth discussing the pros and cons of iguana ownership. Fun illustrations and playful mother-son banter abound.
Do you have any reptile books for preschoolers you’d add to the list? Let me know in the comments below!
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I always loved the story of Yertle the Turtle by Dr. Seuss. My sister in law is a kindergarten teacher. I think her classes would love some of these books. I think it is a really creative way for the kids to learn about reptiles, and nature. They have a snake for a class pet. I will have to ask my sister in law if she has heard of any of these books.
That’s a great suggestion, too!
Hello, My favorite reptile book is “The Selfish Crocodile”. It’s about a crocodile who won’t let the other animals in the water. They are all afraid of him except a small mouse, who figures out why the crocodile is so grumpy and helps him. The illustrations are colorful and on some of the pages, amusing. This book is a very cute and teachable book.
Oh yes, that’s a great one to add to the list! Thanks. 🙂