Discover a series of illustrated children’s books, where:
- the content is carefully reviewed by research scientists
- the illustrations are beautiful yet accurate
- the narrative of each story is designed to bring ecological science to life and engage children
- the book can be read to or by the child at school or at home
- the information presented in the sidebars encourages further investigation
- teacher materials are accessible and available for classroom use
The largest and longest-lived ecological network in the United States, the Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER) Network provides the scientific expertise, research platforms, and long-term datasets necessary to document and analyze environmental change. The Network brings together a multi-disciplinary group of more than 2000 scientists and graduate students.
The twenty-eight LTER sites encompass diverse ecosystems in the continental United States, Alaska, Antarctica and islands in the Caribbean and the Pacific—including deserts, estuaries, lakes, oceans, coral reefs, prairies, forests, alpine and Arctic tundra, urban areas, and production agriculture.
The mission of the Schoolyard Series is to engage children and their families in learning about the earth’s ecosystems, both locally and internationally, through narratives that reflect the dynamic research being conducted at the National Science Foundation’s Long-Term Ecological Research Sites.
Find accompanying curriculum materials and teaching guides for many of the books linked from the individual book descriptions.
Books support the Schoolyard mission of LTER sites by emphasizing:
- Connection to the local community
- Interdisciplinary ecological concepts
- The importance of long-term perspectives
- A connection to scientists and the scientific questions that are being studied at each LTER site
Much of the LTER Schoolyard Series is published by Taylor Trade Publishing and distributed to the bookseller trade by the National Book Network. View the series catalog.
Counting on Caribou
COUNTING ON CARIBOU $15.95 BY PATRICIA H. PARTNOW; ILLUSTRATED BY DIANA MAGNUSON
It was a Monday in February. Fifth-grader Bruce Turner squirmed in his seat. It was -20 degrees outside and a blizzard was burying streets and driving the snow against doorways…
Credit: Copyright: The Learning Partnership
The Mighty Hurricane (in English)
El Poderoso Huracán (en Español)
BY STEVEN MCGEE and RANDI MCKEE-TEKULA; ILLUSTRATED BY ROBERT CASILLA
In the aftermath of Hurricane Maria, young Lana discovers how resilient the rainforest is and how the people of the island also come together in the face of disaster. Free audiobook, narrated in English and Spanish.
One Day in the Desert
ONE DAY IN THE DESERT $15.95 BY ANNA KEENER ILLUSTRATED BY CHRISTINA WALD Mariana is a third grader living in Las Cruces, New Mexico …
Save Our Stream
SAVE OUR STREAM $15.95 BY COLIN POLSKY AND JANE TUCKER ILLUSTRATED BY JULIA MINER One summer morning, Annie and her brother Bradley …
The Golden Forest
THE GOLDEN FOREST $15.95 BY CAROL BLANCHETTE AND JENIFER DUGAN ILLUSTRATED BY MICHAEL ROTHMAN Owen, who lives in Colorado, is visiting …
Seeking the Wolf Tree
SEEKING THE WOLF TREE $15.95 BY NATALIE CLEAVITT ILLUSTRATED BY MARJORIE LEGGITT Old-time New England foresters coined the term “wolf …
The Lost Seal
THE LOST SEAL $9.95 BY DIANE MCKNIGHT AND ILLUSTRATED BY DOROTHY EMERLING Research scientists camped at the desolate McMurdo Dry …
Ricky’s Atlas: Mapping a Land on Fire
Ricky’s Atlas: Mapping a Land on Fire $17.95 BY JUDITH LI ILLUSTRATED BY M.L. HERRING In this sequel to Ellie’s Log: …
Ellie’s Log: Exploring the Forest Where the Great Tree Fell
ELLIE’S LOG: EXPLORING THE FOREST WHERE THE GREAT TREE FELL $16.95 BY JUDITH L. LI ILLUSTRATED BY M.L. HERRING After …
The Autumn Calf
THE AUTUMN CALF $15.95 BY JILL HAUKOS ILLUSTRATED BY JOYCE MIHRAN TURLEY Most bison calves are born in mid-spring. However, …
Kupe and the Corals
KUPE AND THE CORALS $15.95 BY JACQUELINE L. PADILLA-GAMIÑO ILLUSTRATED BY MARJORIE LEGGITT One night while young Kupe is fishing …
My Water Comes from the Rocky Mountains
MY WATER COMES FROM THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS $16.95 BY TIFFANY FOURMENT ILLUSTRATED BY DOROTHY EMERLING This book…
My Water Comes from the San Juan Mountains
MY WATER COMES FROM THE SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS $16.95 BY TIFFANY FOURMENT; KOREN NYDICK; GARY GIANINY AND MARY ANN GOFF …
Sea Secrets
SEA SECRETS: TINY CLUES TO A BIG MYSTERY $16.95 BY MARY M. CERULLO AND BETH E. SIMMONS ILLUSTRATED BY KIRSTEN …
And the Tide Comes In
AND THE TIDE COMES IN: EXPLORING A COASTAL SALT MARSH $9.95 BY MERRYL ALBER ILLUSTRATED BY JOYCE MIHRAN TURLEY This …
One Night in the Everglades
ONE NIGHT IN THE EVERGLADES $15.95 BY LAUREL LARSEN PH.D. ILLUSTRATED BY JOYCE MIHRAN TURLEY Follow two scientists as they …
Shady Streams, Slippery Salamanders
SHADY STREAMS, SLIPPERY SALAMANDERS $15.95 BY JASON LOVE ILLUSTRATED BY JOYCE TURLEY Two boys, Jonathan and Christopher, live in the southern Appalachian Mountains …
Una Noche en los Everglades
UNA NOCHE EN LOS EVERGLADES $15.95 BY LAUREL LARSEN PH.D. TRANSLATED BY ALIDA RIBBI & RUDOLF JAFFE ILLUSTRATED BY JOYCE …
