Love nature? I do, too!
In addition to being a writer and illustrator, I am an interpretive naturalist. One of my biggest thrills in life is sharing the things that excite me! The books on this page, are one of the ways I get to do this.
Noisy Bird Sing-Along
Sourcebooks
This book takes readers outside both day and night and through the seasons to see and hear all the sights and sounds of the birds around us. The illustrations are fun and use the sounds of the birds to direct the readers eye to all the cool sounds they make. Accurate scientific information accompanies all of the fun of heading out to go bird watching!
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Every kind of bird has their very own kind of sound! Cheerful sounds, mournful sounds, sweet sounds, weird sounds. Identification will happen without even opening your eyes. And what fun to sing along with an owl or any bird! John Himmelman knows those sounds well and loves to share his enthusiasm for birds. He explains how to call birds by "pishing," gives tips on how to attract birds by feeding them, how to make your list of birds, and more.
Noisy Frog Sing-Along
Sourcebooks
When frogs get together, they love to sing! They fill their big, bulgy throat pouch with air and sing out loud. Some peep, some trill, some growl, some creek, and some go WAAH, WAAH, WAAH! It's a chorus that happens near almost every pond and stream. Learn more about these delightful creatures and sing along with them!
Noisy Bug Sing-Along
Sourcebooks
Kids love bugs, and this book takes readers outside both day and night to see and hear all the sights and sounds. The illustrations are fun and use the sounds of the insects to direct the readers eye to all the cool sounds bugs make. Accurate scientific information accompanies all of the fun of heading out to the backyard on a summer night to experience the bugs!
In this colorful picture book, Himmelman introduces the sounds of "noisy bugs" and invites children to sing along with them. Each double-page spread focuses on one insect, with a line of text, such as "A Dog-Day Cicada buzzes LOUDLY high in a tree. / ZZZZZZZZ," and a meticulously drawn, large-scale image of the animal, with color, texture, and shading apparently added digitally. The big, bold images make the illustrations inviting to children, while the accurate depictions of individual insects reward closer study.
Box Turtle
Globe Pequot/Muddy Boots
This is the charming story of a box turtle whose life begins in a New England forest in 1890, and who lives over 100 years and witnesses changes to the landscape that threaten her habitat until the spirit of conservation transforms her remaining woodlot. An appealing story that teaches conservation, wildlife biology, and history.
Basic Illustrated Guide to Frogs, Snakes, Bugs, and Slugs
Falcon Guides
A surefire hit with young backyard diggers and bug-watchers, Basic Illustrated Guide to Frogs, Snakes, Bugs, and Slugs combines detailed illustrations of bugs, slugs, snakes, toads, and other creepy crawlies with clear and kid-friendly information to help the young bug-lover identify what’s crawling up the tree, buzzing in his ear, or hiding under a log.
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[Author's note: I basically included critters that tend to creep people out.]
There's a Bug on my Book!
Sourcebooks
An interactive experience for readers to move the bugs around their book while learning important characteristics about these creatures. Learning becomes fun as children form a deep appreciation for the world around us!
Young or old, you will love this book! Beetles fly, frogs hop, and slugs slide over the pages of this cute bug book, made to be read by a child while lying on the grass. Children interact with the book, with a tip, tap, and turn of the book, moving the critters along. The critters even interact with each other in surprising ways. John Himmelman brings together his expertise as both a naturalist and an artist to encourage children to explore nature in their own backyard.
Who's at the Seashore?
Globe Pequot/Muddy Boots
This book beautifully renders ocean-side wildlife and their delicate relationships with one another. Himmelman's breathtaking watercolor paintings are coupled with rhyming text couplets that examines the delicate balance that exists on the seashore. This enhanced version includes read-along and animations that bring the story to life before your eyes!
Frog in a Bog
Charlesbridge
Take a peek into an environment loaded with frogs, bugs, birds, and more. Budding naturalists can find bogs all over--maybe even in their own neighborhoods.
A handy field guide in the back helps young readers identify the plants and animals illustrated throughout the book.
After over 2 decades, Scholastic made the decision not to reprint the following 6 books- after selling out several times. I got the rights back and found another home for them - Mazo Publishers! They can now be ordered online from Barnes and Noble. Click on each book for a direct link to purchase. You can find all of them here, too.
The Nature Upclose Series
Mazo Publishers
Have you ever wondered how some of nature’s smallest creatures spend their days? Here’s your chance to take a scientifically accurate peek into their lives - from birth to parenthood. Striking illustrations and lively storyline capture the real life challenges for these small animals as they hunt for food, face enemies, and interact with humans (I made the humans "good guys" in each book - to show the true heart of children)
For this one, I reared Wood Frogs from tadpole to frogling - sketching and photographing as they grew. When they were ready to leave, I released them back where they were found.
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I raised a Luna Moth from a caterpillar for this one. It was hard to say goodbye as she emerged from her cocoon and I watched her fly into the woods.
The model for this book grew from a cluster of eggs I found under a log in my yard. Was amazed to discover the young sluglets have pink eye stalks! Turns out they're great escape artists and my wife was not thrilled to find slugs in our kitchen sink!
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You can order mealworms for pet food or school science projects. Mine were allowed to grow into Darkling Beetles. While everything I read claimed the beetles cannot fly, I found that to be incorrect when I brought one outdoors and it flew from my hands into the porchlight! RESEARCH!
White-footed mice are common in my part of CT. I had no problem finding art reference! In fact, I came across an entire fresh litter beneath an outdoor kiln in my yard, and got to document the little mousies as they grew.
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The Nature Upclose series comprise 13 books. Mazo published the 6 above, but Scholastic is not letting go of these, yet. They can be found on most online stores, or can be ordered through your favorite bookstore!
The Nature Upclose Series
Scholastic Publishers
Have you ever wondered how some of nature’s smallest creatures spend their days? Here’s your chance to take a scientifically accurate peek into their lives - from birth to parenthood. Striking illustrations and lively storyline capture the real life challenges for these small animals as they hunt for food, face enemies, and interact with humans (I made the humans "good guys" in each book - to show the true heart of children who encounter them)
In every book in this series, the main character is threatened by some predator they'd acually encounter. Scratched my head for this one at first, until I came up with the perfect dandelion villain - a lawnmower!
When it came time to work on this book, my ceilings were uncharacteristically spiderless! I put the word out, and was able to borrow one from a friend (who didn't ask for it back).
The timing was perfect for this book for me to find ladybug larvae for reference. They look like different creatures entirely!
Two things to say about this one:
1) It was the winner of the National Science Teachers award.
2) Pillbugs carry their young in pouches like kangaroos!!!
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As with A Woodfrog's Life, I raised Spotted Salamander larvae in my studio for illustration reference. I brought them back to their vernal pool when I was finished.
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Believe it or not, this book is the 2nd most popular in the series, right after another unlikely candidate - A Dandelion's Life.
Wait Till it Gets Dark
A Kid's Guide to Exploring the Night
Globe Pequot/Muddy Boots
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I got to illustrate this awesome book on exploring the night! Sanchez and Steele came up with a lot of fun things to do once the sun has set. Loved working on this!
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It’s night. It’s dark. It’s time to go indoors—or is it? The outdoors at night can be a scary place, but this book will help young readers investigate the mysterious nature of night.
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A Daddy Longlegs Isn't a Spider
Windward Publishing
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I got to illustrate this one! I've always been happy with how it came out - didn't hurt that I love Daddy Longlegs!
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Follow the daddy longlegs as she fends off predators, takes a windpowered trip down a river, deals with the changing seasons, and finds a safe place to lay her eggs. This story will teach and delight everyone who has met the resourceful and often misunderstood daddy longlegs.
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