Looking Closely Book Bundle

In the extraordinary Caldecott Medal–winner and New York Times bestseller by David Wiesner, a beach day is the springboard to a wildly imaginative exploration of fantastical mysteries of the deep—and of human connections through time.

A young boy comes to the beach eager to collect and examine flotsam—anything floating that has been washed ashore. But nothing among his usual finds compares with the discovery of a barnacle-encrusted underwater camera with its own secrets to share . . . and to keep. Meet unexpected underseas denizens and enter fascinating worlds within worlds in this entrancing celebration of imagination, creativity, and the impulse to share that which delights and amazes us.

Pages: 31

A lovely, lyrical picture book with gorgeous illustrations that explores the ways the wild makes itself known to us and how much closer it is than we think.

There are so many places that wild can exist, if only you know where to look! Can you find it? Two kids set off on an adventure away from their urban home and discover all the beauty of the natural world. From the bark on the trees to the sudden storm that moves across the sky to fire and flowers, and snowflakes and fresh fruit. As the children make their way through the woods and back to the paved and noisy streets, they discover that wild exists not just off in some distant place, but right in their own backyard.

Pages: 21

Experience the power of listening to your heart, paying attention, love, and empathy in Listen, a simple and tender picture book by Holly M. McGhee and Pascal Lemaitre, the creators of the NYT bestseller Come with Me.

The buoyant verses and gentle art show you how to connect with the whole world. From exploring your sensorial surroundings—what you see, breathe, hear, taste, and feel—to becoming aware of our shared experiences.

"A sweet serenade to our shared belonging . . . To listen takes time, too—and to learn to hear and befriend the world within and hte world without, to attend to the quiet voice of life and heart alike."

—Brain Pickings

Pages: 22

One rainy day, a little boy is upset because he can't go out and play. His mom comes up with a way to keep him entertained--by drawing a picture of herself and him going outside, playing in the rain, and splashing in a giant puddle. They have so much fun drawing themselves that they decide to venture out and make the most of the rainy weather.

Pages: 37

Winner of the Governor General's Literary Award for Children's Illustrated Book

A New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Book of the Year

In this wordless picture book, a little girl collects wildflowers while her distracted father pays her little attention. Each flower becomes a gift, and whether the gift is noticed or ignored, both giver and recipient are transformed by their encounter.

“Written” by award-winning poet JonArno Lawson and brought to life by illustrator Sydney Smith, Sidewalk Flowers is an ode to the importance of small things, small people and small gestures.

Pages: 24

A moth with a sixth sense. A wasp that hunts beetles nearly twice its size. The lives of fascinating creatures such as these were unknown until one man introduced them to the world.

Meet Jean-Henri Fabre, one of the most important naturalists of all time. As a boy in the French countryside, Henri spent hours watching insects. He dreamed of observing them in a new way: in their own habitats. What he discovered in pursuing that dream was shocking; these small, seemingly insignificant creatures led secret lives—lives of great drama!

With its lively, lyrical text and richly detailed illustrations, this intriguing picture-book biography introduces the man who would forever change the way we look at insects, bringing to life the fascinating world of dazzling beetles, ferocious wasps, and other amazing small wonders that exist all around us.

Pages: 32

A lovely poem illustrated by photographs of the smallest creatures outside. Bees on a flower, an ant, a cricket singing, a spider on a silken thread. The poem is lovely, and the pictures invite the reader in to the natural world.

Pages: 22

A grandfather takes his grandchild on a walk in their neighborhood to enjoy the beauty of the small things around them. The simple text allows readers the opportunity to enjoy the details of the intricate illustrations and to find the “tiny, perfect things.” Some of the activities in this unit are making a unique illustration of tiny, perfect things, writing a letter to a "grand", and making a fairy garden.

Pages: 30

When two siblings go on a treasure hunt, they aren't sure exactly what kind of treasure they are looking for. What they do know is that treasures are shiny, mysterious and precious. And that all the really good treasures are hidden!

As they explore the forest, their curiosity pays off when they find the biggest, shiniest, most mysterious and precious treasure hidden just over a hill.

Told exclusively in dialogue, this beautifully illustrated picture book exudes a sense of wonder at the natural world and emphasizes the magical qualities of looking through a child's eye.

Pages: 31

From the bestselling author Annie Barrows, What John Marco Saw is a captivating tale that celebrates the importance of slowing down. Sometimes the smallest people have the biggest things to say: John Marco is small and everyone around him is big and busy–too busy to stop and listen. The thing is, John Marco is busy, too!

Pages: 38

In this resource handbook are lesson sparks, guiding questions, and curricular connections for each book in the kit. This will support you in spending less time planning and more time exploring outdoors with your learners!

This is the downloadable version of the hardcopy you will receive with your order (but includes the hyperlinks that are not live in your hard copy). You will be able to access your download immediately on the cart completion page and in the email you receive once your order has been paid for.

This was created by teachers Megan Zeni, Sarah Regan and Lauren MacLean. Megan and Sarah are job share partners teaching entirely outdoors in a K-7 garden classroom. Megan shares these experiences of outdoor play and learning on Instagram and Twitter at @roomtoplay. Lauren is a K-7 mentoring support teacher who has a love for playing, learning, and teaching outdoors. She is the host of the Mentoring Nature Connections podcast and author of Me and My Sit Spot.

Our clipboards are durable, weatherproof, and made from recycled plastic!

This easy-to-write-on surface provides a simple option for turning the outdoors into your classroom. :)

"The plastic clipboards are a game changer for outdoor ed." - Teacher, Southeast Kootenay School District 5

Ethical Elements: Made from recycled plastic, and sourced from a company that has exceptionally high social and environmental standards. Read more about our ethical policies & practices.

The Inside Scoop: After looking high and low for a recycled clipboard, we were so glad to find this one with a local company with such high standards. While a bit higher cost than run-of-the-mill clipboards, we know it won't disappoint!