Picture Books for a Community Scientist

Inspire curiosity, global connection, and your next act of community science

New technologies have fueled a global push for citizen or community science, connecting curious individuals with researchers looking to gather and analyze vast quantities of new data. Now your family can spend meaningful time together supporting this research!

Before you check out our project instructions and Become Community Scientists, explore this fantastic collection of science-centric books to spark wonder.

Doing Good Together is transitioning to the more inclusive term “community science” rather than citizen science, simply because citzenship is not a prerequisite for participating and can be frighting to some science lovers.

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Conversation Starters

• What is community or citizen science?

• Why do you think it might be a good idea to encourage everyday citizens to participate in science?

• What could be a challenge or problem with having the public contribute to scientific research?

• How do you think it might feel to participate in a global scientific endeavor?

• What research would you do if you could?

• What did you learn in this book? What surprised you?

• What new questions do you have or what are you curious about as a result of reading this book?

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Featured DGT Favorite

Moonlight Crab Count by Dr. Neeta Bathala and Jennifer Keats Curtis
Join Leena, her mother, and her dog Bobie on a journey to count horseshoe crabs. Discover the simple truth that knowledge is a treasure we all should hunt for, kids and families as well as scientists!

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Actual Size by Steve Jenkens
This wonderfully-illustrated book brings the wild world into vivid perspective.

Animalium: Welcome to the Museum by Jenny Broom
Take a trip to the world's most accessible natural museum and spend hours learning about the natural world with this incredible book.

A Passion for Elephants: The Real Life Adventure of Field Scientist Cynthia Moss by Toni Buzzeo
Set the stage for your own observations of nature with this excellent biography.

Bat Count: A Citizen Science Story by Anna Forrester
Spend exciting summer evenings with Jojo and her family, counting bats to help scientists studying white-nose syndrome.

Big Questions from Little People: And Simple Answers from Great Minds by Gemma Elwin Harris
Scientists, philosophers, and specialists weigh in on the weighty, perplexing questions curious grade-school kids are famous for.

Citizen Science: Be a Part of Scientific Discovery from Your Own Backyard by Loree Griffin Burns
Get started with simple, flagship community science projects through Audubon, FrogWatch USA, and more. 

Follow the Moon Home: A Tale of One Idea, Twenty Kids, and A Hundred Sea Turtles by Phillipe Cousteau
Discover the incredible difference curious kids can make in the world. A little courage and perseverance and make big-hearted kids unstoppable!

If: A Mind-Bending New Way of Looking at Big Ideas and Numbers by David Smith
Grapple with big, hard-to-imagine ideas by scaling them down with clever metaphors brought to you by the same author who created If the World Were a Village.

Monarch Butterflies: Explore the Life Journey of One of the Winged Wonders of the World by Ann Hobie
This beautiful introduction to all things monarch is sure to inspire your family to take action. It gently illustrates how human behavior has harmed monarchs and then offers substantive ways kids can help make a positive difference. Also check out Monarch Joint Venture’s collection of community science projects.

Professor Astro Cat's Frontiers of Space by Dominic Walliman
Enjoy lessons on the cosmos from the world's smartest cat!

Ruby’s Birds by Mya Thompson
Join Ruby in discovering the fun of birdwatching, a pastime you can pursue whatever you are! Learn Ruby’s tips for taking nature walks, find out how to spot birds in your neck of the woods, and connect with Celebrate Urban Birds, a community-science project at the Cornell Lab.

Outdoor Science Lab for Kids: 52 Family-Friendly Experiments for the Yard, Garden, Playground, and Park by Liz Lee Heinecke
Part of the incredible Lab Series, this edition will inspire your whole family to bring science to your time outside.

What Do You Do With an Idea? by Kobi Yamada
This beautiful book is perfect for people of all ages, all aspirations, and all phases of creative endeavor. How do you nurture an idea? You'll see!

Back to Read Together for more book lists...

Haven't found what you're looking for?
Visit our Complete Resource List.

Or check out these projects and book lists to inspire your family to heal the Earth.

Disclaimer:  Doing Good Together™ is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

The recommendations we offer are based solely on our mission to empower parents to raise children who care and contribute.

Picture Books for Our Youngest Do Gooders

Nurture roots of kindness in the heart of your little one.

Nothing is as comforting for a parent or child as snuggling in with a good book. We gathered our favorite, simple stories for young readers in a collection designed to inspire your young helpers to grow kind hearts.

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Conversation Starters

• How is the character in this story feeling? Have you ever felt this way?

• Talk about a time when you faced a challenge or an adventure like the one in the story.

• Together, look closely at the illustrations. Do you notice anything new?

• Work together to draw or color a picture inspired by the story.

Featured Title

A Small Kindness by Stacy McAnulty, Illustrated by Wendy Leach

Small acts of kindness pass from one person to the next in a young classroom “like a game of tag.” Color spreads along with each act of kindness. In the end, everyone's a winner.

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More DGT Favorites

Bear Feels Sick and other Bear Books by Karma Wilson
These simple, rhyming stories cover topics from gratitude to fear to friendship.

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Beautiful Oops by Barney Saltzberg
In this culture nearly paralyzed by a fear of failure, we are hearing time and again that children aren't being allowed to make mistakes. This book is certainly part of the cure! Discover the beauty in a mistake, then set out to make a few of your own!

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Books by Mem Fox
It's no wonder Fox has won dozens of awards. Each of her stories is unique. Each is bewitching in its own way. And each speaks to even the youngest among us.

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Books by Todd Parr
Parr's entire collection is work checking out. He covers topics like peace, gratitude, and being different in a charming, bright, funny, and heart-felt way that speaks to people of every age.

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The Color Monster: A Pop Up Book of Feelings by Anna Llenas
Understanding nuanced emotions is a crucial step to developing empathy. This fun, new book takes kids on a journey through a rainbow of emotions.

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Families Belong, Families Can, and Families Grow by Dan Saks and Brooke Smart

This board book series features rhyming, light-hearted celebrations of families being together, the differences that make each family unique, and the different ways families can grow.

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The Empty Pot by Demi
Simply told and beautifully illustrated, this story shares the beauty of telling the truth. Everyone wants to win the Emperor’s competition: the grower of the most beautiful flower will become the next emperor. But when one boy’s seed won’t sprout, he learns that bravery and honesty are more important to becoming emperor than a dramatic presentation.

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Have You Filled a Bucket Today? by Carol McLoud
I know this book pops up on every list. If you are wondering why, then perhaps you haven't read it in a while. The message is so clear and so motivating, even the youngest children will set out at once to fill buckets. Perhaps even more remarkable, even the oldest readers find it inspiring too!

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Hug Time by Patrick McDonnell
This is another gem from the author of The Gift of Nothing and the comic series Mutts. Jules the kitten takes off on a mission to hug the world, teaching kids, and their parents, to start changing the world one small gift of kindness at a time.

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The Lion & the Mouse by Jerry Pinkney
This award-winning illustration of Aesop's much-loved fable gives kids the opportunity to tell their own stories. Though wordless, the intricate details on each page will have kids and their grownups thinking about who can be a helper.

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Red Cat, Blue Cat by Jenni Desmond
This vibrant, funny, simple story gently teaches the trouble caused by jealousy and the joys of self-acceptance and friendship.

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Twinkle, Twinkle Diaper You by Ellen Mayer
This simple board book shows the bonding that develops between parent and child during diaper changing time.

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Back to Read Together for more book lists

Haven't found what you're looking for?
Visit our Complete Resource List.

 

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Disclaimer: Doing Good Together™ is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. The recommendations we offer are based solely on our mission to empower parents to raise children who care and contribute.

Big-Hearted Story Collections that Inspire Compassion

Teach empathy and discover exceptional stories.

Literary compilations of stories and poems can be incredibly helpful. Keep one in the car for road trips or the unexpected traffic jam. Or toss one in your purse or diaper bag, to entertain weary little ones in the waiting room.

However you use them, your family will delight in the variety of the stories in these hand-picked collections.

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Conversation Starters

• How would you feel if you faced the situation in the story?

• What would you do differently?

• What does it mean to be wise? To have courage? To live generously?

• How would we know if someone was having a bad day and may need a little extra kindness?

• What are some safe and simple ways to share kindness with a stranger?

• What acts of kindness have others shared with you recently? How did they make you feel?

• Have you ever thought of doing a kind thing for a stranger, but decided not to out of nervousness? How could you overcome your shyness in the future?

Buddha at Bedtime: Tales of Love and Wisdom for you to Read withYour Child to Enchant, Enlighten and Inspire by Dharmachari Nagaraja
This book contains 20 modernized versions of ancient Buddhist stories. Most are full of whimsy and wonder, spurring on creative play, even as they teach about kindness, courage, and peace. Each story ends with a short restatement of the moral for reinforcement.

Children’s Book of Virtues by William J. Bennett
You may have read this classic as a child. Former secretary of education William Bennett shares stories, fables, and poem conveying virtues we all hope to share, including courage, compassion, and loyalty among many others. Some of the stories are very familiar (as in Aesop’s fables) others are quirky and new. One or two are somewhat dated, but on the whole, this is a wonderful book to read and discuss together.

Frederick and His Friends: Four Favorite Fables by Leo Lioni
Younger readers will love Frederick, the fieldmouse poet, and friends from the other tales, teaching friendship, courage, and speaking p.

I Can Make a Difference: A Treasury to Inspire Our Children by Marian Wright Edelman
This collection is exceptional with a wonderful combination of stories, poetry, and art. The works in this treasury do not simply teach and inspire. They are literary jewels, beautiful in and of themselves, making them a delight to sit down with your children to savor words so perfectly crafted.

James Herriot’s Treasury of Inspirational Stories for Children by James Herriot
The author of All Creatures Great and Small brings us eight heart-warming, occasionally heart-breaking tales. Little animal lovers will go nuts for these stories.  While morals and virtues are not so heavily emphasized in this collection,  the stories easily lend themselves to big-hearted discussions.

Kids' Random Acts of Kindness by Conari Press
This collection is sure to inspire your family’s next kindness activity. Nothing motivates kids – or adults – like a good example, which is exactly what these stories provide. While they may not be classic children’s literature, they will certainly spark the spirit of giving.

Tales of Wisdom and Wonder (with CD) by Hugh Lupton
The musical CD included with this collection makes it ideal for road trips or traffic jams, and it is sure to captivate your audience. This book features seven stories from a variety of cultures. They are expertly crafted, and perfect for reading aloud repeatedly to young children. As the title declares, there is a bit of wisdom in each tale to get a conversation started.

Haven't found what you're looking for?
Visit our Complete Resource List.

Or check out these projects to inspire your next act of kindness.

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Disclaimer:  Doing Good Together™ is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

The recommendations we offer are based solely on our mission to empower parents to raise children who care and contribute.