In a previous life, I was the librarian at the Museum of Science in Boston, so I kind of have a thing for children’s science books.  Happily, there are lots of good ones so far this year.  The great thing about science picture books is that they’re for everyone.  Adults may find them just right to get a good introduction to a difficult topic.

A Nest is Noisy by Dianna Hutts Aston, illustrated by Sylvia Long.  Published by Chronicle Books.

This author-illustrator team has produced another work of art about nature.  Packed with fascinating facts about all kinds of animals’ nests and gorgeously illustrated, plan on spending a lot of time poring over this book.

Egg: Nature’s Perfect Package by Robin Page, illustrated by Steve Jenkins.  Published by HMH Books for Young Readers.

Just in case you’re wondering about what goes inside all those nests.  Another winning author-illustrator team, with phenomenally detailed cut paper illustrations and lots of amazing facts about all different kinds of eggs.

A Chicken Followed Me Home! : Questions and Answers About a Familiar Fowl by Robin Page.  Published by Beach Lane Books.

Apparently, Robin Page spent some time recently contemplating the whole chicken/egg question, because two months after Eggs was published, this book about chickens came out.  A book about chickens sounds like it would be kind of dull.  It’s not.

Water Is Water: A Book About the Water Cycle by Miranda Paul, illustrated by Jason Chin.  Published by Roaring Brook Press.

Here’s the perfect example of a book that explains a scientific concept in the simplest terms.  The illustrations by Jason Chin are lovely, and portray children in everyday situations interacting with water in all its various forms.

Raindrops Roll by April Pulley Sayre.  Published by Beach Lane Books

And speaking of the water cycle….  The amazing photographs in this book of things you might find in your backyard (flowers, birds, trees) will encourage readers to slow down and observe the world around them.