Go back >>> K Background Building Book Choices

The Caldecott Award-winning fable of compassion and kindness retold by acclaimed artist Jerry Pinkney.

In award-winning artist Jerry Pinkney’s wordless adaptation of one of Aesop’s most beloved fables, an unlikely pair learn that no act of kindness is ever wasted. After a ferocious lion spares a cowering mouse that he’d planned to eat, the mouse later comes to his rescue, freeing him from a poacher’s trap. With vivid depictions of the landscape of the African Serengeti and expressively-drawn characters, Pinkney makes this a truly special retelling, and his stunning pictures speak volumes.

The Lion & the Mouse


This is Bross. Bross is a FOX. He is 7 years old.
But Bross doesn’t want to be a FOX . He would prefer to be a LION.
He wants to have all the advantages that LION have.
So, let’s join him on his dream.

I Wish I Were a LION (Great Picture Book for KIDS) Lion Books (Age 4 – 11) (Animal Habitats and Books for Early/Beginner Readers 8)


The African grasslands stretch across the continent below the Sahara. In a swuare of land about the size of a living room, children will see animals they might have encountered only at the zoo. . .discover the rewards and dangers of their natural home. . .and observe how these creatures live with each other in a changing, endangered environment. It’s an exciting journey of discovery, coming to you from the One Small Square series of interactive science and nature books. . .where the next stop could be as near as your backyard or as far as half a world away.

African Savanna


Journey to Africa to explore the world of the grasslands! Readers are taken on an adventure through the grasslands to learn about the various animal and plant life and grassland conservation in this fascinating nonfiction book that features striking photographs and riveting facts. Even the most reluctant of readers will be captivated as they move from cover to cover.

African Grasslands (TIME FOR KIDS® Nonfiction Readers)


Exotic environments like the African savanna have long held a fascination for young readers. This colorful picture book beautifully evokes that realm with images of giraffes, lions, hippos, elephants, and many more animals of the plains. Through cumulative, singsong verse, young readers learn how all living things in this important ecological community rely on one another for their existence. The book brings home the important lesson that when one of these animals or plants is killed off or goes extinct, the web of life is broken. Luminous paintings by Tom Leonard capture the untamed beauty of this timeless, endangered realm.

Here Is the African Savanna (Web of Life)


A real-life game-spotting expedition through the African Savannah. Learn the Zulu names for common savannah fauna, and find the animals camouflaged in photographs of Kruger National Park, South Africa. When you go on safari in Africa, you’ll find you spend much of your time scanning the trees and tall grass, trying to see what may be hiding there. This book gives you a chance to try it from your living room. The Zulu names and pronunciations will give you a window into the lovely culture of South Africa, and a chance to know a little more about what your guides are saying if you have the chance to visit.

Where’s Wenu?: Find the animals hidden in the African Savannah