Rainforest topic books for children
Rainforest books for children – this curated list explores children’s titles about some of the Earth’s most diverse ecosystems. Teachers and librarians have selected the books and picked titles aimed at KS1 and KS2 school libraries, classroom bookshelves, topic teaching and reading at home. Featuring works by Bear Grylls, Kay Barnham, Simon Chapman, Kate Messner, Lynne Cherry, Sarah Ridley, Sarah Dellow, Sally Spray, Holly Duhig, John Wood, Kathryn Jewitt, Fiametta Dogi, Mike Clark, and Mari Schuh, this list provides a diverse range of rainforest-themed books.
Rainforest-themed books for children – our recommendations
Bear Grylls Sticker Activity: Rainforest by Bear Grylls
Bear Grylls’ Sticker Activity: Rainforest introduces children to the world’s rainforests. The book features information about wildlife, including orangutans, pythons, and tigers, along with interactive elements such as quizzes, word searches, and mazes. It encourages children to read further and learn independently about rainforest ecosystems.
Look and Wonder: Incredible Rainforests by Kay Barnham
Kay Barnham’s Look and Wonder: Incredible Rainforests explores the diverse life found in rainforests, from birds of paradise to insects and monkeys. The book explains food chains and life cycles within the forest’s canopies. Part of the Look and Wonder series, it uses colourful digital illustrations and simple text to introduce young readers to natural science concepts. It’s perfect for children aged 4+ both at home and in school.
Expedition Diaries: Borneo Rainforest by Simon Chapman
Simon Chapman’s Expedition Diaries: Borneo Rainforest details his journey through one of the world’s oldest rainforests on the island of Borneo. The book documents his trek, sketching local wildlife, including orangutans, trees, mammals, and birds. Part of the Expedition Diaries series, it introduces children to biomes and habitats through first-hand experiences. The book offers a scrapbook-style diary, ideal for engaging young readers with geography and the natural world. Chapman is a Blue Peter Book Award winner.
Over and Under the Rainforest by Kate Messner
Kate Messner’s Over and Under the Rainforest explores Central America’s rainforests, focusing on the diverse wildlife from the forest floor to the canopy. Animals featured include parrot snakes, blue morpho butterflies, toucans, sloths, and capuchin monkeys. The book introduces children to rainforest ecosystems with facts, engaging narrative and vivid illustrations by Christopher Silas Neal. Aimed at children aged 5 to 8, it includes a useful glossary section.
Pop-Up Peekaboo! Rainforest by DK
DK’s Pop-Up Peekaboo! Rainforest introduces babies and toddlers to rainforest animals through interactive pop-up surprises. Featuring anteaters, jaguars, snakes, hummingbirds, and monkeys, this book encourages early learning and motor skills development with bold visuals and lift-the-flap pages. It uses rhymes to teach 0-3-year-olds vocabulary about animal habitats, providing both call and response and hands-on experiences.
George Saves the Rainforest by Lyn Pendle
George, an orangutan, embarks on a mission to stop the destruction of his rainforest home. Encouraged by smaller displaced animals, George teams up with Grace the clouded leopard, Sleepy the binturong, and General Aman. Together, they use animal power to fight against human machinery. This adventure story introduces children to the impact of deforestation on wildlife and highlights the importance of conservation.
Little Explorers: In the Rainforest
Little Explorers: In the Rainforest by Dynamo Ltd introduces young children to rainforest life through a hands-on learning experience. The book features over 30 sturdy flaps that reveal facts about rainforest animals, plants, and ecosystems, including information on the world’s largest rainforest.
Zoom: Rainforest Adventure by Susan Hayes and Susanna Rumiz
Susan Hayes’ Zoom: Rainforest Adventure follows Lin on an imaginative journey through the Amazon rainforest, where she encounters monkeys, snakes, sloths, and other wildlife. This board book, designed for children aged 1–3, features die-cut pages and pop-up elements for an interactive experience. The vibrant illustrations and simple facts together with Lin’s adventures canoeing down the river and setting up camp, make this a great option for preschool children.
The Emerald Forest by Catherine Ward & Karin Littlewood
Follow an orangutan and her family in tropical Sumatra as they raise their young, live in harmony with nature, and deal with the impact of humans. This memorable and poignant picture book employs compelling and thought-provoking illustrations to highlight topics of environmental protection, habitat damage, and species extinction. It is an excellent text to read and share.
Banana Hunt by Suzy Senior, illustrated by Josh Cleland
This picture book for 3–6-year-olds features a lively rhyming adventure where Bernardo hides bananas all over the rainforest for Auntie Dot to find. Each spread includes hidden pink bananas to spot! The vibrant illustrations and humorous text will engage less confident readers, while the story’s satisfying ending highlights the unexpected bonuses of having too many bananas. It’s ideal for interactive paired reading, inference, and visual comprehension skills in EYFS and KS1.
In the Rainforest by Sarah Ridley
Sarah Ridley’s In the Rainforest introduces children aged 5 and up to baby animals in rainforest habitats. The book explains how these animals are cared for by their parents and how they grow and thrive. It features clear, accessible text alongside photographs of baby animals, such as flying foxes and ring-tailed lemurs, in their natural environments.
Now You See It! Rainforest by Sarah Dellow
Sarah Dellow’s Now You See It! Rainforest invites early readers to discover hidden animals within vibrant patterns. The book features seven die-cut shapes that hint at the creatures, such as iguanas and piranhas, fostering visual perception and imaginative play. With minimal vocabulary focused on animal names, the primary appeal lies in the interactive experience of turning pages to reveal the animals.
So Many Questions: About Rainforests by Sally Spray
Sally Spray’s So Many Questions: About Rainforests engages children with a lively exploration of rainforest-related inquiries. The book uses the curiosity of various characters to prompt questions and provide answers, enhancing knowledge of technology and science. It includes copiable game cards to support memory skills and further learning. It’s ideal for children in years 2-4.
Animal Homes: Rainforest and Ocean by Natasha Durley
Uniquely clever die-cut chunky board pages with cutaways and interesting shapes invite the youngest readers to explore the rainforest floor, trees and canopy spotting creepy crawlies and monkeys in the rainforest. And in the ocean, there are starfish, whales and pointy teeth to find! For small hands, this new series is literally gripping. A wonderfully realised concept – highly recommended for preschoolers.
Rainforests by Holly Duhig and John Wood
Rainforests by Holly Duhig and John Wood is part of a series that introduces young readers to diverse habitats around the world. The book explores how various animals have adapted to thrive in rainforest environments, highlighting the rich biodiversity of the ecosystem.
3D Theater: Rainforest by Kathryn Jewitt and Fiametta Dogi
3D Theater: Rainforest by Kathryn Jewitt, illustrated by Fiametta Dogi, immerses readers in the rainforest through stunning 3D pop-up scenes. The book guides young readers from the canopy to the forest floor, showcasing a variety of animals and exploring locations like a Mayan temple and a river inhabited by caimans and piranhas. It’s a spectacular book for 4-8 year olds and bound to be a hit in the classroom.
Rainforests by Mike Clark
Rainforests by Mike Clark invites children to explore the diverse habitats and biomes of our planet. The book employs accessible language and an innovative design to present information about various ecosystems, including how animals interact with and utilize these environments. It’s ideal for KS2 libraries and classroom topic book collections.
Wild by Ele Fountain
Jack is out of control, getting into trouble at school and pushing boundaries. He thinks his mum doesn’t notice until she invites him to join her on a surprise work trip, unexpectedly adventuring deep into the rainforest where real danger exists around every corner. Can Jack adjust and see what really matters in life? Covering themes of gang peer pressure, loss of a parent, attention-seeking behaviour and bravado, Wild is a book with bite – perfect for book club discussion and use as an impetus for creative writing.
Animals of the Amazon Rainforest by Mari Schuh
Animals of the Amazon Rainforest by Mari Schuh provides an introductory overview of the Amazon rainforest for beginning readers. The book explores the unique characteristics of the land and weather, highlighting how various animals, including monkeys, parrots, anacondas, and sloths, have adapted to this vibrant biome. It’s perfect for KS1 libraries.
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Rainforest topic resources for teachers
- BBC Bitesize asks ‘What is a rainforest habitat? in this video resource with interactive activities. There’s a KS1 version and a KS2 version.
- This National Geographic Kids narrative nonfiction website explores rainforest habitats and includes clickable links and a video. Suitable for KS2.
- Britannica Kids features an informative and detailed article on rainforests. Ideal for UKS2 independent learning and research. It includes videos, images, maps and diagrams.
- Young People’s Trust for the Environment has an excellent free rainforest lesson plan resource. Areas covered include What rainforests are & where they are located, Animals, plants & people of the Amazon rainforest, Grouping of living things, Food chains, Why rainforests are so important and Threats to rainforests & solutions. These free lesson plan packs come with PowerPoints for teachers in KS2 and KS3.
- Oak National Academy has a unit of lesson plans for Year 2 – titled What lives in a rainforest habitat? There’s also a Year 5 unit: Location of the Amazon rainforest.
- The Eden Project has produced a one-hour PowerPoint-based lesson plan: Rainforest Super Senses suitable for KS1 classes.
- STEM learning offers a range of cross-curricular-themed activity ideas that look into new species, deforestation, habitats, and climate change.
