Resource Booklist

For your enjoyment and learning, we offer book titles for all ages about our watershed resources, the creatures who share this home with us, and how we can protect this corner of the planet. Novels and non-fiction, field guides and photo journals, research and references, how-to and activity books, and more are included.
Email us if you have a book to add!

Watersheds  & the Water Cycle

*Harper, Joel. All the Way to the Ocean.
*Curriculum/Activity Guide Sampler. Project WET.
*Discover Stormwater. Project WET.
*Guide to Aquatic Plants in MA. MDCR.
Understanding Water. CFA.
*The Water Cycle: Poster & Classroom Activities. USDA NCRS.Manchaug Pond Foundation Water Quality Education
*What is a Watershed? USDA NCRS.
*Wild Times: Watershed. MPF.
Branley, Franklin.  Down Comes the Rain.
Dorrors, Arthur.  Follow the Water from the Brook to the Ocean
Marzolla, Jean.  I Am Water. 
Schaefer, Lola M.  This is the Rain
Cole, Joanna.  Magic School Bus: Wet All Over
Holling, Holling Clancy.  Paddle to the Sea.
Shulevitz, Uri. Rain Rain Rivers.
Manning, Mick and Granstrom, Brita. Splish, Splash, Splosh.
Hooper, Meredity and Coady Water, Chris and Asch, Frank. The Drop in My Drink: The Story of Water on Our Planet.
Jeunesse, Gallimard. Water – A First Discovery Book.
Locker, Thomas. Water Dance.
Robinson, Fay. Where Do Puddles Go?
Water Science and Conservation
Wick, Walter. A Drop of Water: A Book of Science and Wonder.
Murphy, Bryan. Experiment with Water.
Wheeler, Jill C. Every Drop Counts.
*Cole, Joanna.  Magic School Bus: At the Waterworks.
Fiarotta, Noel and Phyllis. Water Science, Water Fun.
Cast, C. Vance. Where Does Water Come From?

Protecting our Water Resources

*Berenstain, Stan & Jan. Berenstain Bears Don’t Pollute Anymore.
*Clean Water Rainger Activity Book. NJ DEP/MPF.
*Clean Water Rainger Coloring Book. NJ DEP/MPF.
*Dwayne the Storm Drain. MWRA.
*Guide to Invasive Non-Native Aquatic Species of MA. MDCR.
*The Lake Pocket Book. NALMS.
*Watershed Defenders. CFA.
*Watershed Protection. Project WET.

cover  The Lake Pocket Book

Rivers

Sanders, Scott Russell. Crawdad Creek.
Cherry, Lynne. A River Ran Wild: An Environmental History.
Yolen, Jane and Cooney, Barbara. Letting Swift River Go.
Halpern, Shari. My River.
Wadsworth, Ginger. River Discoveries.
Ruiz, Andres Lllamas. Rivers.
Rivers and Lakes. Eye Wonder.
Craighead, Charles. The Eagle and the River.
Bellamy, David. The River.
Jeunesse, Gallimard. The River.
Williams, Vera B. Three Days on a River in a Red Canoe.
Biggs, Jeremy. Wildlife of Rivers and Lakes.
Locker, Thomas. Where the River Begins.
Arnosky, Jim. All Night Near the Water.
Dendy, Leslie and Burns, Diane and Boring, Mel. Fun with Nature: Take Along Guide.
Wadsworth, Ginger. River Discoveries.
Pallotta, Jerry. The Freshwater Alphabet Book.
Biggs, Jeremy. Wildlife of Rivers and Lakes.

Lakes &  Ponds

Rosen, Michael. All Eyes on the Pond.
Cooper, Ann. Around the Pond.
*Barrett George, Lindsay. Around the Pond: Who’s Been Here?
Dewey, Jennifer Owings. At the Edge of the Pond .
Heinz, Brian J. Butternut Hollow Pond.
Cristini, Ermanno. In the Pond.
Fleming, Denise. In the Small, Small Pond.
Lindsey, Terence. My First Pocket Guide: Pond Life.
Silver , Donald M. One Small Square – Pond.
Galko, Francine. Pond Animals.
*Parker, Steve. Pond and River. DK Eyewitness.
Pond Life. Golden Guide.
Taylor, Barbara and Greenaway, Frank.  Pond Life (Look Closer).
Lasky, Kathryn.  Pond Year.
Loewer, Peter. Pond Water Zoo – An Introduction to Microscopic Life.
Wyler, Rose. Puddles and Ponds: An Outdoor Science Book.
ponds & rivers book coverDawe, Karen. The Pond Book.
Hunter, Anne. What’s in the Pond.
Snowball, Diane. Exploring Freshwater Habitats.
*Bernhard, Annika. Freshwater Pond Coloring Book.
Fleisher, Paul. Lake and Pond Food Webs in Action.
*Koester,M. Pond Scum and Agnes Pflumm.

Wetlands

Amsel, Sheri. A Wetland Walk.
Hickman, Pamela. Wetlands.
Matthews, Downs. Wetlands.
Rood, Ronald. Wetlands.
*Celebrate Wetlands Activity Booklet~ Project WET
Bernhard, Annika. Wetlands Plants and Animals Coloring Book.
*Pond Watchers Guide to Ponds and Vernal Pools. Mass Audubon.

Amphibians

*Field Guide to Amphibians of Massachusetts.  Massachusetts Department of Fish & Wildlife.
*Field Guide to The Animals of Vernal Pool. Massachusetts Department of Fish & Wildlife.
*“Vernal Pool Life” Poster.  Massachusetts Department of Fish & Wildlife.

*Williams, Mark. Curious George Tadpole Trouble.
Butterfield, Moira.  Frog.
Heller, Ruth.  How to Hide a Meadow Frog and Other Amphibians.
Chinery, Michael.  Life Story: Frog.
Burns, Diane.  Take Along Guide: Frogs, Toads and Turtles.
Porte, Barbara Anne.  Tale of a Tadpole.
Kitchen, Lynn.   Animal Lives, The Frog.

Pratt-Serafini, Kristin Joy.   Salamander Rain: A Lake and Pond Journal.
Mazur, Anne.   The Salamander Room.

Reptiles

George, William T. Box Turtle at Long Pond.
Korman, Susan. Box Turtle at Silver Pond Lane.
Heller, Ruth. How to Hide a Meadow Frog and Other Amphibians.
*Field Guide to Reptiles of MA ~ MDFW
*”Intro to Threatened Turtles” DVD ~ MDFW
*”Hatchling Turtles of MA” Poster ~ MDFW
*”Turtles of MA” Poster ~MDF&W
Falwell, Cathryn. Turtle Splash! Countdown at the Pond.

Birds

*Hines, Bob. Ducks At a Distance. 
*How to Build a Wood Duck Nest Box Brochure. Ducks Unlimited.
Arnosky, Jim. All Night Near the Water.
Esbensen, Barbara J. Great Northern Diver – The Loon.
Costello, Steve. Meeri Meets the Ospreys.
Craighead, Charles. The Eagle and the River.

Mammals

Davies, Nicola. Bat Loves the Night.
George, Lindsay Barrett. Beaver at Long Pond.
*Dendy, Leslie. Tracks, Scat and Signs.
*Critters of Massachusetts.  MDFW.
*Pocket Guide to MA Animal Tracks. MDFW.
Kitchen, Lynn. Animal Lives, The Otter.
Arnosky, Jim. Come Out Muskrats.
*Burgess, Thornton W. The Adventures of Jerry Muskrat.
*Burgess, Thornton W. The Adventures of Bobby Raccoon.

Fishes

*Freshwater Fishes of Massachusetts ~ MDFW
Arnosky, Jim. Crinkleroot’s 25 Fish Every Child Should Know.
Ehlert, Lois. Fish Eyes: A Book You Can Count On
Adams, Georgie. Fish, Fish, Fish.
Lionni, Leo. Fish is Fish.
Fitzsimmons, Cecelia. My First Fishes and Other Water Life
Pfeffer, Wendy. What’s it Like to be a Fish?

Insects

Insects (Golden Guide)cover Are You a Dragonfly
Allen, Judy. Are You A Dragonfly?
*Asian Longhorn Beetle Activity Bk ~ USDA
*”Be A Friend To Pollinators” Brochure ~ USDA NRCS

 

Invertebrates

Conover, Adele and Biggins, Dick and Neves, Richard. Russell the Mussel.

Soils

*The Adventures of Sammy Soils. USDA
*Helping People Understand SOILS Tools for Educators CD. USDA NRCS
*Silverstein, V.and A. Life in a Bucket of Soil.

Trees

*Burzynski, Roberta. Why Would Anyone Take a Tree Down?

Boats

Holling, Holling Clancy. Paddle to the Sea.
Lowery Collins, Pat. Schooner.
Crampton, Gertrude. Scuffy the Tugboat.
Williams, Vera B. Three Days on a River in a Red Canoe.

*Available for review or use in the DISCOVER MANCHAUG POND! Junior Environmental Ed. Backpack available in your local school or public library in the watershed towns of Douglas, Oxford and Sutton or for loan from the Manchaug Pond Foundation.

This project has been financed with Federal Funds from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (the Department) under an s. 319 competitive grant. The contents do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the EPA or of the Department, nor does the mention of trade names or commercial products constitute endorsement or recommendation for use.