Books About Animal Life Cycles

The Best Animal Life Cycles Books for Kids

Looking for excellent children's books about animal life cycles? This collection brings together Bookroo's highest-rated and most useful picks in one place.

Start with our editorial favorites, then browse recommendations organized by reading stage to find the right book for your reader.

#10 in Series

Graphic Nov.

The Shortlist

Our 10 Favorite Books About Animal Life Cycles

Caterpillars and Butterflies

Picture Book

Caterpillars and Butterflies

By Stephanie Turnbull · Usborne Beginners series

How does a tiny crawling caterpillar turn into a butterfly on the wing?

1,021 words

4.2 Goodreads · 159 ratings

Paperback

Summary: A beginner's guide to caterpillars and butterflies: how they hatch from eggs, eat and grow, change inside a chrysalis and emerge as butterflies, told in short text with photos for young readers.

Sale price

$1416

Picture Book · Ages 5–8 · 2014

Manatees

By Laura Marsh, National Geographic Kids

Dive into the world of manatees and uncover their survival challenges.

32 pages· 809 words· Est. 7 min read-aloud

4.3 Goodreads · 131 ratings

$14.90Save 5%

Library Binding

Summary: Journey into the underwater realm of manatees, the gentle 'sea cows' of the ocean. Discover how these endearing creatures nurture their young and navigate the dangers threatening their marshy homes. With captivating photos and engaging text, young readers will be enchanted by the mysteries of manatee life and the environmental challenges they face. Will these gentle giants overcome the perils of their habitat?

Sale price

$1899

Picture Book · Ages 4–7 · 2024

What's Inside a Bird's Nest?

By Rachel Ignotofsky · What's Inside series

Explore the fascinating world of birds, from hatching to nest-building, in this engaging picture book.

48 pages· 2,089 words· Est. 17 min read-aloud

4.5 Goodreads · 235 ratings

$19.99Save 5%

Hardcover

Summary: Curious about the birds outside your window? Dive into a vibrant journey with Rachel Ignotofsky's latest picture book, where humor and compassion bring the avian world to life. From the moment eggs hatch to the intricate art of nest-building, this book answers all your questions about our feathered friends. With distinctive illustrations and engaging text, discover the secrets of birds, eggs, and nests in a delightful read perfect for springtime exploration. What wonders will you uncover in the skies above?

Sale price

$1899

Picture Book · Ages 4–8 · 2007

Spiders

By Nic Bishop (Author/Photographer)

Discover the fascinating world of spiders through stunning, up-close photography.

Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Honor (2008)

48 pages· 314 words· Est. 3 min read-aloud

4.2 Goodreads · 671 ratings

$19.99Save 5%

Hardcover

Summary: Dive into the mesmerizing world of spiders with breathtaking, larger-than-life photographs. Witness the beauty and strangeness of these creatures as you learn intriguing facts. See a spider leap twenty times its body length and uncover the secrets of their extraordinary lives. Perfect for young explorers eager to see the world from a new perspective.

Graphic Nov.

Sale price

$574

Picture Book · Ages 6–9 · 2021

The Mosquito

By Elise Gravel · Book #10 in the Disgusting Critters series

Discover the secrets of the world's most annoying bug in this fun, fact-filled adventure.

32 pages· 572 words· Est. 6 min read-aloud

4.2 Goodreads · 252 ratings

$5.99Save 4%

Paperback

Summary: Dive into the buzzing world of mosquitos, where itchy bites and whiny sounds are just the beginning. Explore their global habitats, ancient history, and surprising diet in this entertaining and educational journey. With over 3,500 species, these tiny creatures have more to them than meets the eye. Perfect for curious minds, this book blends humor with fascinating facts, revealing why mosquitos are both a nuisance and a marvel. Will you uncover what makes them the ultimate survivors?

Sale price

$379

Picture Book · Ages 5–7 · 2015

Frogs

By Nic Bishop

Close-up photos reveal how frogs live, hunt and grow.

32 pages· 280 words· Est. 3 min read-aloud

$3.99Save 5%

Paperback

Summary: Photographer and biologist Nic Bishop takes a close look at frogs: their bodies, their habits and their life cycle. A Level 2 reader adapted from his award-winning photo book, with an author's note, a glossary and a visual index.

Sale price

$693

Picture Book · Ages 4–8 · 1997

American Alligators

By Steve Potts · North American Animals series

Meet the big-mouthed reptile that lives in only one part of the world.

24 pages· 224 words· Est. 2 min read-aloud

3.5 Goodreads · 11 ratings

$7.29Save 5%

Paperback

Summary: American alligators live only in North America, in the swamps, rivers and marshes of the southeastern United States. This short nonfiction book for young readers explains what these big-mouthed reptiles look like, where they live, what they eat and how they raise their young, with color photographs on every page.

Picture Book

From Chick to Robin

By Melvin Berger, Gilda Berger · Discovering My World series

Follow a robin from egg to chick to a grown bird ready to fly.

16 pages· 98 words

3.7 Goodreads · 3 ratings

Paperback

Summary: A simple photo-illustrated science reader that follows the life cycle of the American robin, from the eggs in the nest to hungry chicks to a grown bird ready to fly and start a family of its own.

Sale price

$3386

Picture Book · 2019

Bees

By Katie Lajiness · Awesome Animal Powers series

How do tiny insects share news about the best flowers with the whole hive?

32 pages· 917 words

$35.64Save 5%

Library Binding

Summary: Bees have an awesome animal power: they are expert communicators, sharing news with the rest of their hive. This introduction to bees also covers their life cycle, range, diet, predators and threats, with a table of contents, a body diagram, a map, fun facts, a glossary and an index.

Sale price

$958

Picture Book · Ages 3–5 · 1992

Foal

By Mary Ling (Author/Editor) · See How They Grow series

Close-up photos follow a newborn horse as it grows from wobbly legs to running.

24 pages

3.5 Goodreads · 13 ratings

$9.95Save 4%

Hardcover

Summary: Part of DK's See How They Grow series, this photo book follows a foal from its first wobbly steps after birth through the weeks it spends growing stronger beside its mother, in simple text and close-up photographs for young children.

Ages 3–6Picture Book Club