Dr. Seuss Nature Books and TV Show on PBS for Children

Science and Nature in Verse

Growing up I always loved the Dr. Seuss books, especially the "Cat in the Hat," which is why I'm excited to say that there is a set of Dr. Seuss nature books for the next generation of kids. PBS has teamed up with Dr. Seuss artists and writers to create a series called "The Cat in the Hat Knows A Lot About That," which is a science and nature series of books, animated short films (30 minutes), and lesson plans for elementary school students.

In the TV series two children, Nick and Sally, go on journeys with the Cat in the Hat (voiced by Martin Short) to explore topics such as camouflage, nocturnal animals, bees, space, map reading, tree identification, fish, and more. The cartoons are reminiscent of "The Magic School Bus" but in Seuss-style. You can learn more about each episode, and see schedule of air times, on the PBS website.

To go along with the TV Series there are books that correspond with each lesson. These books include such topics as, "Miles and Miles of Reptiles," "Clam-I-Am," "Fine Feathered Friends," "I Love the Night Life!," and "Is a Camel a Mammal?" There are twenty three in all. The books have the characteristic Seuss style drawings and color images with great nature facts and rhymes.

Supplementing all of the books and movies, the PBS website also has an extensive list of lesson plans and online activities to go along with the books and cartoons. These lessons focus on fine math, matching, colors, and senses. These include mapping, exploring how things fit together, measurement, feeding and observing birds, weather, senses, and more. The lessons tell you exactly what video and book they correspond to.

As a child I would have loved to have a library of Dr. Seuss nature books. Even now I enjoy picking them up at the book store. They are available through the PBS website store and Amazon. For those looking for a series of books to get kids engaged with science, reading, math, and nature this is a great way to start.