My son, Leo, brought home "Seasons" by Illa Podendorf from the school library, and I admit I wasn't super excited. He's usually into graphic novels, but he said something about wanting to learn how squirrels get ready for winter, so I figured we'd give it a shot. It basically explains how the seasons change, and how plants and animals adapt. Not a thrilling plot, but it sounded like it might answer some of his random nature questions, which is always a win.
He actually sat and read most of it in one go, which is saying something. There are lots of simple pictures, which helped. He did get a little confused about why some birds fly south and others don't, so we had to pause and talk about different kinds of birds and where they live. The writing is pretty straightforward, but there were a few longer words about plant life cycles that I had to help him with. It wasn't too long, though, which I appreciated. He finished it in about 30 minutes, and seemed genuinely pleased that he understood the squirrel part.
It's an AR level 3.1, so about right for his reading level, and it was worth 0.5 points. A quick win to boost his AR score. The book is just under 1000 words, which felt perfect for a book about nature for kids this age. I would guess it's ideal for kids in kindergarten through third grade.
This would be a good pick if your child is starting to get curious about science or how animals live. If your kid already knows all about hibernation and migration, they might find it a bit too basic. But for a kid who's just starting to learn about the world around them, and especially if they're interested in animals, this book explains the changing seasons in an easy to understand way. It was a simple read, but sometimes that's exactly what you need to spark an interest.