Awards
About Bringing National Parks to Life: Children’s Books on Endangered Animals and National Parks
Bringing National Parks to Life is a children’s book series that introduces young readers to endangered animals, national parks, and the ecosystems they depend on. Each book seamlessly blends storytelling, science, and vivid illustrations, making complex ideas such as biodiversity, animal adaptations, and ecological relationships clear and engaging for kids.
Through these stories, children meet species such as the desert pupfish, Pacific fisher, and mountain yellow-legged frog, discovering how each animal’s survival is connected to its habitat. The books encourage curiosity, empathy for wildlife, and a deeper appreciation for conservation.
Created by Adalgisa and David Nico, the series connects children to nature through narrative nonfiction, hands-on learning, and a love of adventure. Whether read at home, in the classroom, or during a visit to a national park, the books inspire families to discover, connect with, and protect the natural world together.
Classroom Benefits: NGSS-Aligned National Park Books for Grades K-5
The Bringing National Parks to Life series is designed for both home and classroom learning. Each book supports the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) for grades K–5, making it a valuable resource for teachers and an excellent choice for homeschooling families. By combining accurate science with engaging storytelling, the series helps children build vocabulary, strengthen reading comprehension, and expand their knowledge of wildlife and ecosystems.
Teachers can use the books to introduce topics such as animal behavior, habitats, ecology, and conservation, while also encouraging observation, inquiry, and problem-solving. Homeschooling parents will find the richly illustrated stories easy to integrate into science and literacy lessons, sparking curiosity and creating hands-on opportunities to explore the natural world.
A central theme of the series is interconnectedness, illustrating how animals, plants, and their environments depend on one another, and how the presence or absence of a single species can impact an entire ecosystem. Engaging text and vivid illustrations make these scientific ideas clear, memorable, and enjoyable for young readers.
From literacy blocks to science projects, these national park children’s books connect seamlessly across subjects, helping students develop critical thinking skills while deepening their connection to the natural world.
Classroom Benefits
Fits NGSS Life Science for grades K–5
Builds vocabulary, reading comprehension, and science knowledge
Encourages observation, problem-solving, and conservation
Expert Reviews of Bringing National Parks to Life
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"Frogs on the Mountain is a story and lesson rolled into one. This book weaves a tale, with relatively complex biological structure, in a manner that is clear and easy to follow. Adele finds her own curiosity for nature taking her down a path of continued discovery, and ultimately understanding through subtle education. The illustrations help the reader to discover and learn more than they realize, as they see depictions and the actual names of species and their habitats. This book adds a little surprise near it’s end to re-challenge the readers to find, discover, and learn even more. Frogs of the Mountain is a great example of a children’s book that can challenge readers, while being both entertaining, and a pleasure for the eye. "
-Jeff Alvarez, wildlife biologist
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"Adalgisa and David Nico's wonderful Fish in the Desert: The Untold Story of the Death Valley Pupfish accomplishes the magic triumvirate of a children's book-it is at once entertaining, educational, and inspiring for both children and adults. The lovely illustrations by Andy Atkins perfectly complement the story. Altogether, it made me want to leave for Death Valley tomorrow to admire these sturdy little fish in person. This is a book that could be read to five to seven-year-old children, be read by eight to twelve-year-olds, and enjoyed by adults. I certainly enjoyed it, and visiting the desert pupfish is now much higher on my to-do travel list."
-Jonathan Hanson, naturalist and author of Victor, the Reluctant Vulture
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"My hope is that this engaging story, along with its colorful and accurate illustrations, will inspire children to love pupfish and thus nature itself. For it is love that creates the passion to advocate for rare species and a healthy environment."
-Lara Oles, former biologist for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
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"As an evolutionary biologist, a writer, and an avid fisherman, I was really impressed. This book taught me new things about places and topics that I know pretty well. The book has beautiful illustrations to guide us through the story of the pupfish, weaving the narrative of the natural history of this little fish into a tapestry of geology and biodiversity for the area. I'm impressed by how the authors use an uncomplicated tale of a young girl to explain so much, so easily, and so beautifully. I don't usually come away from a kids book and feel like I learned something, but The Untold Story of the Pupfish taught me new things about a place that I feel that I know as well as my own backyard."
-Paul Daniel, evolutionary biologist
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"This book checks all the important boxes. Great illustrations! (I even had to stop to admire the lovely endpapers.)There's a child, an adventure, a helpful adult, and TONS of fascinating ANIMALS and INFORMATION. It doesn't get better than that. And it's a lovely touch to come back to Adele's "resilience" at the end—full circles are good.The text is informative, you don't "dumb down" the important info—but provide a valuable glossary at the back.I love the things at the back—especially the challenge to find the animals, which is another excellent way to pull the reader into the experience. A+"
-Sandra Cutuli, retired children's librarian
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"Frogs on the Mountain is a delightful story that weaves science education about the endangered mountain yellow-legged frog and our experiences connecting to nature. I love the illustrations; they are so beautiful, vibrant, and detailed. Having worked with the mountain yellow-legged frog conservation it’s great to see such an important species being brought to light, especially in a children’s book. I think books like this reinforce how significant nature is and the impact of our choices as humans. The book explains scientific concepts very simply and provides definitions, making it worthwhile for kids and adults alike to learn together. I appreciate how the story ends on a positive note, explaining the conservation effort that is being done to save the frog. "
-Adrianna Elihu, wildlife biologist
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