The following is a list of recommended books and videos that provide a wide range of reading and research resources for this unit. Collect as many as you can for your classroom science library, or provide the list to your school librarian.

Decomposition and Nutrient Cycling

The books listed below offer comprehensive information about the organisms and processes involved in decomposition and nutrient cycling.

The Cleanup Crew: Nature’s Recyclers

By Steven Jay Griffel. (2003, Newbridge Educational Publishing)

This simple book contains appealing photographs of the scavengers and decomposers that live in the woodlands, desert, and ocean.

Compost Critters

By Bianca Lavies. (1993, Dutton Books)

This grade-appropriate book describes what happens in a compost pile and how creatures, from bacteria and mites to millipedes and earthworms, aid in the process of turning compost into humus .

A Dead Log (Small Worlds)

By Jen Green. (1999, Crabtree Publishing Company)

This comprehensive book describes the diverse kinds of insects, plants and animals that live on and under a dead tree's bark as well as inside the log itself.

Dirt: The Scoop on Soil

By Natalie M. Rosinsky; illustrated by Sheree Boyd. (2003, Picture Window Books)

Illustrated with simplistic pictures, this book describes what soil is made of and briefly explains that decomposers put “more food back into the humus.”

Dirty, Rotten, Dead?

By Jerry Emory and T. Taylor Bruce. (1996, Harcourt Brace & Company)

This book discusses death, decomposition and life with dramatic large-size illustrations of nature in action.

The Gift of the Tree

By Alvin Tresselt; illustrated by Henri Sorensen. (1992, Lothrop, Lee & Shepard Books)

Originally published under the title The Dead Tree, this book captures the role of an oak tree in the cycle of nature, as a living tree, a decomposing organism, and a source of support for new life.

A Handful of Dirt

By Raymond Bial. (2000, Walker & Company)

This informative book introduces readers to dirt dwellers, from the tiniest protozoans through myriad invertebrates to the mammals and reptiles whose burrows aerate the earth. All are depicted in large, sharp, full-color photos.

Life in a Bucket of Soil

By Alvin Silverstein and Virginia Silverstein. (1998, Children’s Press)

This fascinating book introduces students to industrious ants, tunnel-building earthworms, snails and slugs, beetles, and many other creatures inhabiting and affecting the soil .

A Log’s Life

By Wendy Pfeffer; illustrated by Robin Brickman. (1997, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers)

This beautifully illustrated book details the life, death, and decay of an oak tree. The short story traces how animals use the log for food and shelter, and shows how the log eventually crumbles and becomes soil.

The Magic School Bus Meets the Rot Squad: A Book About Decomposition

By Joanna Cole; illustrated by Bruce Degen. Based on an episode of the The Magic School Bus animated TV series by John May and Jocelyn Stevenson. (1999, Scholastic Inc.)

In this age-appropriate book, the students in Ms. Frizzle's class tour a decomposing log to find out that nature recycles through the process of decomposition.

One Small Square: Backyard

By Donald M. Silver; illustrated by Patricia J. Wynne and Dianne Ettl. (1993, McGraw Hill)

Part of the critically acclaimed One Small Square series, this book illustrates and describes the numerous organisms that live in the soil and plants of a backyard. It includes the animals and microorganisms that recycle leaf litter, animal droppings, and dead plants and animals.

Re-Cycles

By Michael Elsohn Ross; illustrated by Gustav Moore. (2002, The Millbrook Press)

Simply describes the two cycles of matter on Earth: the soil cycle and the water cycle. As in A Log’s Life and The Gift of the Tree, the soil cycle is shown through the life and death of a tree.

Under One Rock: Bugs, Slugs and other Ughs

By Anthony D. Fredericks and Jennifer Dirubbio. (2001, Dawn Publications)

This book for early elementary readers contains an engaging story and vivid, close-up illustrations about an incredible community of organisms found living under rocks.

Who Eats What? Food Chains and Food Webs

By Patricia Lauber; illustrated by Holly Keller. (1995, HarperCollinsPublishers)

Although this book delves into food chains and webs without mentioning decomposers, it is a good reference book for children who want to go to the next step. It also provides a great foundation for recognizing the importance of having ample nutrients in the soil in order for plants to grow.

Fungi

This list includes books about mushrooms, molds, and other fungi.

Discovering Fungi

By Jennifer Coldrey. (1988, Scholastic Library Publishing)

This age-appropriate reference book describes the characteristics of fungi, places where fungi may be found, the many varieties that exist, and their relationship to animals and human beings.

Fungi

By Mary Kay Carson. (2003, Newbridge Educational Publishing)

An educational introduction to the kingdom of Fungi, this book features excellent photographs of mushrooms, mold, and mycelium. It includes a two-page spread that addresses the role of fungi as decomposers.

Katya’s Book of Mushrooms

By Katya Arnold and Sam Swope. (1997, Henry Holt and Company)

This oversized title, containing brightly colored artwork and cheerful, anecdotal text, introduces a variety of wild mushrooms as it describes the author’s childhood experiences in Russia gathering and eating them. Mushrooms are defined, specific types are identified, and much information and folklore are added.

A Kid’s Guide to the Classification of Living Things: Fungi

By Elaine Pascoe; photographs by Dwight Kuhn. (2003, The Rosen Publishing Group)

This book discusses the characteristics of fungi and describes specific members of this class, including mushrooms, molds, and lichens.

Mushrooms

By Silvia A. Johnson; photographs by Masana Izawa. (1982, Lerner Publications Company)

This book for upper elementary readers contains excellent photographs of different types of mushrooms.

Mushrooms and Molds

By Robert Froman; illustrated by Grambs Miller. (1972, Thomas Y. Crowell Company)

Although this book may be out of print, it is a perfect reference book for the less skilled readers in the class. Illustrations accompany simple explanations of the life cycles of mold and mushrooms.

Earthworms

The list below includes recommendations for books about earthworms.

Earthworms

By Claire Llewellyn and Barrie Watts. (2000, Franklin Watts)

This book for early elementary readers contains large colorful photographs and information about the life cycle and behavior of earthworms.

An Earthworm’s Life

By John Himmelman. (2000, Children’s Press)

This book for early elementary readers describes, in simple text and exceptional illustrations, the daily activities and life cycle of the earthworm .

How to Eat Fried Worms

By Thomas Rockwell. (1973, Franklin Watts, Inc.)

A humorous book aimed at the sensibilities of a ten-year-old boy. In the story, Billy makes a bet that he will eat 15 worms in 15 days.

Wiggling Worms at Work

By Wendy Pfeffer. (2003, Harper Collins Publisher)

This book for early elementary readers discusses the earthworm's habits, anatomy, locomotion, food, and life cycle, as well as explaining the importance of castings and tunneling in maintaining soil richness, moisture, and aeration. The final pages encourage children to explore earthworms on their own by closely observing a worm and a tunnel entrance and by planting seeds in ordinary soil and in soil enriched with worm castings.

The Worm Book

By Loren Nancarrow and Janet Hogan Taylor. (1998, Ten Speed Press)

This comprehensive reference book for teachers is a complete guide to gardening and composting with worms.

The Worm Cafe, Mid-Scale Vermicomposting of Lunchroom Wastes

By Binet Payne. (1997, Flower Press)

This manual describes how a teacher and her students developed a system to compost lunchroom waste with worms and save their school $6,000 per year.

Worm Day (Mr. Rose’s Class)

By Harriet Ziefert; illustrated by Richard Brown. (1987, Little, Brown and Company)

Based on the author’s experiences as a teacher, this book models a class’s investigations of red wrigglers. It would work well as an introduction or supplement to the worm lessons, especially if any students are nervous about actually touching worms.

Wormology

By Michel Elsohn Ross, Brian Grogan, and Darren Erickson. (1996, Carolrhoda Books)

This book provides information about earthworms’ habitat, ecology, physical characteristics, senses, movement, reproduction, regeneration, feeding, and respiration. It mixes factual passages with inquiry-based activities that could be carried out with the help of teachers, parents, and friends.

Worms Eat My Garbage: How to Set Up & Maintain a Worm Composting System

By Mary Appelhoff. (1997, Flower Press)

This reference book for teachers provides complete illustrated instructions on setting up and maintaining small-scale worm composting systems. Topics include types of bins, what kind of worms to use, the life cycle of a worm, worm beddings, feeding worms, harvesting worms, and making potting soil from the vermicompost produced.