Books About Pond Animals for Pre-K

These are our favorite books about Pond Life for Pre-K kids. I only list books my Pre-K students and I truly enjoy and find educational.

Visit the Pond Life Activities page for lots of Preschool & Pre-K lesson ideas.

Search for these at your library or click the book covers to go to Amazon. All book links are Amazon affiliate links. (Don’t forget to look for used or paperback books to lower the price.)

Top 5 Pond Books for Preschool Kids

An Extraordinary Egg
by Leo Lionni

This is my class’s favorite every year!

On Pebble Island, three frogs experience a remarkable day when one finds a stunning white egg. Unfamiliar with chicken eggs, they assume this is one. Their surprise is palpable when a long, green, scaly creature hatches, and they immediately dub it a “chicken!” Leo Lionni, an award-winning artist, presents a humorous story of mistaken identity that will surely entertain children.

In the Small, Small Pond
by Denise Fleming

In the Caldecott Honor Book, “In the Small, Small Pond,” Denise Fleming, an award-winning author and illustrator, offers young readers a glimpse into life in a pond from a frog’s perspective across different seasons.

This rhyming picture storybook, featuring vivid and brightly colored illustrations, invites children to discover the natural beauty surrounding a freshwater pond, exploring the lives of tiny animals and insects that inhabit it.

It’s Mine!
by Leo Lionni

Three greedy frogs reside on an island in the center of Rainbow Pond, where they spend their days squabbling over possessions, each shouting, “It’s mine! It’s mine! It’s mine!” However, a severe storm and a wise brown toad teach them the joy of sharing. Leo Lionni masterfully uses clear, simple, and lively storytelling to help children see their own behaviors reflected in the antics of these characters who inhabit our world.

See How They Grow: Frog
by Dorling Kindersley Publishers

Photographs and accompanying text illustrate the life cycle of a frog, from the egg stage to its first year.

Fish is Fish
by Leo Lionni

Two inseparable best friends, a minnow and a tadpole, find their paths diverging when the tadpole develops legs and ventures beyond their pond. Upon returning as a frog, he shares tales of the incredible sights he’s witnessed with the minnow, who has since become a fish. Inspired, the fish attempts to follow suit but soon discovers that land isn’t quite as he imagined. In this creative story, the power of friendship proves vital in navigating unexpected challenges.