2008 CCBC (Cooperative Children's Book Center) list for Mama's Milk

Arizona Young Reader Award 2007 Nominee for What’s the Matter in Mr. Whisker’s Room?

Science Books & Film–2003 Best Book List for Kitchen Lab and Indoor Zoo

Independent Publisher Award 2003–Finalist (Multicultural Non-fiction-Juvenile) for A Mexican Christmas

Bank Street College–The Best Books of the Year 2003 for A Mexican Christmas

California Readers List for the 2003 California Collection for Wormology and Millipedeology

Best Books for Children 2002 (Science Books and Films) for Cricketology and Rolypolyology

Outstanding Science Trade Books for Children for 2001 for Pond Watching with Ann Morgan (Selector’s Choice), Exploring the Earth with John Wesley Powell

Bank Street College–The Best Books of the Year 2001 for Pond Watching with Ann Morgan, Spiderology and Millipedeology

Eureka Booklist 2001–California State Library Association for Nature Art with Chiura Obata

California Readers List: Wormology selected for the 2000 California Collection

VOYA Nonfiction Honor List 2000 for Children of Northern Ireland

Pennsylvania School Librarians–Young Adult Top 40 List 2000 for Pond Watching with Ann Morgan

Honorable Mention–1998 National Park Service Publications Competition for A Kid's Golden Gate

Outstanding Science Trade Books for Children for 1998 for Birdwatching with Margaret Morse Nice

Best Books for Children 1998 (Science Books and Films) for Bird Watching with Margaret Morse Nice, Wildlife Watching with Charles Eastman, Flower Watching with Alice Eastwood, Bugwatching with Charles Henry Turner, Caterpillarology, Ladybugology

Starred Review–Kirkus Reviews December 1997 for Bugwatching with Charles Henry Turner

California Arts Council Writers Fellowship1997 for recent writings

Honorable Mention–1996 American Assoc. of Museums for The Happy Camper Handbook

First Place–1996 National Park Service Publications Competition for The Happy Camper Handbook

Scientific American Young Readers Award 1996 for Cricketology

Chicago Public Library Best of the Best 1996 for Rolypoloyology

Notable Children's book 1995 Smithsonian Magazine for Sandbox Scientist

First Place–1994 National Park Service Publications Competition for The World of Small

Honorable Mention–1994 American Assoc. of Museums Publicationsfor The World of Small