Watchers at the Pond (1966) By Franklin Russell

In this beautifully written book, Franklin Russell describes in his story-like narrative, the drama of life that unfolds in and around a pond. His observations follow a range of organisms — from the single-celled planktons to crustaceans and insects to the hawk and the muskrat — through an entire year of changing seasons. His simple style of writing paints a beautiful imagery for the reader to enjoy.

Available to preview and borrow at https://archive.org/details/watchersatpond00russ

Discovering Life on Earth – A Natural History (1981) By David Attenborough
ISBN: 0316057460

Originally published in 1979 and based on a series created for the BBC, this book discusses the long story of the evolution of Life on Earth. It offers a balanced mix of descriptive writing supported by colour images on every page. This is a good book for a beginner to get a glimpse into the diversity of life forms on our planet and become acquainted with some of the interesting adaptations and behaviours one comes across in the natural world.

Available to preview and borrow at https://archive.org/details/discoveringlifeo00atte