Herbert Spencer Zim (July 12, 1909 – December 5, 1994) was an American naturalist, author, editor and educator best known as the founder (1945) and editor-in-chief of the Golden Guides series of nature books.
He is best known as the founder in 1945 (and, for twenty-five years, editor in chief) of the Golden Guides, pocket-size introductions for children to such subjects as fossils, zoology, microscopy, rocks and minerals, trees, wildflowers, dinosaurs, navigation and more.
He was the sole or co-author for many of the books, which were valued for their clarity, accuracy and attractive presentation—helped by the illustrations of James Gordon Irving and Zim's friend Raymond Perlman.
Zim continued to work on the Golden Guides series until Alzheimer's disease forced him to slow down in the 1990s.
He died in 1994 at Plantation Key, survived by his second wife, Grace Showe, and two sons, Aldwin and Roger.