CURRENTLY READING

Here’s what we’re currently reading…

Every week, in our newsletter, we share a book we are reading and enjoying. Here’s a wonderful collection of adult and child literature that celebrates the outdoors, nature, kindness, diversity, and spending time together as a family outside. 

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The Big Book of Nature Art by Yuval Zommer

Catch a Crayfish, Count the Stars by Steven Rinella

Does climbing a tree, building a bug hotel, spearing a bullfrog, stalking wild animals, and scouting for petrified wood sound more fun than homework or chores? If so, this guide is your perfect companion to endless summer days and rainy fall afternoons alike.

Filled with advice, insights, and activities to inspire wonder and excitement about the natural world, Catch a Crayfish, Count the Stars is a curious kid’s treasure trove, filled to the brim with outdoor projects, skills, and adventures complete with illustrations.

The book presents a ton of fun and exciting ways to explore the natural world, like

• building an outdoor exploration kit
• identifying constellations and navigating using the sun and stars
• collecting fossils and other geological wonders
• tracking animals and following weather patterns
• making your own compass
• growing your own fruits and vegetables
• building survival shelters and primitive hunting weapons
• fishing, hunting, and foraging for wild foods
• using natural materials
• making cool art projects 

A must-have guide for budding naturalists, scientists, gardeners, anglers, foragers, and hunters, this book helps get kids out into nature, imparting lifelong knowledge and skills along the way.

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To Shake the Sleeping Self by Jedidiah Jenkins

On the eve of turning 30, terrified of being funneled into a life he didn’t choose, Jedidiah Jenkins quit his dream job and spent 16 months cycling from Oregon to Patagonia. He chronicled the trip on Instagram, where his photos and reflections drew hundreds of thousands of followers, all gathered around the question: What makes a life worth living?

In this unflinchingly honest memoir, Jed narrates his adventure – the people and places he encountered on his way to the bottom of the world – as well as the internal journey that started it all. As he traverses cities, mountains, and inner boundaries, Jenkins grapples with the question of what it means to be an adult, his struggle to reconcile his sexual identity with his conservative Christian upbringing, and his belief in travel as a way to wake us up to life back home.

A soul-stirring read for the wanderer in each of us, To Shake the Sleeping Self is an unforgettable reflection on adventure, identity, and a life lived without regret. 

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Earth Almanac by Ken Keffer

Earth Almanac presents the greatest hits of North American nature! Structured around phenology, which is the study of seasonal patterns in nature, the day-by-day descriptions offer insight into activities and connections throughout the natural world.

Beginning with the Winter Solstice in December, Earth Almanac highlights a wide range of natural history, including mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, insects, intertidal and marine life, trees, plants, fungi, weather phenomenon, geology, astronomy, notable environmental activists, and more, and reveals the ebb and flow of nature across the planet. Each season features more than 90 entries, and sidebars throughout provide calls to environmental action, citizen science opportunities, and details on special dates or holidays. The book can be enjoyed one day, month, or season at a time–dip in and out as you observe the world around you.

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The Bug Girl: A True Story by Sophia Spencer

Real-life 7-year-old Sophia Spencer was bullied for loving bugs until hundreds of women scientists rallied around her. Now Sophie tells her inspiring story in this picture book that celebrates women in science, bugs of all kinds, and the importance of staying true to yourself. Makes a perfect gift for nature lovers on Earth Day and every day!

Sophia Spencer has loved bugs ever since a butterfly landed on her shoulder–and wouldn’t leave!–at a butterfly conservancy when she was only two years old. In preschool and kindergarten, Sophia was thrilled to share what she knew about grasshoppers, as well as ants and fireflies… but by first grade, not everyone shared her enthusiasm. Some students bullied her, and Sophia stopped talking about bugs altogether.
 
When Sophia’s mother wrote to an entomological society looking for a bug scientist to be a pen pal for her daughter, she and Sophie were overwhelmed by the enthusiastic response–letters, photos, and videos came flooding in. Using the hashtag #BugsR4Girls, scientists tweeted hundreds of times to tell Sophia to keep up her interest in bugs–and it worked! Sophia has since appeared on Good Morning America, The Today Show, and NPR, and she continues to share her love of bugs with others.

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The Wild Garden by Cynthia Cliff

In the village of Mirren, a tidy community garden is carefully organized and tended by the townspeople. On the other side of the garden wall is a wild patch of land— a jumble of trees, a pond, and tall grassy places. While the garden is cared for in different ways throughout the seasons, Jilly and her grandfather like to visit the wild place, foraging for mushrooms, asparagus, and nuts, and watching the insects, birds and other animals.

When the townspeople decide they need a bigger garden, they make plans to expand beyond the wall into the wild place. Worried about what will happen to their special piece of nature, Jilly and her grandfather come up with a plan, inviting the townspeople to discover a new kind of gardening. Their plan works and the wild place and the community garden merge harmoniously; the bees pollinate the crops, berry bushes take over a garden corner, pumpkins grow along the pond, and delicious herbs appear among the ferns.

Cynthia Cliff’s lovingly detailed illustrations reveal the joys of every kind of garden, while her story offers endless opportunities to talk about healthy eating, nature, ecological gardening, and friendship. Filled with charmingly rustic illustrations of people, plants, and animals, this story about community and biodiversity introduces children to the variety of ways things can grow and flourish in nature.

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To the Bright Edge of the World by Eowyn Ivey

It’s an immersive tale of adventure, love, and survival that transports us back to Alaska in the winter of 1885. War hero Colonel Allen Forrester leads a small band of men on an expedition that has been deemed impossible: to venture up the Wolverine River into the vast, untamed Alaska Territory.

Left on her own at Vancouver Barracks, Allen’s newly pregnant wife, Sofie, yearns to travel alongside her husband. Unaware of how much strength and courage the winter will require from her, Sophie – like Allen – is about to uncover truths that will change her life forever. These truths will also change the lives of those who hear their stories long after they’re gone.

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Backpack Explorer: Bird Watch

This book invites budding naturalists to head outside for a walk — in the woods, a park, or right in their backyard — to spot feathered friends. Bird Watch leads kids aged 4 and up through the basics of birding, from identifying common birds to learning about habitat and migration and listening for bird songs.

The pages are packed with prompts and activities, including 12 interactive field guides (for common birds, nests, eggs, tracks, and more), sensory scavenger hunts, activities such as building a bird nest, matching games, and simple discovery zone pages about food chains and the life cycle of birds. Equipped with a real magnifying glass, stickers, and a birding log for recording sightings and encounters, this book is the perfect take-along for any nature adventure.

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The 50 States by Gabrielle Balkan

Nat Geo Kids Almanac 2023

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The Kids’ Outdoor Adventure Book by Stacy Tornio and Ken Keffer

Tranquility by Tuesday by Laura Vanderkam

The Little Book of Kindness by Bernadette Russell

The Little Book of Kindness will teach you how to be kind to yourself, to strangers, to those you love, and to the world – every day, at every opportunity. Prompted by the seeming hopelessness of the world around her, Bernadette Russell undertook a pledge to be kind to a stranger every day for a year.

The experience left her wanting to inspire others. The Little Book of Kindness is packed with fun ideas, practical tips, and interactive exercises that encourage you to ‘be kind’ in every area of life – online, to strangers, to the environment, in your community, to yourself – and change the world, one act of kindness at a time.

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The Shortest Day: Celebrating the Winter Solstice by Wendy Pfeffer

The science, history, and cultural significance of the shortest day of the year: The Winter Solstice!

The beginning of winter is marked by the solstice, the shortest day of the year. Long ago, people grew afraid when each day had fewer hours of sunshine than the day before. Over time, they realized that one day each year, the sun started moving toward them again.

In lyrical prose and cozy illustrations, this book explains what the winter solstice is and how it has been observed by various cultures throughout history. Many contemporary holiday traditions were borrowed from ancient solstice celebrations.
 
Using clear, concise language, the book covers the change from autumn to winter as well as the concept of the Earth’s tilting away from the sun. Simple science activities, ideas for celebrating the day in school and at home, and a further-reading list are included.

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The Curious Nature Guide: Explore the Natural Wonders All Around You by Clare Walker Leslie 

With dozens of simple prompts and exercises, best-selling author, naturalist, and artist Clare Walker Leslie invites you to step outside for just a few minutes a day, reignite your sense of wonder about the natural world, and discover the peace and grounding that come from connecting with nature.

Using stunning photography as well as the author’s own original illustrations, The Curious Nature Guide will inspire you to use all of your senses to notice the colors, sounds, smells, and textures of the trees, plants, animals, birds, insects, clouds, and other features that can be seen right outside your home, no matter where you live.

Sketch or write about one exceptional nature image each day; learn to identify cloud types and the weather they bring; or create a record of what you see each day as you walk your dog. Easy, enjoyable, and enlightening, these simple exercises will transform your view of the world and your place within it.

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The Hike by Alison Farrell

The Hike is a plucky and sweet adventure story about three intrepid young female explorers who set out to conquer the outdoors in their local forest.

This spirited picture book is filled with lyrical language that captures the majesty of the natural world, coupled with a fun narrative.

• Features a glossary and scientific backmatter
• Includes a sketchbook by one of the characters that highlights discoveries the girls make along the trail
• Abundant labels throughout for learning about various plants and animals

The Hike celebrates how fun and rewarding it is to explore nature in your own backyard!

This book is a must-have for budding scientists, best friends, and all adventurers in preschool and kindergarten.

• A wonderful gift for parents and grandparents of kids who like to explore outside
• Perfect for teachers and librarians looking for an outdoors-themed book
• Great for fans of We’re Going on a Bear Hunt by Helen Oxenbury, The Bad Seed by Jory John, and We Are the Gardeners by Joanna Gaines

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Beyond Winning: Smart Parenting In A Toxic Sports Environment by Kim Payne, Luis Llosa, and Scott Lancaster

These days it seems everyone has a youth sports horror story—whether it’s about a tyrant coach obsessed with his team record that only plays the best kids on the team, or a parent who publicly berates his kid for not making a goal.

But should sports really only be all about winning? What about having fun, learning a sport, and developing athletic skills?

Beyond Winning offers an alternative approach to teaching sports to kids. It deemphasizes short-term goals like winning and youth championships and discourages the introduction of adult-oriented, league-structured competition. Instead, it emphasizes training techniques and coaching strategies aimed at improving core strength, balance, and creativity in aspiring athletes, using an age-appropriate four-stage timeline, based on a child’s physical, psychological, and neurological development.

This book provides frustrated parents with help in the form of advice and concrete solutions to common questions, and step-by-step instructions for helping young children develop athletic ability in an environment that’s less structured while encouraging athletic and personal growth. It also reveals how to avoid bullying, trash talk, and elitism.

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What Do Grownups Do All Day by Virginie Morgand

Featuring more than one hundred jobs, this book by  Virginie Morgand gives children a fascinating insight into what grown-ups do all day.

By flipping through the bright and colorful pages, children can explore fifteen busy scenes set in diverse workplaces, then turn the page to find out what each person’s job entails. Packed with detailed scenes and information, this is a sure-fire instant classic.

The author uses hand-drawn shapes and bright colors to create vibrant images full of life and energy. Through words and pictures, even very young children are encouraged to learn more about various jobs, positions, duties, obligations, and careers. 

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Outdoor Kids in an Inside World: Getting Your Family Out of the House and Radically Engaged with Nature by Steven Rinella

• Camping to conquer fears, build tolerance for dirt and discomfort, and savor the pleasure of swapping stories around a campfire. 
• Growing a vegetable garden to develop a capacity to nurture and an appreciation for hard work. 
• Fishing local lakes and rivers to learn the value of patience while grappling with the possibility of failure.
• Hunting for sustainably managed wild game to face the realities of life, death, and what it really takes to obtain our food. 

Adventuring Together by Greta Easkridge

A modern, practical, and inspiring guide to creating deep heart connections with kids by regularly creating new experiences and intentional adventures together.

Parents today complain of fragmented relationships with their kids. What parents yearn for–and their kids too–is deep, heart-to-heart connections. But how can parents compete with all the other noise fighting for their kids’ attention?

The answer, says Greta Eskridge, is to break free from regular routines and familiar comforts of home to experience new places and adventures–even if those adventures go awry. From simply reading a book together to going on an overnight backpacking trip, activities together provide unique and crucial bonding opportunities. Adventuring Together highlights Greta’s stories of doing just that, including

• an array of ideas for outdoor and indoor ventures,
• what to do when your finances are limited,
• and how to adventure if your family can’t hit the hiking trail or spend the night at a campground.

 Giving readers the tools to make adventures happen, Adventuring Together is a step-by-step guide for parents–whether in the city or the country–to start building connections today that will last a lifetime.

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Blueberries for Sal by Robert McCloskey

What happens when Sal and her mother meet a mother bear and her cub? A beloved classic is born!

Kuplink, kuplank, kuplunk! Sal and her mother a picking blueberries to can for the winter. But when Sal wanders to the other side of Blueberry Hill, she discovers a mama bear preparing for her own long winter. Meanwhile Sal’s mother is being followed by a small bear with a big appetite for berries! Will each mother go home with the right little one?

With its expressive line drawings and charming story, Blueberries for Sal has won readers’ hearts since its first publication in 1948.

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Dancing with Bees by Brigit Strawbridge Howard

A naturalist’s passionate dive into the lives of bees (of all stripes)―and the natural world in her own backyard

Brigit Strawbridge Howard was shocked the day she realised she knew more about the French Revolution than she did about her native trees. And birds. And wildflowers. And bees. The thought stopped her―quite literally―in her tracks. But that day was also the start of a journey, one filled with silver birches and hairy-footed flower bees, skylarks, and rosebay willow herb, and the joy that comes with deepening one’s relationship with place.

Dancing with Bees is Strawbridge Howard’s charming and eloquent account of a return to noticing, to rediscovering a perspective on the world that had somehow been lost to her for decades, and to reconnecting with the natural world. With special care and attention to the plight of pollinators, including honeybees, bumblebees, and solitary bees, and what we can do to help them, Strawbridge Howard shares fascinating details of the lives of flora and fauna that have filled her days with ever-increasing wonder and delight.

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The Snail and the Whale by Julia Donaldson

From the creators behind The Gruffalo is a delightful tale of adventure and friendship with Julia Donaldson’s trademark rhyming text and Axel Scheffler’s brilliant, characterful illustrations—a perfect gift for any special occasion

When a tiny snail meets a humpback whale, the two travel together to far-off lands. It’s a dream come true for the snail, who has never left home before. But when the whale swims too close to shore, will the snail be able to save her new friend?

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Anywhere Artist by Nikki Slade Robinson

Does your child need a little inspiration for their nature art? Are you looking for a lovely book all about finding nature and creating art where ever you are to share with your kids? Then this short and beautifully illustrated book is exactly what you are looking for. 

An exuberant young artist looks deeply at the world around her and make art from found objects. This sprightly book celebrates creativity and will inspire readers to find art all around them, unleash their imaginations, and invent their own artistic creations.
 
An ideal book for young artists and nature-lovers in search of outdoor activities.

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Up: A Mother and Daughter’s Peakbagging Adventure by Patricia Ellis Herr

When Trish Herr became pregnant with her first daughter, Alex, she and her husband, Hugh, vowed to instill a bond with nature in their children. By the time Alex was five, her over-the-top energy levels led Trish to believe that her very young daughter might be capable of hiking adult-sized mountains.

In Up, Trish recounts their always exhilarating–and sometimes harrowing–adventures climbing all forty-eight of New Hampshire’s highest mountains. Readers will delight in the expansive views and fresh air that only peakbaggers are afforded, and will laugh out loud as Trish urges herself to “mother up” when she and Alex meet an ornery–and alarmingly bold–spruce grouse on the trail. This is, at heart, a resonant, emotionally honest account of a mother’s determination to foster independence and fearlessness in her daughter, to teach her “that small doesn’t necessarily mean weak; that girls can be strong; and that big, bold things are possible.”

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The Pout-Pout Fish Far, Far From Home by Deborah Diesen

Mr. Fish has prepped and packed,
And he’s made big plans to roam.
He’s ready for adventure
On his trip away from home!

But sometimes trips have detours
And not everything goes right.
Without his favorite toy,
Can he fall asleep at night?

Swim along with Mr. Fish as he explores new places and meets new friends in THE POUT-POUT FISH, FAR, FAR FROM HOME. He might just learn that a few bumps along the way are all part of the journey. Deborah Diesen and Dan Hanna are back with everyone’s favorite grumpy fish, to show that love doesn’t have to be packed, it travels with you always.

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A Stick is an Excellent Thing by Marilyn Singer

The trappings of childhood change from generation to generation, but there are some timeless activities that every kid loves. Award-winning poet Marilyn Singer and New York Times best-selling illustrator LeUyen Pham celebrate these universal types of play, from organized games such as hide-and-seek and hopscotch to imaginative play such as making mud soup or turning a stick into a magic wand. Lyrical poems and bold illustrations capture the energy of a group of children in one neighborhood as they amuse themselves over the course of a summer day. 

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The Camping Trip by Jennifer K. Mann

Ernestine is beyond excited to go camping. She follows the packing list carefully (new sleeping bag! new flashlight! special trail mix made with Dad!) so she knows she is ready when the weekend arrives. But she quickly realizes that nothing could have prepared her for how hard it is to set up a tent, never mind fall asleep in it, or that swimming in a lake means that there will be fish — eep! Will Ernestine be able to enjoy the wilderness, or will it prove to be a bit too far out of her comfort zone?

In an energetic illustrated story about a first sleepover under the stars, acclaimed author-illustrator Jennifer K. Mann reminds us that opening your mind to new experiences, no matter how challenging, can lead to great memories (and a newfound taste for s’mores).

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100 Days of Adventures by Greta Eskridge

• Indoor and outdoor seasonal activities, projects, experiments, crafts, recipes, and field trips
• Free and low-cost activities, with options for different kinds of groups and locations
• Step-by-step directions, nature journal prompts, tips, and checklists
• Beautiful photos and helpful illustrations

Children can bond with parents and siblings, learn new skills with individual investigations, or explore with friends in an educational or homeschool group with this full-color activity book. Also included is a note to parents with encouraging start-here guidance on growing a family culture of curiosity and adventure.

Whether your family is looking for fun activities for school breaks at home, road trip vacations, or everyday ways to learn together, this collection of interactive educational activities will help your kids get creative, get into nature, and get closer to each other.

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What’s Inside a Flower by Rachel Ignotofsky

From the creator of the New York Times bestseller Women in Science, comes a new nonfiction picture book series ready to grow young scientists by nurturing their curiosity about the natural world–starting with what’s inside a flower.

Budding backyard scientists can start exploring their world with this stunning introduction to these flowery show-stoppers–from seeds to roots to blooms. Learning how flowers grow gives kids beautiful building blocks of science and inquiry.

In the launch of a new nonfiction picture book series, Rachel Ignotofsky’s distinctive art style and engaging, informative text clearly answers any questions a child (or adult) could have about flowers.

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The Outdoor Scientist by Temple Grandin

From New York Times bestselling author and world-renowned scientist and autism spokesperson Temple Grandin comes a book about exploring the world around us, asking questions, and making sense of what we see–with 40 fun outdoor activities that promote independent thinking, which kids can enjoy all year round!

What are the aerodynamics of skipping stones or the physics of making sandcastles? Do birds use GPS to navigate their migratory routes?

In this book, readers get introduced to geologists, astrophysicists, oceanographers, and many other scientists who unlock the wonders of the natural world. The author shares her childhood experiences and observations, whether on the beach, in the woods, working with horses, or gazing up at the night sky. This book explores all areas of nature and gives readers the tools to discover even more on their own.

With forty projects to give readers a deeper understanding of the world around them, from the depths of space to their own backyard, this is a perfect read for budding scientists, inventors, and creators!

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The Tree Lady, by H. Joseph Hopkins

Unearth the true story of green-thumbed pioneer and activist Kate Sessions, who helped San Diego grow from a dry desert town into a lush, leafy city known for its gorgeous parks and gardens.

Katherine Olivia Sessions never thought she’d live in a place without trees. After all, Kate grew up among the towering pines and redwoods of Northern California. But after becoming the first woman to graduate from the University of California with a degree in science, she took a job as a teacher far south in the dry desert town of San Diego. Where there were almost no trees.

Kate decided that San Diego needed trees more than anything else. So this trailblazing young woman singlehandedly started a massive movement that transformed the town into the green, garden-filled oasis it is today. Now, more than 100 years after Kate first arrived in San Diego, her gorgeous gardens and parks can be found all over the city.

Part fascinating biography, part inspirational story, this moving picture book about following your dreams, using your talents, and staying strong in the face of adversity is sure to resonate with readers young and old.

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Growing Sustainable Together, by Shannon Brescher Shea

Tips, tools, advice, and activities for raising eco-friendly kids while nurturing compassion, resilience, and community engagement.

Drawing from cutting-edge social-science research, parent interviews, and experiential wisdom, science writer and parenting blogger Shannon Brescher Shea shows how green living and great parenting go hand in hand to teach kids kindness, compassion, resilience, and grit–all while giving them the lifelong tools they need to be successful, engaged, and independent.

Growing Sustainable Together is packed with easy tips, expert parenting advice, and practical hands-on activities for the toddler years up through the early teens. The enriching activities, resource guides, and recommended book lists in each chapter distill core sustainability knowledge, like:
• Understanding energy efficiency and renewables
• Instilling anti-waste and anti-consumerist values
• Learning where our food comes from
• Developing a lifelong love for environmental activism, volunteering, and community engagement

The book concludes with a practical appendix that gives talking points for engaging teachers, school systems, and fellow parents in eco-friendly activities.

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April Fool, Phyllis, by Susanna Leonard Hill

It might be April Fools’ Day, but Punxsutawney Phyllis knows that winter isn’t over yet. Her infallible instincts tell her that a blizzard is brewing. Too bad no one will believe her. Luckily Phyllis uses a combination of common sense and uncommon abilities to lead the April Fools’ Day treasure hunters back to safety when the storm comes on quickly. Once again Phylis gets the last laugh in this buoyant holiday tale.

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Closer to the Ground, by Dylan Tomine

Now completely revised and updated, with full-color photographs and family-friendly recipes throughout.

The deeply personal story of a father learning to share his love of nature with his children, not through the indoor lens of words or pictures, but directly, palpably, by exploring the natural world as they forage, cook and eat from the woods and sea.

This compelling, masterfully written tale follows Dylan Tomine and his family through four seasons as they hunt chanterelles, fish for salmon, dig clams and gather at the kitchen table, mouths watering, to enjoy the fruits of their labor. Closer to the Ground captures the beauty and surprise of the natural world — and the ways it teaches us how to live — with humor, gratitude and a nose for adventure as keen as a child’s. It is a book filled with weather, natural history and many delicious meals.

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This is a Taco, by Andrew Cangelose

This is a squirrel . . . “Hey, I may be a squirrel, but my name is Taco! And I don’t eat nuts and tree bark—blech—I prefer tacos!” The natural predator of squirrels is . . . “Whoa, whoa, whoa! Who is writing this book? I do not like where this is going.”

This hilarious send-up of a children’s nature primer teaches kids that the most important story is the one you write yourself.

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One Plastic Bag, by Miranda Paul

The inspiring true story of how one African woman began a movement to recycle the plastic bags that were polluting her community.

Plastic bags are cheap and easy to use. But what happens when a bag breaks or is no longer needed? In Njau, Gambia, people simply dropped the bags and went on their way. One plastic bag became two. Then ten. Then a hundred.

The bags accumulated in ugly heaps alongside roads. Water pooled in them, bringing mosquitoes and disease. Some bags were burned, leaving behind a terrible smell. Some were buried, but they strangled gardens. They killed livestock that tried to eat them. Something had to change.

Isatou Ceesay was that change. She found a way to recycle the bags and transform her community. This inspirational true story shows how one person’s actions really can make a difference in our world.

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The Wild Remedy, by Emma Mitchell

Emma Mitchell has suffered with depression for 25 years. In 2003, she left the city and began to take walks in the countryside around her new home, photographing, collecting and drawing as she went. Each walk was as medicinal as any talking therapy or pharmaceutical. Emma’s moving and candid account of her year is a powerful testament to how reconnecting with nature may offer some answers to today’s mental health epidemic. While charting her own seasonal highs and lows, she also explains the science behind such changes, calling on new research into such areas as forest bathing and the ways in which our bodies and minds respond to wildlife. Filled with Emma’s beautiful drawings, paintings and photography, this is a truly unique book for anyone who has ever felt drawn to nature and wondered about its influence over us.

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Would You Rather: Travel Edition, by Archie Brain

Great boredom buster for long trips!

Need something to keep your kids occupied on a long plane journey or road trip? Or something to keep them busy on a rainy day?

These fun boredom busters are the perfect travel game to keep them occupied, and everyone can join in with their answers!

Would you rather put your head in a lion’s mouth or run across burning coals? Would you rather find buried treasure or a cure for a terrible disease? Would you rather meet the Easter bunny or the Tooth Fairy?

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Listening with My Heart, by Gabi Garcia

Kindness matters! Especially with ourselves.

When Esperanza finds a heart-shaped rock, she sees it as a reminder to spread kindness and love in the world. But when the school play doesn’t go the way she’d hoped, will she remember to show it to herself?

We talk to kids a lot about how to be friends to others, but not much about how to be friends to themselves. Yet self-acceptance and positive self-talk help them build emotional resilience, growth mindset, and well-being.

Listening with my Heart reminds us of the other golden rule– to treat ourselves with the same understanding and compassion we give to others. It also touches on the universal themes of friendship and empathy. Includes kid-friendly mindfulness and self-compassion activities.

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Little Red Gliding Hood, by Tara Lazar

Little Red Riding Hood straps on ice skates in this fractured fairy tale! A figure-skating enthusiast, Little Red has worn out her skates and must win a pairs competition to earn new ones. But who will be her partner? The Dish is already skating with the Spoon, and Hansel has Gretel. You won’t believe what big eyes, sharp teeth, and furry paws her partner has . . . all the better to spin her with!

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There’s No Such Thing as Bad Weather, by Linda ÅkesonMcGurk

When Swedish-born Linda Åkeson McGurk moved to Indiana, she quickly learned that the nature-centric parenting philosophies of her native Scandinavia were not the norm. In Sweden, children play outdoors year-round, regardless of the weather, and letting babies nap outside in freezing temperatures is common and recommended by physicians. Preschoolers spend their days climbing trees, catching frogs, and learning to compost, and environmental education is a key part of the public-school curriculum. In the US, McGurk found the playgrounds deserted, and preschoolers were getting drilled on academics with little time for free play in nature. And when a swimming outing at a nearby creek ended with a fine from a park officer, McGurk realized that the parenting philosophies of her native country and her adopted homeland were worlds apart.

Struggling to decide what was best for her family, McGurk embarked on a six-month journey to Sweden with her two daughters to see how their lives would change in a place where spending time in nature is considered essential to a good childhood. Insightful and lively, There’s No Such Thing as Bad Weather is a fascinating personal narrative that illustrates how Scandinavian culture could hold the key to raising healthy, resilient, and confident children in America.

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Dragons, Dragons and Other Creatures that Never Were by Eric Carle

Do you love the gorgeous illustrations of Eric Carle? Do you enjoy sharing short poems with your kids? Do your kids love mythical creatures? If any of these things are true, then this book is for you!

Fiery dragons, playful centaurs, the mysterious garusa, the web-footed bunyip–these and other mythological creatures abound in Eric Carle’s Dragons Dragons. In this companion volume to Eric Carle’s Animals Animals, he celebrates mythology and legends from around the world, and breathes life into the creatures that inhabit them.

Illustrating poetry from such authors as Anne McCaffrey, X. J. Kennedy, Myra Cohn Livingston, and John Gardner, Eric Carle invites readers of all ages to enter the fabulous world of Dragons Dragons & other creatures that never were.

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Bear Grylls Adventures: The Blizzard Challenge by Bear Grylls

The Bear Grylls Adventures series is so much fun and perfect for little adventurers. There are 12 books in the series and can be read in any order. Book 1 in the series is The Blizzard Challenge:

Olly isn’t enjoying activity camp. Why should he bother building a shelter or foraging for food with his teammates? He’d rather be at home playing video games. But when a mysterious compass transports him to a high mountain range, where he meets survival expert Bear Grylls, he learns valuable lessons about teamwork and perseverance.

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The Power of Showing Up by Daniel Siegel and Tina Payne Bryson

Our Intentional 10 Challenge is all about connecting with our children and this book is the science behind why children need adults to make time and commit to showing up for their kids.

One of the very best scientific predictors for how any child turns out—in terms of happiness, academic success, leadership skills, and meaningful relationships—is whether at least one adult in their life has consistently shown up for them. In an age of scheduling demands and digital distractions, showing up for your child might sound like a tall order. But as bestselling authors Daniel Siegel and Tina Payne Bryson reassuringly explain, it doesn’t take a lot of time, energy, or money. Instead, showing up means offering a quality of presence. And it’s simple to provide once you understand the four building blocks of a child’s healthy development. Every child needs to feel what Siegel and Bryson call the Four S’s:

• Safe: We can’t always insulate a child from injury or avoid doing something that leads to hurt feelings. But when we give a child a sense of safe harbor, she will be able to take the needed risks for growth and change.
• Seen: Truly seeing a child means we pay attention to his emotions—both positive and negative—and strive to attune to what’s happening in his mind beneath his behavior.
• Soothed: Soothing isn’t about providing a life of ease; it’s about teaching your child how to cope when life gets hard, and showing him that you’ll be there with him along the way. A soothed child knows that he’ll never have to suffer alone.
• Secure: When a child knows she can count on you, time and again, to show up—when you reliably provide safety, focus on seeing her, and soothe her in times of need, she will trust in a feeling of secure attachment. And thrive!

Based on the latest brain and attachment research, The Power of Showing Up shares stories, scripts, simple strategies, illustrations, and tips for honoring the Four S’s effectively in all kinds of situations—when our kids are struggling or when they are enjoying success; when we are consoling, disciplining, or arguing with them; and even when we are apologizing for the times we don’t show up for them. Demonstrating that mistakes and missteps are repairable and that it’s never too late to mend broken trust, this book is a powerful guide to cultivating your child’s healthy emotional landscape.

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First Day of Winter by Denise Fleming

This delightful rhyming book follows the first ten days of winter (beginning on the Winter Solstice) when gifts arrive for a special friend. The story follows the same pattern as the 12 days of Christmas and will have children chanting along as they discover all the trimmings needed for the most perfect snowman ever!

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15 Minutes Outside by Rebecca P. Cohen

In just 15 minutes your kids can be unplugged from their screens and outside on an adventure, all thanks to the ultimate parenting resource to help you connect with your kids and get out of the house! A creative collection of activities for families, Fifteen Minutes Outside is filled with 365 days of quality time, outdoor adventures, and unplugged activities that require little time, cash, or patience.

Perfect for parents, daycare workers, babysitters, and more, this book will keep kids busy and stop the dreaded “I’m bored!” from escaping their mouths.

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Gratitude is My Superpower by Alicia Ortego

Do you want to teach your children how to be grateful for the things they already have?

Little Betsy will learn that happiness is made up of simple things in life, both small and big. With the help of the magic stone, she will begin to feel gratitude for her parents, friends, and toys. But what happens when little Betsy forgets to use the magic of her stone? She will realize that the power of gratitude is hidden in her heart.

“Gratitude is my superpower” will teach your little ones to appreciate the warmth of home, time spent playing with friends, and family relationships.

This book will help your kids in many ways:

• they will focus on the blessings they receive every day,
• they will begin to appreciate what others do for them,
• they will feel true happiness when they realize that they have everything they need.

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You Can Change the World by Lucy Bell

Kids around the world are working together to make our planet a better, safer, happier place—and now you can join in with this practical guide!

You Can Change the World empowers kids to make changes in their lives and communities with the powerful message that anyone can make a difference in the world. This colorfully illustrated book is packed with information, ideas, and activities for everyday sustainability—like mending clothes, composting, and avoiding single-use plastics. Interspersed throughout are features on children around the globe who are making a difference, such as Greta Thunberg or Solli Raphael, reminding kids that ordinary people can spark extraordinary change.

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I Love Dirt! by Jennifer Ward

I Love Dirt! presents 52 open-ended activities to help you engage your child in the outdoors. No matter what your location—from a small patch of green in the city to the wide-open meadows of the country—each activity is meant to promote exploration, stimulate imagination, and heighten a child’s sense of wonder.

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The Ugly Pumpkin by Dave Horowitz

Perfect for the changing seasons, this wacky twist on The Ugly Duckling is a great read for Halloween and Thanksgiving.

The Ugly Pumpkin has waited all through October for someone to take him home, but no one wants him. He doesn’t look like other pumpkins. So the lonely Ugly Pumpkin leaves the patch in search of a place where he’ll fit in. By the time Thanksgiving arrives, he discovers the truth about who he is–but it’s not what he expected!

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101 Things For Kids to do Outside by Dawn Isaac

Packed with games, projects, crafts, experiments, and gardening inspiration, 101 Things for Kids to do Outside will have your children racing out to try something new. The huge selection of ideas covers all four seasons and ranges from quick 10-minute activities to a full day of fun. From party games and treasure hunts to simple gardening projects, each idea is simple to follow and illustrated with colour photography, so you can’t go wrong! Activities include building a human sundial, creating an outdoor collage, setting up a wormery, planting a potato tower, making natural inks, flying a homemade kite, and playing torch tag. This hands-on guide will help children get the most from being outdoors, and you don’t need a big garden – a local park or small area will suffice. 101 Things for Kids to do Outside is sure to get your kids away from the computer and provide hours of entertainment for the entire family.

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The Smile that Went Around the World by Patrice Karst

What if you discovered one day you did something that helped millions of people all over the world and changed their lives? Something so simple that it was recognized and understood by everyone in every country everywhere . . . and all it took was a kind gesture to get it started.

Too good to be true? Then it’s time for you to meet The Smile That Went Around the World.

What starts out as a simple gift, soon turns into a chain-reaction of smiles and kindness in this heart-warming story about a smile . . . that went around the world. Each smile sparks another, and then another and another and another until one day, the young boy who first sent the smile on its way finds himself feeling sad. Before he knows it, that same special smile appears out of nowhere . . . just when “he” needs it most.

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Balanced and Barefoot by Angela J. Hanscom

Today’s kids have adopted sedentary lifestyles filled with television, video games, and computer screens. But more and more, studies show that children need “rough and tumble” outdoor play in order to develop their sensory, motor, and executive functions. Disturbingly, a lack of movement has been shown to lead to a number of health and cognitive difficulties, such as attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), emotion regulation and sensory processing issues, and aggressiveness at school recess break. So, how can you ensure your child is fully engaging their body, mind, and all of their senses?

Using the same philosophy that lies at the heart of her popular TimberNook program—that nature is the ultimate sensory experience, and that psychological and physical health improves for children when they spend time outside on a regular basis—author Angela Hanscom offers several strategies to help your child thrive, even if you live in an urban environment.

Today it is rare to find children rolling down hills, climbing trees, or spinning in circles just for fun. We’ve taken away merry-go-rounds, shortened the length of swings, and done away with teeter-totters to keep children safe. Children have fewer opportunities for unstructured outdoor play than ever before, and recess times at school are shrinking due to demanding educational environments.

With this book, you’ll discover little things you can do anytime, anywhere to help your kids achieve the movement they need to be happy and healthy in mind, body, and spirit.

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Look What I Did with a Leaf by Morteza E. Sohi

Perfect for young art and craft lovers, learn how to use nature’s bounty to create fanciful animals and natural scenes!

In Look What I Did with a Leaf!, readers will develop their artistic eye and soon learn to see the artistic possibilities that surround them. Morteza E. Sohi gives careful directions on how to choose leaves for shape and color, how to arrange them in an animal form, and how to preserve the finished work of art. A field guide helps young leaf artists learn more about the tools of their craft.

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The Nature Principle: Reconnecting with Life in a Virtual Age by Richard Louv

For many of us, thinking about the future conjures up images of Cormac McCarthy’s The Road: a post-apocalyptic dystopia stripped of nature. Richard Louv, author of the landmark bestseller Last Child in the Woods, urges us to change our vision of the future, suggesting that if we reconceive environmentalism and sustainability, they will evolve into a larger movement that will touch every part of society.

This New Nature Movement taps into the restorative powers of the natural world to boost mental acuity and creativity; promote health and wellness; build smarter and more sustainable businesses, communities, and economies; and ultimately strengthen human bonds. Supported by groundbreaking research, anecdotal evidence, and compelling personal stories, Louv offers renewed optimism while challenging us to rethink the way we live.

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Happy by Nicola Edwards

This poetically written introduction to mindfulness touches upon the most important aspects of life–feeling, discovering, smelling, listening, and all the things that bring the world to life. With every soothing read and practice, children are better equipped to understand and control their own emotions…and discover an appreciation for the beautiful world around them.

The book features five children in common settings: watering flowers, sitting in a cozy kitchen, splashing in a stream, and basking on a hill. Each spread offers a take on an aspect of mindfulness and the rhyming text guides readers through the senses and offers specific exercises and questions to ponder.

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The Nature Fix by Florence Williams

Gather some knowledge, facts, and inspiration with this wonderfully informative read. 

From forest trails in Korea, to islands in Finland, to eucalyptus groves in California, Florence Williams investigates the science behind nature’s positive effects on the brain. Delving into brand-new research, she uncovers the powers of the natural world to improve health, promote reflection and innovation, and strengthen our relationships. As our modern lives shift dramatically indoors, these ideas—and the answers they yield—are more urgent than ever.

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Butterflies on the First Day of School by Annie Silvestro

Rosie can’t wait to start kindergarten—she’s had her pencils sharpened and her backpack ready for weeks. But suddenly, on the night before the big day, her tummy hurts. Rosie’s mom reassures her that it’s just butterflies in her belly, and she’ll feel better soon. Much to Rosie’s surprise, when she says hello to a new friend on the bus, a butterfly flies out of her mouth! As the day goes on, Rosie frees all her butterflies, and even helps another shy student let go of hers, too.

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The Home Place: Memoirs of a Colored Man’s Love Affair with Nature by J. Drew Lanham

In me, there is the red of miry clay, the brown of spring floods, the gold of ripening tobacco. All of these hues are me; I am, in the deepest sense, colored.

In The Home Place, readers meet these extraordinary people, including Drew himself, who over the course of the 1970s falls in love with the natural world around him. As his passion takes flight, however, he begins to ask what it means to be “the rare bird, the oddity.”

By turns angry, funny, elegiac, and heartbreaking, The Home Place is a meditation on nature and belonging by an ornithologist and professor of ecology, at once a deeply moving memoir and riveting exploration of the contradictions of black identity in the rural South—and in America today.

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Sing a Song of Seasons by Nosy Crow

Sing a Song of Seasons is a lavishly illustrated collection of 366 nature poems — one for every day of the year. Filled with familiar favorites and new discoveries written by a wide variety of poets, including William Shakespeare, Emily Dickinson, John Updike, Langston Hughes, N. M. Bodecker, Okamoto Kanoko, and many more.

This is the perfect book for children (and grown-ups!) to bring nature into your reading adventures and share at the beginning or the end of the day.

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The Fire Wombat by Jackie French

Summer is fire season for a lot of the US and in other countries, such as Australia. Discussing the devastating consequences of wildfires and even their importance in nature is hard, especially with children.

This book is a great way to share the nature of wildfires and it makes for a wonderfully educational family read-aloud.

About the book:

As the flames of a bushfire approach, one small wombat shelters with other animals in her burrow. But that is just the beginning of their journey to safety.

Based on events witnessed by Australian Children’s Laureate Jackie French during the 2020 fires, and co-created with award-winning illustrator Danny Snell, this is a story of courage, compassion and survival, which saw people across Australia come together to save our wildlife from devastation.

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Before We Eat: From Farm to Table by Pat Brisson

Before we eat, many people work very hard―planting grain, catching fish, tending farm animals, and filling crates of vegetables. With vibrant illustrations by Caldecott Medalist Mary Azarian, this book reminds us what must happen before food gets to our tables to nourish our bodies and spirits.

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Insect Superpowers: 18 Powerful Bugs That Smash, Zap, Hypnotize, Sting, and Devour! by Kate Messner

All around us, nature is working wonders. Every day, hour by hour, magical transformations happen right in front of you. But it’s not always easy to see them . . . In this beautiful illustrated collection, 50 moments in nature are paused for you to watch them in detail. Then you should go outside, and explore, and see what you find when you take the time to slow down. Gorgeously illustrated, this charming collection celebrates the small wonders happening all around us every day.

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Slow Down: 50 Mindful Moments in Nature by Rachel Williams

All around us, nature is working wonders. Every day, hour by hour, magical transformations happen right in front of you. But it’s not always easy to see them . . . In this beautiful illustrated collection, 50 moments in nature are paused for you to watch them in detail. Then you should go outside, and explore, and see what you find when you take the time to slow down. Gorgeously illustrated, this charming collection celebrates the small wonders happening all around us every day.

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And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson

And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson is the true story of two boy penguins in Central Park Zoo who liked each other a lot. When the zookeepers noticed that they were a matched pair, they also saw that these two penguins prepared for a baby just like the other penguins. But unlike the other penguin couples, they did not produce an egg of their own. The zookeepers realized what to do and gave them an egg to take care of.  And “Tango became the very first penguin in the zoo to have two daddies.”

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Dream Animals by Emily Winfield Martin

“You only have to close your eyes
And when you snuggle in….
You’ll be carried to your dream tonight
On wing or paw or fin”

Snuggle into bed and discover what your dream animal might be and where it could take you! Could it be a bear who brings you to bake pastries? A fox who ushers you into a magical forest? Mermaids with whom you can sip tea?

With a perfect nighttime rhyme and gorgeous illustrations, this book is the ideal addition to any bedtime reading routine. Little ones won’t mind closing their eyes once they learn what wonders await in their dreams.

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Forest Therapy by Sarah Ivens

Don’t think we forgot about you parents! Connecting with nature, especially that of the forest, is incredibly beneficial! This book will help you find ways to find joy in nature.

There is something simply soul-soothing about being in nature. In fact, research shows that spending time outside can improve the immune system, combat stress hormones, lower blood pressure, and boost self-esteem. Around the globe, rising movements are driving us to reconnect with Mother Nature–from shinrin-yoku (“forest bathing”) in Japan to friluftsliv (“open-air life”) in Scandinavia–yet our everyday lifestyles have distanced us from the great outdoors. For stressed-out professionals, reclusive bookworms, worn-out parents, and their cooped-up kids, Forest Therapy shares why getting back to nature is critically important for our well-being, and offers fun, easy practices to break out of hibernation.

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We’re Off to Find a Fairy by Eloise White

If you’ve ever read We’re Going on a Bear Hunt, this story is similarly delightful and full of wonderful nature critters. 

In We’re Off to Find a Fairy, a family sets off in the countryside one day to find a fairy – they know that a fairy has fluttery wings and a glowing wand, and that it sits in the grass and sparkles. Surely it won’t be too difficult to find?

Yet as the adults and children explore the woodland, they find bees, butterflies, a red squirrel, a beetle and, finally, when it’s getting dark and they’ve been searching hard all day, glow-worms.

Despite not being able to find a fairy, the family have instead been careful enough to spot a number of endangered woodland species – all of which fulfil at least one of the fairy’s characteristics.

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Thank You, Earth by April Pulley Sayre

Acclaimed children’s book author and photographer April Pulley Sayre’s love letter to Earth is a stunning exploration of the beauty and complexity of the world around us. Remarkable photographs and a rich, layered text introduce concepts of science, nature, geography, biology, poetry, and community, perfect for families, classrooms, and homeschooling. This nonfiction picture book is ideal for celebrating the planet all year long.

April Pulley Sayre, award-winning photographer and acclaimed author of more than sixty-five books, introduces concepts of science, nature, and language arts through stunning photographs and a poetic text structured as a simple thank-you note.

Touching on subjects from life cycles to weather, colors, shapes, and patterns, this is an ideal resource for science and language art curriculums and a terrific book for bedtime sharing. Thank You, Earth is a great choice for Earth Day celebrations, as well as family and group read-alouds.

The book also includes kid-friendly ideas for conservation projects, information about the photographs, and additional resources.

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Foraging with Kids by Adele Nozedar

Foraging with Kids is a fun, practical book for parents to work through with their children that encourages families to interact with their environment and gain knowledge and practical understanding of the natural world through exploration and play. The projects are based around 50 easy-to-identify plants that are abundant in parks, forests and hedgerows worldwide, making the challenge of discovering functional flora just as achievable to those who live in the city as in the countryside.

Once they have foraged their plants, children will be amazed by the diverse practical uses that they can set them to; from making soap from conkers or setting a delicious egg-free custard with plantain, to stopping minor cuts from bleeding with hedge woundwort. Children will take great pride in seeing their gatherings forming part of the family meal and parents will be amazed at how even the most vegetable-averse child will develop an enthusiastic appetite for a meal that they have contributed to.

Illustrated throughout with beautiful hand drawings and with essential information on plant facts and identification, as well as a diverse range of engaging, practical projects that the whole family will want to get involved with, this is the perfect book for anyone who wants the children under their care to get outside, connect with nature and have a lot of fun in the process.

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How to Give Up Plastic by Will McCallum

Around 12.7 million tonnes of plastic are entering the ocean every year, killing over 1 million seabirds and 100,000 marine mammals.

By 2050 there could be more plastic in the ocean than fish by weight.

Plastic pollution is the environmental scourge of our age, but how can YOU make a difference?

This accessible guide, written by the campaigner at the forefront of the anti-plastic movement, will help you make the small changes that make a big difference, from buying a reusable coffee cup to running a clean-up at your local park or beach. 

Plastic is not going away without a fight. We need a movement made up of billions of individual acts, bringing people together from all backgrounds and all cultures, the ripples of which will be felt from the smallest village to the tallest skyscrapers. This is a call to arms – to join forces across the world and to end our dependence on plastic.

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The Keeper of Wild Words by Brooke Smith

A touching tale of a grandmother and her granddaughter exploring and cherishing the natural world.

When Mimi finds out her favorite words—simple words, like apricot, blackberry, buttercup—are disappearing from the English language, she elects her granddaughter Brook as their Keeper. And did you know? The only way to save words is to know them.

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A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson

The Appalachian Trail trail stretches from Georgia to Maine and covers some of the most breathtaking terrain in America–majestic mountains, silent forests, sparking lakes. If you’re going to take a hike, it’s probably the place to go. And Bill Bryson is surely the most entertaining guide you’ll find. He introduces us to the history and ecology of the trail and to some of the other hardy (or just foolhardy) folks he meets along the way–and a couple of bears. Already a classic, A Walk in the Woods will make you long for the great outdoors (or at least a comfortable chair to sit and read in).

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Lola Plants a Garden by Anna McQuinn

How does your garden grow? Book-loving Lola is inspired by a collection of garden poems that she reads with her mommy. She wants to plant her own garden of beautiful flowers, so she and Mommy go to the library to check out books about gardening. They choose their flowers and buy their seeds. They dig and plant. And then they wait. Lola finds it hard to wait for her flowers to grow, but she spends the time creating her own flower book. Soon she has a garden full of sunflowers and invites all of her friends for cakes and punch and a story amongst the flowers.

Lola is a beloved character that continues to shine for young readers. Her curiosity and love of books are infectious. Parents and children love sharing Lola’s stories.

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Heartwood Hotel: A True Home by Kallie George

When Mona the Mouse stumbles across the wondrous world of the Heartwood Hotel in the middle of a storm, she desperately hopes they’ll let her stay. As it turns out, Mona is precisely the maid they need at the grandest hotel in Fernwood Forest, where animals come from far and wide for safety, luxury, and comfort. But the Heartwood Hotel is not all acorn souffl¿ and soft moss-lined beds. Danger lurks, and as it approaches, Mona finds that this hotel is more than a warm place to spend the night. It might also be a home.

This delightfully enticing start of a new chapter book series tells a tale of friendship, courage, and community, with exquisite black-and-white illustrations throughout.

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The Unlikely Thru-Hiker: An Appalachian Trail Journey by Derick Lugo

The Unlikely Thru-Hiker is the story of how a young black man from the city, unfamiliar with both the outdoors and thru-hiking culture, sets off with an extremely overweight pack and a willfully can-do attitude to conquer the infamous trail. What follows are lessons on preparation, humility, and nature’s wild unpredictability. But this isn’t a hard-nosed memoir of discouragement. What sets Lugo apart from the typical walk in the woods is his refusal to let any challenge squash his inner Pollyanna. Through it all, Lugo perseveres with humor, tenacity, and an unshakeable commitment to grooming―earning him the trail name “Mr. Fabulous”―that sees him from Springer Mountain in Georgia to Katahdin in Maine.

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Mae Among the Stars by Roda Ahmed

When Little Mae was a child, she dreamed of dancing in space. She imagined herself surrounded by billions of stars, floating, gliding, and discovering.

She wanted to be an astronaut.

Her mom told her, “If you believe it, and work hard for it, anything is possible.”

Little Mae’s curiosity, intelligence, and determination, matched with her parents’ encouraging words, paved the way for her incredible success at NASA as the first African American woman to travel in space.

This book will inspire other young girls to reach for the stars, to aspire for the impossible, and to persist with childlike imagination.

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Wesley the Owl by Stacey O’Brien

On Valentine’s Day 1985, biologist Stacey O’Brien adopted Wesley, a baby barn owl with an injured wing who could not have survived in the wild. Over the next nineteen years, O’Brien studied Wesley’s strange habits with both a tender heart and a scientist’s eye—and provided a mice-only diet that required her to buy the rodents in bulk (28,000 over the owl’s lifetime). She watched him turn from a helpless fluff ball into an avid com­municator with whom she developed a language all their own.

Eventually, he became a gorgeous, gold-and-white macho adult with a heart-shaped face who preened in the mir­ror and objected to visits by any other males to “his” house. O’Brien also brings us inside Caltech’s prestigious research community, a kind of scientific Hogwarts where resident owls sometimes flew freely from office to office and eccentric, brilliant scientists were extraordinarily committed to studying and helping animals; all of them were changed by the animals they loved.

As O’Brien gets close to Wesley, she makes astonishing discoveries about owl behavior, intelligence, and communication, coining the term “The Way of the Owl” to describe his noble behavior. When O’Brien develops her own life-threatening ill­ness, the biologist who saved the life of a helpless baby bird is herself rescued from death by the insistent love and courage of this wild animal.

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This Love: A Celebration of Harmony Around the World by Isabel Otter

Love is a language that is understood and shared by people all around the world. Whether we’re reading quietly with a loved one or playing on the beach with friends, all across the globe, the love we feel for one another is the same.

In this die-cut picture book, diverse characters, rendered like gentle rag dolls, share in gratitude and quiet affection through the seasons and across the globe. In a winter scene, children cross a bridge (formed by a rainbow-shaped die-cut) over a narrow brook while others play in the snow. In a garden surrounded by jungle, a child and elderly man tend to crops. Elsewhere, a family watches birds alight, and two fathers watch a fireworks display with their children. An uplifting look at finding life’s treasurable moments.

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Kenya’s Art by Linda Trice

Kenya’s class is on spring vacation and their teacher asked them to write a report about how they spent their time. But vacation is almost over and Kenya hasn’t done anything worth noting. A late visit to a museum’s recycling exhibit and a walk through her neighborhood with her daddy inspire Kenya to use her old, broken toys and other items to make art with her family. Now she’s prepared to teach her whole class how to Recycle! Reuse! Make Art!

This warm and engaging companion to Kenya’s Song depicts the enthusiasm and creativity of one young girl in a diverse community who engages wholeheartedly with her friends, her environment, and herself.

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Zoey & Sassafras by Asia Citro

With magical animals, science, mystery, and adventure — the Zoey and Sassafras series has something for everyone! Easy-to-read language and illustrations on nearly every page make this series perfect for a wide range of ages.

Each story features a new magical animal with a problem that must be solved using science. There isn’t a set formula for each book; Zoey sometimes needs to run experiments, while other times she needs to investigate a mystery, and yet other times she needs to do research. Zoey models how to keep a science journal through her handwritten entries in each story. Each story is complete with a glossary of the kid-friendly definitions for scientific terms used. The series highlights child-led inquiry science and the topics covered align with both Common Core and Next Generation Science Standards.

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Adventuring Together by Greta Eskridge

A modern, practical, and inspiring guide to creating deep heart connections with kids by regularly creating new experiences and intentional adventures together.

Parents today complain of fragmented relationships with their kids. What parents yearn for–and their kids too–is deep, heart-to-heart connections. But how can parents compete with all the other noise fighting for their kids’ attention?

The answer, says Greta Eskridge, is to break free from regular routines and familiar comforts of home to experience new places and adventures–even if those adventures go awry. From simply reading a book together to going on an overnight backpacking trip, activities together provide unique and crucial bonding opportunities. Adventuring Together highlights Greta’s stories of doing just that, including

• an array of ideas for outdoor and indoor ventures,
• what to do when your finances are limited,
• and how to adventure if your family can’t hit the hiking trail or spend the night at a campground.

 Giving readers the tools to make adventures happen, Adventuring Together is a step-by-step guide for parents–whether in the city or the country–to start building connections today that will last a lifetime.

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Share Some Kindness, Bring Some Light by Apryl Stott

A little girl and her friend Bear learn the true meaning of selfless kindness in this sweet, stunningly illustrated debut picture book.

Bear is sad. All the other animals think he’s mean because he’s so big. But his human friend, Coco, offers to help him. Coco shares her grandmother’s advice: “When life gets dark as winter’s night, share some kindness, bring some light.”

They decide to bake cookies to “share some kindness” and make lanterns to “bring some light.” But when the cookies and lanterns don’t work, they must look for another way to win over the other animals. And while they’re at it, Coco and Bear just might discover that kindness is a gift that only comes from the heart.

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How to Be a Good Creature: A Memoir in Thirteen Animals by Sy Montgomery

National Book Award finalist Sy Montgomery reflects on the personalities and quirks of 13 animals—her friends—who have profoundly affected her in this stunning, poetic, and life-affirming memoir featuring illustrations by Rebecca Green.

Understanding someone who belongs to another species can be transformative. No one knows this better than author, naturalist, and adventurer Sy Montgomery. To research her books, Sy has traveled the world and encountered some of the planet’s rarest and most beautiful animals. From tarantulas to tigers, Sy’s life continually intersects with and is informed by the creatures she meets.

This restorative memoir reflects on the personalities and quirks of thirteen animals—Sy’s friends—and the truths revealed by their grace. It also explores vast themes: the otherness and sameness of people and animals; the various ways we learn to love and become empathetic; how we find our passion; how we create our families; coping with loss and despair; gratitude; forgiveness; and most of all, how to be a good creature in the world.

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Woodland Dreams by Karen Jameson

In Woodland Dreams, young readers say goodnight to beloved woodland animals as they prepare to sleep.

This sweet bedtime book is at once a picture book and a lullaby, pairing familiar bedtime routines with nonfiction elements.

Little ones will follow along as each animal returns to their warm and cozy woodland home.

• Each adorable animal has its own special nighttime routine.
• Charming illustrations by celebrated artist Marc Boutavant
• Each animal is presented in an approachable, sleep-affirming way.

And once every creature is tucked in tight, shhh . . . It’s time for everyone to say goodnight.

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Winter World: The Ingenuity of Animal Survival by Bernd Heinrich

From flying squirrels to grizzly bears, and from torpid turtles to insects with antifreeze, the animal kingdom relies on some staggering evolutionary innovations to survive winter. Unlike their human counterparts, who must alter the environment to accommodate physical limitations, animals are adaptable to an amazing range of conditions.

Examining everything from food sources in the extremely barren winter landscape to the chemical composition that allows certain creatures to survive, Heinrich’s Winter World awakens the largely undiscovered mysteries by which nature sustains herself through winter’s harsh, cruel exigencies.

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Wish by Chris Saunders

Rabbit has never had a wish before; but one day he gets not just one, but three! Wish is a touching story about the power of kindness and the magic of friendship, with beautiful and emotive illustrations from Chris Saunders.

Once every year, wishes take flight,
filled with hope and twinkling light.
They dance in the air, with a swirl and a swish,
you have to be lucky to be chosen by a wish.

Rabbit cannot decide what to wish for, so he asks his friends Mouse, Fox, and Bear what they would do if they had a wish. Being selfless and kind, Rabbit grants all three wishes to his friends. They are so grateful for his kindness and generosity, they share their wishes with him.

PURCHASE

Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens

For years, rumors of the “Marsh Girl” have haunted Barkley Cove, a quiet town on the North Carolina coast. So in late 1969, when handsome Chase Andrews is found dead, the locals immediately suspect Kya Clark, the so-called Marsh Girl. But Kya is not what they say. Sensitive and intelligent, she has survived for years alone in the marsh that she calls home, finding friends in the gulls and lessons in the sand. Then the time comes when she yearns to be touched and loved. When two young men from town become intrigued by her wild beauty, Kya opens herself to a new life–until the unthinkable happens.

Where the Crawdads Sing is at once an exquisite ode to the natural world, a heartbreaking coming-of-age story, and a surprising tale of possible murder. Owens reminds us that we are forever shaped by the children we once were, and that we are all subject to the beautiful and violent secrets that nature keeps.

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Most People by Michael Leannah

Winner of the 2017 Gold Moonbeam Children’s Book Award: For dedication to children’s books and literacy and for inspired writing, illustrating, and publishing.

The world can be a scary place. Anxious adults want children to be aware of dangers, but shouldn’t kids be aware of kindness too?

Michael Leannah wrote Most People as an antidote to the scary words and images kids hear and see every day. Jennifer Morris’s emotive, diverting characters provide the perfect complement to Leannah’s words, leading us through the crowded streets of an urban day in the company of two pairs of siblings (one of color). We see what they see: the hulking dude with tattoos and chains assisting an elderly lady onto the bus; the Goth teenager with piercings and purple Mohawk returning a lost wallet to its owner; and the myriad interactions of daily existence, most of them well-intended. Most People is a courageous, constructive response to the dystopian world of the news media.

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We Are Grateful: Otsaliheliga by Traci Sorell

The Cherokee community is grateful for blessings and challenges that each season brings. This is modern Native American life as told by an enrolled citizen of the Cherokee Nation.

The word otsaliheliga (oh-jah-LEE-hay-lee-gah) is used by members of the Cherokee Nation to express gratitude. Beginning in the fall with the new year and ending in summer, follow a full Cherokee year of celebrations and experiences. Written by a citizen of the Cherokee Nation, this look at one group of Native Americans is appended with a glossary and the complete Cherokee syllabary, originally created by Sequoyah.

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Vitamin N: The Essential Guide to a Nature-Rich Life by Richard Louv

From the author of the New York Times bestseller that defined nature-deficit disorder and launched the international children-and-nature movement, Vitamin N (for “nature”) is a complete prescription for connecting with the power and joy of the natural world right now, with

• 500 activities for children and adults
• Dozens of inspiring and thought-provoking essays
• Scores of informational websites
• Down-to-earth advice

In his landmark work Last Child in the Woods, Richard Louv was the first to bring widespread attention to the alienation of children from the natural world, coining the term nature-deficit disorder and outlining the benefits of a strong nature connection–from boosting mental acuity and creativity to reducing obesity and depression, from promoting health and wellness to simply having fun. Vitamin N is a one-of-a-kind, comprehensive, and practical guidebook for the whole family and the wider community, including tips not only for parents eager to share nature with their kids but also for those seeking nature-smart schools, medical professionals, and even careers. It is a dose of pure inspiration, reminding us that looking up at the stars or taking a walk in the woods is as exhilarating as it is essential, at any age.

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Can You Hear the Trees Talking? by Peter Wohlleben

Based on the New York Times bestseller The Hidden Life of Trees, this interactive, illustrated book for ages 8-10 introduces kids to the forest through outdoor activities, quizzes, fun facts, photographs, and more!

Discover the secret life of trees with this nature and science book for kids: Can You Hear the Trees Talking? shares the mysteries and magic of the forest with young readers, revealing what trees feel, how they communicate, and the ways trees take care of their families. The author tells kids about the forest internet, aphids who keep ants as pets, nature’s water filters, and fascinating things that happen under the canopy.

Featuring simple activities kids can try on their own or with parents, along with quizzes, photographs, and covers a range of amazing topics including:

• How trees talk to each other (hint: through the wood wide web!) 
• Why trees are important in the city 
• How trees make us healthy and strong 
• How trees get sick, and how we can help them get better 

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