Review: Forest Club by Kris Hirschmann

Forest Club: A Year of Activities, Crafts, and Exploring Nature
by Kris Hirschmann; illustrated by Marta Antelo

Available as: hardcover, Kindle edition, ebook
Pages: 96
Publisher: words & pictures
Publication date: June 18, 2019
Suggested tags: children's (ages 7-10), nonfiction, nature, activities


From Goodreads:

"It's time to rewild the child! This book of outdoor activities, crafts, nature information, and inspiration ties into the burgeoning interest in forest schools and "rewilding the child," with the aim of reconnecting children to nature and the outdoors. The book is divided by season, providing a year-round resource for families. While all crafts and activities are designed to be carried out outside, these are interspersed with factual pages about forest flora and fauna, which can be enjoyed at home or used as a field guide while out and about. A beautifully illustrated and informative title to spark children’s imagination and free-thinking. With forest school-themed crafts and activities for all seasons, outdoor exploration can be enjoyed twelve months of the year, always with something new to see."

Forest Club is a great introduction for young readers and their caregivers who may be embarking on adventures into nature for the first time. Notes at the beginning and end of the book offer encouraging reminders that parents and caregivers can be children’s first nature guides, but it doesn’t need to feel overwhelming or intimidating: kids are born to be nature explorers! And this book is a great guide to begin exploring together.

The information is abundant, but presented in an easy-to-understand and attractive way – each page offers a lot of knowledge, but it never feels overwhelming. A diverse group of kids and caregivers are depicted enjoying nature. The illustrations are interesting, detailed, and pretty accurate: although not super-realistic, readers could probably still identify most plants and animals they find on their adventures by using the drawings in the book. On many pages, photographs of natural objects are included as well. The hands-on activity ideas are numerous and enticing, and with easy-to-follow instructions that don’t require a lot of materials or effort, they are perfect for a quick excursion into nature on a free afternoon for any level of experience (probably most useful for preschool age and up). Suggested activities include leaf rubbing, shelter building, berry painting, animal tracking, and many more.

You can use this book from season to season, or from setting to setting: from forest to pond, from day to night, from up in the sky to down on the ground. The book includes ideas for nature treasures to be found in every season, from seeds to nuts to fallen leaves to icicles. It offers suggestions of changes to notice from season to season, and encourages readers to experience nature with all their senses: the sights all around, the sounds of animal calls, the feel of different trees’ bark, the scents of different flowers, even the tastes of some berries (with a note of caution that some can be poisonous!).

I love this book’s encouraging, accessible tone: you don’t need special equipment or a nearby national park to go on a nature adventure. Anyone can get outside, explore, have fun, and learn – right in their own backyard with objects they’ve probably already got at home! The book encourages low-stress, easy access adventures: get out in your backyard, let your child explore at their pace as you supervise, and have fun and slow down together!

A list of suggested ways to further encourage a love of nature in children is included in the back matter, as well as an index and a list of resources about the Free Forest School and related programs. I can see this book being used as a household guide by parents and caregivers, but I can also see the “Club” part of the title put into action with a group of kids and caregivers – friends, play groups, scouts, homeschool groups, etc. – gathering over the course of a year to complete the activities. I’m looking forward to using this book with my own toddler, starting with the simple ideas and activities and adding more concepts and complexity as he grows up, as it’s definitely a book that can be useful across ages and stages.


Final verdict: I loved it! I thought this book was great! I might buy it for myself and I would definitely recommend it to others.

{ Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a review copy.
My reviews are honest and my opinions are my own; 

your reading experience may vary, so give it a read and see what you think. :) }

Review: Put On Your Owl Eyes by Devin Franklin

Each week on my blog, I post about a different theme: picture book biographies, nature, cultures around the world, and strong girls. This month has 5 weeks, so this week let's read about... nature (again)!


Put On Your Owl Eyes: Open Your Senses & Discover Nature’s Secrets; Mapping, Tracking & Journaling Activities


Available as: spiral-bound, Kindle edition, ebook
Pages: 144
Publisher: Storey Publishing, LLC
Publication date: May 28, 2019
Suggested tags: middle grade, nonfiction, nature, activities


From Goodreads:

"Children will see the natural world around them with brand new eyes, as they learn to follow its signs, hear its language, and understand its secrets. With this unique and compelling book written by expert environmental educator Devin Franklin, kids aged 8 to 13 will build their own relationship with nature through finding a “Sit Spot” — an outdoor space in the backyard, in a field or in the woods, in a vacant lot or a city park — where they can stop, observe, and become familiar with the flora and fauna that live there."

I've flipped through a lot of books that are intended to get kids interested in nature and exploring the outdoors, but I've never read one quite like this one! This book goes beyond just observing - it's meant to fully engage kids in the world of nature, to get them looking and listening and thinking and feeling and pretending. It's beautiful. It might be a bit much for some readers who are looking for a few quick activities to try while they're playing outside, but for those who are looking to have a more meaningful experience during their time spent outdoors, this is a great guide for that.

The book contains an introduction (which explains a bit about the book and how to use it, as well as inviting readers to discover a "nature nickname" for themselves), then 5 sections: first a general "get to know your backyard" section, then sections devoted to trees, mammals, birds, and community. Each section has 3 exploration activities, such as mapping, tracking, journaling, or practicing skills like looking with "owl eyes" or listening with "deer ears". Scattered throughout the book are short pieces about experiences with nature from the author as well as other writers, photos of plants and animals, and blank sections with questions and prompts for writing or drawing. The author explains concepts such as habitats, tracking, bird sounds, etc. and then includes some activities to further explore the topics. The book ends with a section called "Your Backyard Journey Continues," where all the amazing things readers have learned and done throughout the book are recapped, adding a nice feeling of accomplishment. For readers who are interested (and willing to pay a fee), there are also instructions for submitting the work done within the book for a "backyard nature guide certification" (aka: certificate of completion) through the Flying Deer Nature Center, which is a wilderness school for kids and families; its Program Director, Devin Franklin, is the author of the book. Finally, there's a "Connections" section with information and websites for other nature organizations and programs.

For some readers, perhaps those who are just starting to form an appreciation for the outdoors, it may feel a bit overwhelming - there are a lot of activities, and many require a lot of patient, quiet observing. But for readers who want to start paying more attention to their surroundings and learning how to really listen to and learn from nature, this is a goldmine of exercises and ideas. I think this book will inspire a true love of and appreciation for nature in a lot of kids, setting them on the path to becoming budding naturalists.

Final verdict: I loved it! I thought this book was good! I enjoyed reading it and I would probably recommend it to others.

{ Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a review copy.
My reviews are honest and my opinions are my own; 

your reading experience may vary, so give it a read and see what you think. :) }