School is out and the days of wild rambling, lake swimming and creek fishing are on. But sometimes, when you find your kids curled up in a shady hammock in the heat of the day, or snuggled into their sleeping bags in the tent at night, or even whiling away the time in the backseat on an epic road trip, a book is exactly what’s called for.
Here are a few adventure-fuelled, nature-steeped, wild reads to inspire your kids this summer.
“Hey, you! Sky’s blue!” a girl shouts as she runs by the window of a boy bent over his digital device. Intrigued, the boy runs out after her, leaving his shoes (and phone) behind, and into a world of sunshine, dewey grass, and warm sand. Filled with the pleasures of being alive in the natural world, Run Wild is an exquisite and kid-friendly reminder of how wonderful life can be beyond doors and screens.
By David Covell.
Two kids set off on an adventure away from their urban home and discover all the beauty of the natural world. From the bark on the trees to the sudden storm that moves across the sky to fire and flowers, and snowflakes and fresh fruit. As the children make their way, they discover that wild exists not just off in some distant place, but right in their own backyard.
By Megan Wagner Lloyd
Acadia Greene wants answers. Who keeps stealing her blueberries just as they ripen on the bushes? Why is her hair curly? Why does the sun wake her up so early in the summer? Acadia doesn’t set out to do science, but she has these important questions and her scientist parents refuse to simply feed her the answers. “Conduct an experiment,” they tell her. “Use the scientific method.” So Acadia gathers evidence, makes hypotheses, designs experiments, uses the results to test her hypotheses, and draws conclusions. Acadia does science.
By Katie Coppens, Illustrated by Holly Hatam
Finn lives by the sea and the sea lives by him. Every time he looks out his window it’s a constant reminder of the stories his grandfather told him about the place where the ocean meets the sky. Finn’s grandfather is gone now but Finn knows the perfect way to honor him. He’ll build his own ship and sail out to find this magical place himself!
By The Fan Brothers
A Boy sings a song especially for the Evergreen Trees, since they always seem to “sing” to him whenever the wind blows. When the boy sings, he unexpectedly calls in the wind and the trees sing along. Inspirational, colourful, and fun with subtle but powerful messages about awareness, intuition, trust, giving back, effort, creating joy, and more. Encourage your children to connect with nature, trust their intuition, and confidently share their unique voice(s) with this whimsical mixed media picture book.
By Michelle Black