Born to Be Wild

May 2, 2016
Journalist Garlick, also a mother of two, provides simple instructions for hundreds of activities that parents can do with young children outdoors. This chatty guide is meant as a jumping-off point, as Garlick convincingly shows that wild places contain endless opportunities for fun. The photographs—depicting children focusing deeply on feathers, exhibiting plucky happiness as they galumph through a meadow, or sweetly embracing yoga poses—will make readers of all ages antsy to get started. Garlick begins with a basic toolkit, listing helpful ordinary household items (such as scissors, rubber bands, ribbons, and old cardboard scraps) and including general guidelines for “nurturing nature instead of knocking it about.” The activities are organized first by season and then by material. Spring, for example, includes numerous ways to play with grass (build a nest, make a grass crown, etc.), and the autumn season makes use of acorns and pinecones (build an acorn man, make a conker mobile). Some activities are quick fixes (e.g., roll down a hill); others require an afternoon’s time or a day trip to the beach. Nature and imagination are a potent combination, exposing children to all sorts of delights, and this book provides endless remedies to the indoorsiness of urban life.

Starred review from May 15, 2016

Spring presents a wonderful opportunity to reconnect with the outdoors, and with this title nearby, even smartphone-obsessed kids will soon be clamoring to plan an outing. Journalist Garlick joins with esteemed photographer Honey (National Media Museum, UK) to offer families a lively and endearing book on outdoor play. Beginning with the "Ten Commandments" for nurturing nature (respect wildlife, take your rubbish home with you, etc.), the text introduces four seasons of nature-inspired craft activities such as leaf puppets, bark photo frames, feather headbands, and a wood louse maze. Each section is subdivided into categories such as grass, earth, clouds, and sand and offers a "toolkit" of supplies needed for parents. VERDICT These projects will appeal to and can be adapted for all kids. The photographs offer a work of art beyond their instructional nature. Enthusiastically recommended.

Copyright 2016 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.