By the Shore

April 1, 2018

This title transcends the traditional travel guide format, resulting in a multisensory experience guide that feels like a well-executed love letter to the Pacific Northest shoreline. Though the author lives in Bainbridge Island, at the backdoor of the Olympic Mountains, she began to feel gradually disconnected from nature and decided to do something about it. Organized by season and with a fingerprint typically used in scrapbooks, the guide travels from points in British Columbia, through Washington state and south to Oregon by lighthouses and along seaside bike paths. Activities include kayaking, clam digging, paddleboarding, treehouse camping, salmon trolling, bonfires, driftwood fort building, and sea-glass votives. There's also music by the shore, whale watching, kite festivals, April meteor showers, and oyster shucking. Every step of the journey and activity suggestion is enhanced with detailed how-tos, insider tips and contacts, and always right on cue, locavore recipes for drinks and meals. VERDICT A welcome entry to the travel guide genre and a must-read for Pacific Northwest explorers and even locals.--Benjamin Malczewski, Toledo Lucas Cty. P.L.

Copyright 2018 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.