What's Wild Outside Your Door?

February 15, 2023
Ways for young people growing up in urbanized areas to connect with nature. Translated from German, this friendly, interactive guide features activities of various difficulty levels and fascinating pieces of information intermingled with emotive, action-filled photographs of diverse people along with simple but adorable illustrations. An introductory segment on safety and preparedness outlines useful equipment and introduces some common dangers and preservation techniques; other sections encourage environmental stewardship, suggest unexpected places to look for nature in urban areas, and provide ideas for discovering connections to nature right in readers' own homes. The activities incorporate STEM concepts in fun, inexpensive ways but do require varying levels of adult supervision and involvement. Though the book is specifically geared toward urbanites, much of the information is unique enough, and the activities are interesting enough, to entice kids who live in rural areas and/or already spend time in nature regularly. Some activities may be more suitable for suburban areas than truly urban landscapes, such as altering the ripening pattern of apples or creating welcoming outdoor spaces for lizards and bees. An explanation of how to use the included index demystifies nonfiction formatting for those new to the genre. Ample education and enjoyment for readers who already love nature and much to spark interest for newcomers. (photo credits) (Nonfiction. 8-12)

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Starred review from August 25, 2023

Gr 3-7-When children live in cities, they may not see or be aware of the nature all around them and how important it is to the quality of our lives. In this title, Wohlleben takes young readers in urban areas on a nature tour right outside their doors. As engaging, enthusiastic tour guides do, Wohlleben introduces himself to his tourists and tells them what they will see on this tour and who behind the scenes has helped make it possible. He shares with readers what equipment they will need, the proper way to interact with nature, and what creatures they may encounter along the way. He also explains what experiments are, why they are important, and how to collect evidence safely without harming the environment. The pictures of nature are stunning, but most importantly they include children from diverse backgrounds going on nature walks, collecting evidence, and performing experiments. The book has several text features that can assist children of different reading levels comprehend the content. It can also be considered a project-based-learning (hands-on) book. VERDICT An excellent choice for children's libraries.-Laura Ellis

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