Worms and Birds, Spiders and Trees
Backpack Explorer: On the Nature Trail is a take-along guide for children ages 4 and up, designed to jump start their curiosity about nature.
Smoky Mountain Living asked Evan Smalley, an eighth-grader at Waynesville Middle School, to review the book. Evan has lived in the mountains his entire life, and he enjoys exploring nature.
Evan said he likes the book because “it encourages kids to go outside,” and the interactive aspect “makes the book special.”
He said the book engages many of a child’s senses. Kids following the steps of this junior field guide will use their sight “to identify different animals or trees.” They use the sense of smell “to smell flowers or trees,” he said, “and touch to feel object in nature.”
“Stop along the trail and use your hands to explore,” the book suggests. It says they should note if they feel something rough, wet, soft, warm, smooth, sticky, prickly, dry or cool.
Evan said the book introduces children to birds, pointing out that “every type of bird sings its own special song to attract or scare off other birds.”
In one section, the book tells kids to “close your eyes for a few moments and listen to the sounds around you.” It gives them a check list to note if they hear a bird chirping, wind in the trees, rushing water, chipmunk chatter, rustling noises or an insect buzzing.”
Evan pointed out that children should ask an adult before tasting things in the wild. “You should not eat the nature,” he said.
He said younger children could use the guide “as a scavenger hunt.”
One section suggests children look for earthworms. “Try digging through damp soil or looking on the sidewalk after it rains” to spot them.
The book points out other tiny creatures a child might see while hunting for earthworms, including the ground snail, ants, centipedes and millipedes, slugs and beetle larvae. “If you see a slug or snail, look for its trail of slime!” the book suggests.
“From worms, birds, and spiders to trees, flowers, and clouds, young explorers learn what to look and listen for wherever they are—whether in a nature preserve, an urban park, or a suburban backyard,” the publisher’s note said about Backpack Explorer: On the Nature Trail.
The “seek-and-find lists, on-the-trail art projects, and discovery games get kids engaged in hands-on learning about nature, and a real pull-out magnifying glass helps them get a close-up glimpse of leaf veins, seed pods, and tiny insects. Filled with activities, checklists, and stickers, this interactive nature guide belongs in every kid’s backpack.”
The book includes a make-your-own trail map, three sticker sheets and “realistic images of nature.”
Evan said younger children would enjoy the book “because it would teach them about the outdoors.”
Backpack Explorer: On the Nature Trail is from Storey Publishing.