Ask any of my three children what their favorite childhood memories are, and to a one they’ll tell you — their summers in Vermont.
We spent summers at my family’s sheep farm in the mountains. In the morning I opened the doors and the children (and their friends and cousins) scurried out, disappearing into the woods until the bell rang for meals. I’d hear their laughter ring out like birdsong throughout the day. They created journals in which they drew pictures of the critters, trees and plants they found. In the evening, together we’d search through books to identify them. By learning names, and what was and was not safe, they gained confidence in their surroundings and lost their fear of the unknown. The great wild became their backyard.
And here’s the best part — I went out with them! Not only was the shared exploration fun, but I also learned as well. So, parents and grandparents, I encourage you to go outdoors with your young ones, to join them in making lists of what you see and hear, engaging all your senses. Create fairy villages or forts from what you find. Tell the kids it’s okay to get dirty. Playing in nature should be unstructured and spontaneous, allowing the imagination to soar.
You can start with your own neighborhood and progress to the nearby playground, helping your children gain independence outdoors. Make it your mission to visit as many different parks and playgrounds as you can and find your favorites. You will have fun developing new routines and watching your children gain confidence spending time outdoors.
And in the process, you’ll be creating memories that will last a lifetime.
Most of my adult readers already know I care passionately about the environment — all of my adult books contain elements of conservation, love of nature, and respect for all habitats and their inhabitants. When I debuted The Islanders, the first book in my middle-grade series (a lifelong dream!), in June 2021, I was thrilled to finally be able to share my passion for conservation with a younger generation. And now, my readers can continue the adventure with the second book in The Islanders series, Search for Treasure (Simon & Schuster/Aladdin), out this week!
One of my reasons for writing this series is to help inspire children to have “less screen time and more green time.” Books bring children to the outdoors!
In that spirit, here are a few of my favorite middle-grade books that they can read on their own, or with you.
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Becoming a Good Creature by Sy Montgomery, illustrated by Rebecca Green (Clarion Books)
This restorative memoir reflects on the personalities and quirks of thirteen animals — Sy’s friends — and the truths revealed by their grace. It also explores vast themes: the otherness and sameness of people and animals; the various ways we learn to love and become empathetic; how we find our passion; how we create our families; coping with loss and despair; gratitude; forgiveness; and most of all, how to be a good creature in the world.
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound | Bookshop
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Hoot by Carl Hiaasen (Yearling)
This Newbery Honor winner and number-one New York Times bestseller is a beloved modern classic. Hoot features a new kid and his new bully, alligators, some burrowing owls, a renegade eco-avenger and several extremely poisonous snakes. Hiaasen’s books in this entire series really are a hoot!
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound | Bookshop
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Pax by Sara Pennypacker (Balzer + Bray)
From Sara Pennypacker comes a beautifully wrought, utterly compelling novel about the powerful relationship between a boy and his fox. Pax and Peter have been inseparable ever since Peter rescued him as a kit. But one day, the unimaginable happens: Peter’s dad enlists in the military and makes him return the fox to the wild.
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound | Bookshop
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My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George (Puffin Books)
Sam Gribley is terribly unhappy living in New York City with his family, so he runs away to the Catskill Mountains to live in the woods — all by himself. With only a penknife, a ball of cord, 40 dollars, and some flint and steel, he intends to survive on his own. Sam learns about courage, danger and independence during his year in the wilderness, a year that changes his life forever.
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound | Bookshop
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Smack Dab in the Middle of Maybe by Jo Watson Hackl (Yearling)
Part treasure hunt, part wilderness adventure, and all heart. Jo won the SIBA Southern Book Award with this enchanting story of courage and survival in the wild. The New York Times Book Review says, “Should appeal to all rugged individualists who dream of escape to the forest.”
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound | Bookshop
See you outside!
