A Summer Reading Challenge for Grownups (part 2)

Summer continues its steady march. We’ve had quite a wet summer in my neck of the woods, leading to lots of green plants, watered gardens, and happy bathing birds! If you haven’t read part 1 of this post, check it out here. Those books are great intros into nature connection with your family and in your own yard. Now, let’s get to some next-level nature connection books you can dive into and the “prize” you’ll get if you do! But first, a pretty picture from my place:

Checkout this beautiful Great Spangled Fritillary butterfly enjoying a well-watered Black-eyed Susan in my yard. This butterfly was so big, I could hear their wings flapping!

Beyond Words: What Animals Think and Feel by Carl Safina

I mean, just LOOK at that cute baby elephant!

The Book:

This is the book that started my nature program… I had a habit (back when I was a full-time Pre-K teacher) of going to Barnes & Noble on my lunch break and perusing the animal books section. One day, I stumbled across this book. I’m not totally sure why I picked it up… perhaps the cute baby elephant, or the intriguing title… or destiny, I don’t know. Anyhow, I began to read and was awestruck: animals have feelings?! And culture?!

This book will completely demolish any preconceived notions that animals are automatons running on program-like instinct. The author follows wolves, orcas, and elephants and tells personal stories woven together with science to show their intellect and feelings. Knowing that animals have emotions made me think: “it matters how we treat them!” AND “I’ve got to share this with… everyone!”.

Your Prize:

If you read this book (it’s a quick and captivating read) you’ll never look at wildlife (or even your pet) the same way again… and that’s a good thing! This world only can only get better with more empathy! Read this book, share this book… live this book! Seriously… I can’t recommend it enough.

What the Robin Knows: How Birds Reveal the Secrets of the Natural World by Jon Young

A fantastic resource that goes with this book is BirdLanguage.com!

The Book:

If Beyond Words started the ball rolling with my nature program, then this book gave it an MLS-level kick… that metaphor might be getting muddled… basically, I’m trying to say that What the Robin Knows brought my focus close to home. Before reading this book, I was still focused on how cool faraway animals were like the aforementioned wolves, orcas, and elephants. What the Robin Knows opened my eyes to the excitement and drama unfolding all around me outside right here in Ohio!

Your Prize:

This amazing and practical book will teach you real, hands-on (and ears-on) things you can do to understand what the birds in your neighborhood or at the park are talking about… no, really! You’ll be able to figure out if that Robin in your tree is happy, scared, angry… maybe he’s alerting all the other wildlife that a hungry hawk is coming! If you read this book and try out the activities (preferably with a friend, partner, or your kiddos) I promise you’ll experience nature in a deeper, more exciting way than you ever have before!

Coyote’s Guide to Connecting with Nature by Jon Young, Ellen Haas & Evan McGown

Behold… the nature connection bible…. dun dun DUNNN!

The Book:

Back to that ball metaphor… if the first book got the ball (my nature program) rolling, and the second book kicked it really hard… then THIS book scored the goal! This book is less of a beach read and more of a practical manual. This book goes through every nitty gritty detail of why and how to promote nature connection for yourself and especially for groups of kiddos! The book has an entire framework consisting of a natural cycle of how and when to teach, what to teach, and how to “trick” kids into learning these things. The “coyote method” is to play fun games that end up teaching skills you want the kids to learn without just doing straight-forward and likely boring lessons. This is the backbone of both my weekly nature classes and our summer camp.

Your Prize:

If you take the time to read the first half of this book, you’ll have a deep and rich understanding of how to make connecting with nature a habit and how to make it fun. If nothing else, this book is worth a look for the second half of games you can play… each game explains exactly how to get kids drawn in, how to play, and what it will secretly teach them. This is truly an incredible resource for teachers and parents!

So there they are: my absolute favorite nature books that if you read them… you WILL see a difference in yourself and your family! Oh, also here’s three bonus books to Google: Sand County Almanac by Aldo Leopold, Walden by Henry David Thoreau, and Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer. Check them out!

If you get a chance to read one, some, or maybe even all of these books (wow), please let me know! I’d love to chat about them! (You can reach me through my instagram @jaredthenatureguy). Happy reading!