Nature School

April 1, 2023
An invitation to explore the outdoors. Divided into five sections--temperate forests, deserts, the seashore, grasslands, and wetlands--this volume explores each biome's climate and weather, geology, habitats, life cycles of various flora and fauna, and more. The theme is connection: between elements of nature and between nature and humans. Each section ends with activities (make a desert diorama, grow a cacti garden), many solitary (journal-keeping), a few of which require adult supervision (a demonstration of evaporation). A list of suggested supplies appears early on, but (perhaps thanks to the writers' no-screen ethos) it does not include useful free ID apps like Pl@ntNet, iNaturalist, or Merlin Bird ID. Words like crepuscular, autotroph, and echolocation appear without definition (there is no glossary). But the informative illustrations largely compensate; for instance, the canopy, understory, shrub, herb, and floor levels of the forest are clearly shown and described, as are salt deposits under the sea floor, distinctive bird beaks, and more. Small, informative "fun fact" boxes dot the pages. The scope is truly global (animals covered include the African-dwelling cape hare, Eurasian lynx, and hawfinch, found in Europe and Asia), though many North American species (e.g., gray squirrels) and settings are featured in lovely double-page spreads that make the book a pleasure to look at as well as a valuable asset for home or school libraries. An enlightening nature encyclopedia with useful activities. (index) (Nonfiction. 9-14)

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