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All YPL locations will close at 5pm on Wednesday, November 27 and remain closed on Thursday, November 28 in observance of Thanksgiving.

Service Alert

All YPL locations will close at 5pm on Wednesday, November 27 and remain closed on Thursday, November 28 in observance of Thanksgiving.

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Walk Through This

Sara Schulting Kranz

If you've suffered from setbacks or trauma in life, discover a path forward by learning to embrace the power of nature and the beauty in your experiences and pains.

As a young, single?mother, Sara Schulting Kranz discovered her path to forgiveness and healing from the scars of sexual abuse and the trauma of an unexpected divorce started with a daily practice of actively embracing the power and beauty of nature. Along the way, Sara learned a key lesson that to heal from anything you must walk through it on your own terms.

In?this book, life coach and certified wilderness guide Sara shares a step-by-step handbook that shows you how to reconnect with nature--wherever you may be--and begin your healing journey.

In Walk Through This, you'll be equipped with tools to use along the way, such as:

  • Foundational information about nature deficit disorder and the negative impact it has on our minds and bodies
  • Exercise prompts to help you evaluate where you are on the path and check your progress along the way
  • Meditations to guide you deeper into the process
  • Practical steps to guide you to forgiveness

To heal from anything, you have to feel everything. You must walk through your experiences and your pains, and you have to embrace everything around you that got you to where you are at this moment.

Everyone has the capacity to forgive and to heal. All you need to do is take that first step.

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The MeatEater Outdoor Cookbook

Steven Rinella

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The eagerly anticipated new cookbook with 100+ recipes from the author of The MeatEater Fish and Game Cookbook

In his previous books, outdoorsman and hunter Steven Rinella brought wild game into the kitchen, teaching readers how to butcher and cook wild fish and game to create standout dishes with reliable results. Now, Rinella is hauling the kitchen outdoors, with a cookbook that celebrates the possibilities of open-air wild game cooking. Because food just tastes better when it’s caught, cooked, and eaten outside.  

Each chapter covers a different outdoor cooking method—grilling, smoking, cooking over coals. Throughout, recipes are tagged for backyard cooking, car camping, or backpacking. There’s something here for everyone who loves the outdoors, from backyard grill masters to backcountry big game hunters. 

The over 100 easy-to-follow recipes include:
• Stuffed Game Burgers 3 Ways
• Bulgogi Backstrap Lettuce Wraps
Hot-Smoked Trout
• Grilled Lobster with Kelp Butter
• Venison Stir-Fry with Cabbage
• Coal Roasted Bananas


Along with recipes, Rinella explains essential outdoor cooking techniques like how to build the perfect outdoor kitchen for any scenario and what it takes to maintain a fire. With preparations ranging from simple backcountry fare to guest-worthy showstoppers, The MeatEater Outdoor Cookbook is the essential companion for anyone who wants to eat well in the wild.

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Outdoor Kids in an Inside World

Steven Rinella

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • “An imperative call to action” (Nick Offerman) to get children off their screens and into nature, with tips for bonding activities that teach the importance of outside time and build tough, curious, competent kids—from the host of the Netflix series and podcast MeatEater

“A revelation for families struggling to get kids to GO OUTSIDE, or to just stop using the darn smartphone.”—Michaeleen Doucleff, PhD, New York Times bestselling author of Hunt, Gather, Parent


In the era of screens and devices, the average American spends 90 percent of their time indoors, and children are no exception. Not only does this phenomenon have consequences for kids’ physical and mental health, it jeopardizes their ability to understand and engage with anything beyond the built environment. 

Thankfully, with the right mind-set, families can find beauty, meaning, and connection in a life lived outdoors. Here, outdoors expert Steven Rinella shares the parenting wisdom he has garnered as a father whose family has lived amid the biggest cities and wildest corners of America. Throughout, he offers practical advice for getting kids radically engaged with nature in a muddy, thrilling, hands-on way, with the ultimate goal of helping them see their own place within the natural ecosystem. No matter their location—rural, suburban, or urban—caregivers and kids will bond over activities such as: 
• Camping to conquer fears, build tolerance for dirt and discomfort, and savor the timeless pleasure of swapping stories around a campfire. 
• Growing a vegetable garden to develop a capacity to nurture and an appreciation for hard work. 
• Fishing local lakes and rivers to learn the value of patience while grappling with the possibility of failure.
• Hunting for sustainably managed wild game to face the realities of life, death, and what it really takes to obtain our food. 

Living an outdoor lifestyle fosters in kids an insatiable curiosity about the world around them, confidence and self-sufficiency, and, most important, a lifelong sense of stewardship of the natural world. This book helps families connect with nature—and one another—as a joyful part of everyday life.

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Backyard Guide to the Night Sky

Howard Schneider

Stargazing's too much fun to leave to astronomers. This National Geographic book brings the solar system, space, stars, science, and planets to life in your own backyard, inspiring us to look up and understand the heavens above.

Authors Howard Schneider and Patricia Daniels take an expert but easygoing approach that doesn't overwhelm--it invites. Ten chapters cover everything a beginning stargazer will need to know, from understanding the phases of the moon to picking Mars out of a planetary lineup to identifying the kinds of stars twinkling in the constellations.

Throughout the book, star charts and tables present key facts in an easy-to-understand format, sidebars and fact boxes present illuminating anecdotes and fun facts to sweep us swiftly into the stardust, and by the time we realize we've been schooled in solid science we're too engrossed to object.

Along with practical advice and hands-on tips to improve observation techniques, the guide includes an appendix full of resources--from books and web sites to lists of astronomy clubs and associations to local planetariums and museums. This indispensable book guides us on a new path into the night sky, truly one of the greatest shows on Earth.

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Where the Deer and the Antelope Play

Nick Offerman

 

A humorous and rousing set of literal and figurative sojourns as well as a mission statement about comprehending, protecting, and truly experiencing the outdoors, fueled by three journeys undertaken by actor, humorist, and New York Times bestselling author Nick Offerman
Nick Offerman has always felt a particular affection for the Land of the Free—not just for the people and their purported ideals but to the actual land itself: the bedrock, the topsoil, and everything in between that generates the health of your local watershed. In his new book, Nick takes a humorous, inspiring, and elucidating trip to America's trails, farms, and frontier to examine the people who inhabit the land, what that has meant to them and us, and to the land itself, both historically and currently.  

In 2018, Wendell Berry posed a question to Nick, a query that planted the seed of this book, sending Nick on two memorable journeys with pals—a hiking trip to Glacier National Park with his friends Jeff Tweedy and George Saunders, as well as an extended visit to his friend James Rebanks, the author of The Shepherd's Life and English Pastoral. He followed that up with an excursion that could only have come about in 2020—Nick and his wife, Megan Mullally, bought an Airstream trailer to drive across (several of) the United States. These three quests inspired some “deep-ish" thinking from Nick, about the history and philosophy of our relationship with nature in our national parks, in our farming, and in our backyards; what we mean when we talk about conservation; and the importance of outdoor recreation, all subjects very close to Nick's heart. 

With witty, heartwarming stories and a keen insight into the human problems we all confront, this is both a ramble through and celebration of the land we all love.

 

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Grow. Food. Anywhere.

Mat Pember

Grow. Food. Anywhere. is the must-have guide for anyone who has ever had a desire to grow their own food. Authors Mat and Dillon, of the Little Veggie Patch Co. provide a comprehensive and authoritative guide to gardening in any space, all in their own unique and entertaining style. Whether you've got a balcony, a tiny courtyard, or a patch of reclaimed dirt in a shared neighbourhood space, this book offers inspiration - and instruction - for growing good things to eat.

The book has three sections: What Plants Need; Fruit and Veg to Grow; and Pests and Diseases to Know. These chapters cover everything from: why soil matters; composting; how to make a wicking garden; how to select the right growing style; what to plant and when; harvesting; troubleshooting; pruning; and more. Grow. Food. Anywhere. is presented with a combination of photographs, illustrations, and a playful, engaging design that very much mirrors the refreshing no-nonsense approach of the book's two accomplished and articulate young authors, and their thriving gardening business.

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Grow

Riz Reyes

Discover 15 plants and fungi with life-changing powers and learn how to grow them at home.

Meet their surprising relatives (the tasty tomato is a cousin of deadly nightshade!) and unearth their interesting stories (lettuce was the first plant to be grown in space!). Then follow step-by-step instructions to grow and care for each one, whether you have a big backyard garden or a sunny windowsill.

Written by horticulturalist Riz Reyes and fully illustrated by Sara Boccaccini Meadows, this is the perfect introduction to growing plants for families everywhere.

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Fat Girls Hiking

Summer Michaud-Skog

“An invaluable guide…Kudos to the author for changing the narrative on inclusiveness, breaking down stereotypes, and building body positivity.” —Booklist

From the founder of the Fat Girls Hiking community comes an inclusive, inspiring call to the outdoors for people of all body types, sizes, and backgrounds. In a book brimming with heartfelt stories, practical advice, personal profiles of Fat Girls Hiking community members, and helpful trail reviews, Summer Michaud-Skog creates space for marginalized bodies with an insistent conviction that outdoor recreation should welcome everyone. Whether you’re an experienced or aspiring hiker, you’ll be empowered to hit the trails and find yourself in nature. Trails not scales!        

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Birds of New York

Stan Tekiela

Learn to Identify Birds in New York!

Make bird watching in New York even more enjoyable! With Stan Tekiela's famous field guide, bird identification is simple and informative. There's no need to look through dozens of photos of birds that don't live in your area. This book features 120 species of New York birds, organized by color for ease of use. Do you see a yellow bird and don't know what it is? Go to the yellow section to find out. Fact-filled information, a compare feature, range maps, and detailed photographs help to ensure that you positively identify the birds that you see.

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Slow Birding

Joan E. Strassmann

A one-of-a-kind guide to birding locally that encourages readers to slow down and notice the spectacular birds all around them.

Many birders travel far and wide to popular birding destinations to catch sight of rare or “exotic” birds. In Slow Birding, evolutionary biologist Joan E. Strassmann introduces readers to the joys of birding right where they are.

In this inspiring guide to the art of slow birding, Strassmann tells colorful stories of the most common birds to be found in the United States—birds we often see but might not have considered deeply before. For example, northern cardinals thrive in the city, where they are free from predators. White brows on a male white-throated sparrow indicate that he is likely to be a philanderer. This essential guide to the fascinating world of common, everyday birds features:

  • detailed portraits of individual bird species and the scientists who have discovered and observed them
  • advice and guidance on what to look for when slow birding, so that you can uncover clues to the reasons behind specific bird behaviors
  • bird-focused activities that will open your eyes more to the fascinating world of birds
  • Slow Birding is the perfect guide for the birder looking to appreciate the beauty of the birds right in their own backyard, observing keenly how their behaviors change from day to day and season to season.

 

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A Pocket Guide to Pigeon Watching

Rosemary Mosco

Part field guide, part history, part ornithology primer, and altogether fun.

Fact: Pigeons are amazing, and until recently, humans adored them. We’ve kept them as pets, held pigeon beauty contests, raced them, used them to carry messages over battlefields, harvested their poop to fertilize our crops—and cooked them in gourmet dishes. Now, with The Pocket Guide to Pigeon Watching, readers can rediscover the wonder. Equal parts illustrated field guide and quirky history, it covers behavior: Why they coo; how they flock; how they preen, kiss, and mate (monogamously); and how they raise their young (on chunky pigeon milk). Anatomy and identification, from Birmingham Roller to the American Giant Runt to the Scandaroon. Birder issues, like what to do if you find a baby pigeon stranded in the park. And our lively shared story together, including all the things we’ve taught them—Ping-Pong, for example. “Rats with wings?” Think again.
Pigeons coo, peck and nest all over the world, yet most of us treat them with indifference or disdain. So Rosemary Mosco, a bird-lover, science communicator, writer, and cartoonist (and co-author of The Atlas Obscura Explorer’s Guide for the World’s Most Adventurous Kid) is here to give the pigeon's image a makeover, and to help every town- and city-dweller get closer to nature by discovering the joys of birding through pigeon-watching.
 

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60 Hikes Within 60 Miles: New York City

Christopher Brooks

With so many superb trails in the New York City area, planning a hike can be a frustrating endeavor, but with this newly revised and updated edition of 60 Hikes Within 60 Miles: New York City finding the right trail is a snap. From secluded woods and sun-struck seashores, to lowland swamps and rock-strewn mountain tops, these hikes showcase Paleolithic rock shelters, ruins from the Revolutionary and Civil War periods, a bat cave, ghostly ruins, and much, much more.

Unbounded by state lines, the trails awaiting hikers in the updated edition of 60 Hikes Within 60 Miles: New York City include a meandering ascent of Jenny Jump Mountain in Hope, New Jersey, a deep exploration of Trout Brook Valley near Weston, and a scenic section of the Appalachian Trail that runs by Fitzgerald Falls in New York. Packed with valuable tips and humorous observations, the guide prepares both novices and veterans for the outdoors and includes all the information hikers need to get the most out of the trails, including: · Driving directions and GPS coordinates for all 60 trailheads to take the guesswork out of the trip.

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Hiking the Adirondacks

Lisa Ballard

Hiking the Adirondacks features concise descriptions and detailed maps for 50 easy-to-follow trails in Adirondack Park that allow hikers of all levels to enjoy beautiful views, get fit in the outdoors, and learn about the region's history. This guide provides the latest information to plan a customized trip: Common and lesser-known hikes, Full-color photos and maps, detailed trail descriptions, and trailhead GPS, Insightful hike overviews and details on distance, difficulty, and more A combination of scenic geologic features and a healthy stewardship for the natural world has led to plenty of great hiking trails in the Adirondacks, and this guide describes many hikes found within the area. Find hikes suited to every ability. Stand atop historic mountaintop fire towers. Discover dramatic natural features, spectacular views, and more. Lisa Ballard is a third-generation Adirondack native. Born in Saranac Lake, New York-in the High Peaks Region of the Adirondack Park-she has hiked, paddled, fished, and skied in the Adirondacks her entire life. Though now a resident of Montana, she travels back to the Adirondacks each summer to visit her family, explore the backcountry, and enjoy her second home on Chateaugay Lake. Falcon is the premier publisher of outdoor recreation guidebooks in North America. Written by and for outdoor enthusiasts, these guides-chock-full of color photos and maps-not only provide you with the skills you need but also take you along with our authoritative local experts on these experiences of a lifetime.

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Best Hikes of the Appalachian Trail: New England

Lafe Low

Spanning from southern Connecticut up to the top of the mighty Katahdin, Best Hikes of the Appalachian Trail: New England, by local author Lafe Low, is a thorough reference to 45 day hikes on the Appalachian Trail in New England.

This is the only guide that specifically covers the best day hikes (suitable for expert hikers to families with kids) along the AT as it passes through Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. The profiles include everything one would need to plan and proceed with a day hike on the AT: trailhead location, hiking time, hiking intensity, full description, directions, and maps.

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50 Hikes in the Lower Hudson Valley

New York-New Jersey Trail Conference

Breathtaking, mountainous getaways just a quick trip out of NYC

Only a short distance outside of the bustling metropolis that is the Big Apple, the lower Hudson Valley offers views of rolling green hills, jagged cliffs, and bubbling bodies of water, while hikers can also observe the Manhattan skyline off in the distance.

With hikes of all types and difficulties from lower Westchester County to the Shawangunks, 50 Hikes in the Lower Hudson Valley has something for hikers of every experience level. Each hike provides a difficulty rating, approximate walking time, distance, vertical rise, maps, and trailhead GPS coordinates outlined at the beginning of the chapter, and provides tips and suggestions for getting to the trail, resting, and observing views throughout the hike. Whether the reader is heading to the nature center and wildflower sanctuary at Teatown Lake Reservation, trekking through dense woods and observing interesting boulders on the Breakneck Mountain Loop, or taking in the spectacular views of mighty Storm King, 50 Hikes in the Lower Hudson Valley is the ideal guide.

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Discovering the Appalachian Trail

Joshua Niven

From beginners to thru-hikers, Discovering the Appalachian Trail has something for anyone that wants a connection with the nation's longest marked footpath at approximately 2,181 miles. Starting at Springer Mountain in Georgia and finishing far to the north in Maine's Mount Katahdin, the A.T. crosses 14 states, 6 national parks, and 8 national forests. Taking on the A.T. is a pilgrimage because of both its beauty and accessibility. Let Joshua Niven and Amber Adams guide you across the best trails that the Appalachian Trail has to offer. Complete with full-color photography, you'll also have hikes suited to every ability, mile-by-mile directional cues, sidebars, and maps.

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Best Hikes with Children in the Catskills and Hudson River Valley

Cynthia Copeland Lewis

More than 50 outdoor adventures for Northeast families and visitorsMore than 14,000 copies of the previous edition soldEach hike is completely updatedIncludes 12 new hikesFamilies can escape the city for a day, breathe in fresh air, and hike some of the most splendid scenery and trails around. From Catskills State Park, Bear-Mountain-Harriman State Park, Hudson Highlands, Shawangunk Mountains, Mohonk Area, Minnewaska Area, the Catskill Mountains, Southern Taconics, the Long Path, and the Appalachian Trail, there's something for everyone in this all-inclusive guidebook.Hikes detailed include shorter two- and four-mile hikes to six-plus miles and overnighters. Practical information on hiking with children--setting a realistic pace, playing games, and encouraging personal and environmental responsibility--make this a guidebook to recommend.

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Hiking New Jersey

Johnny Molloy

New Jersey is much more than its overpopulated and industrial stereotype-and this guide takes you there. This informative book features exciting, scenic hikes with detailed trail maps that lead hikers of all levels through the aptly nicknamed Garden State. Hiking New Jersey provides the latest information to plan a customized trip: Common and lesser-known hikes of varied distances, Full-color photos and maps, detailed trail descriptions, and trailhead GPS, Insightful hike overviews and details on distance, difficulty, canine compatibility, and more From waterfalls, streams, and beaches to forests, mountains, and meadows, this guide leads hikers to discover more than 40 of the state's top hiking destinations. Find hikes suited to every ability. Experience the thrill of hiking in solitude surrounded by wildlife. Discover dramatic natural features, spectacular views, and more. Johnny Molloy is one of America's most experienced and prolific outdoor writers who has written more than 85 books, including Hiking the Berkshires and Hiking Waterfalls in Pennsylvania. Falcon is the premier publisher of outdoor recreation guidebooks in North America. Written by and for outdoor enthusiasts, these guides-chock-full of color photos and maps-not only provide you with the skills you need but also take you along with our authoritative local experts on these experiences of a lifetime.

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Hiking New York's Lower Hudson Valley

Randi Minetor

From the High Line on Manhattan's West Side to the historic Copake Iron Works in Taconic State Park, Hiking New York's Lower Hudson Valley features the best hiking routes between New York City and Albany, including several in the Catskills and western Connecticut. Whether you're looking for an unforgettable outdoor experience in the sloping hills around one of America's most beautiful and beloved waterways, or just wanting to escape the city for a few hours, veteran hikers Randi and Nic Minetor provide all the information you'll need to make it happen. Now powered with National Geographic's TOPO! Maps, Hiking New York's Lower Hudson Valley is your complete guide to getting out of the city, into the outdoors, and onto your next great adventure!

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50 Hikes with Kids New York, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey

Wendy Gorton

Spark a love of nature!

Handcrafted for caregivers that want to spark a love of nature, 50 Hikes with Kids highlights the most kid-friendly hikes in New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. These hikes are perfect for little legs—they are all under five miles and have an elevation gain of 900 feet of less. Every entry includes the essential details: easy-to-read, trustworthy directions; a detailed map; hike length and elevation gain; bathroom access; and where to grab a bite to eat nearby. Full-color photographs highlight the fun things to see along the trail.
 

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Hiking Activity Book for Kids

Amelia Mayer

Make every hike an exciting adventure with these outdoor activities for kids ages 6 to 9

Hiking is an amazing way for kids to explore the great outdoors and learn new things about the world around them. This book is filled with 35 hands-on hiking projects that encourage kids to get outside, gain important skills, and discover all the awesome lessons nature can teach them.

What sets this activity book about hiking for kids apart:

  • Perfect for any hike—It doesn’t matter where in the country you live; these activities are perfect for any hiking trail, walking path, or sidewalk in the U.S.
  • All sorts of activities—From identifying animal tracks to designing a nature maze, kids will explore a variety of games and exercises that make it even more fun to spend time outdoors.
  • Room to record adventures—Kids will find plenty of space to log details about their favorite trips and sketch what they saw during their hikes.

Inspire kids to hit the trails with this engaging collection of hiking activities that combine learning and play.

 

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Tiny Space Gardening

Amy Pennington

“[A]n an incredibly handy manual full of information on how to grow plants in small spaces.” —GOOP
The beginner’s complete guide to urban, small space and container gardening from “our windowsill guru.” —Bon Appétit

This vibrant updated 2nd edition includes 30 earthy recipes for the vegetables from your edible garden and 50 gorgeous inspirational color photographs and illustrations.

No matter how small your space, you can grow an edible garden and enjoy home cooked meals from your harvest! With this stunning comprehensive guide, you’ll learn the basics of gardening in pots and containers, find small windowsill and countertop projects, and receive specific recommendations for plants that grow well in containers. Also included are 30 simple recipes you can make with your harvest, from Zucchini Fritters to Herby Pasta with Lettuce and Prosciutto, to Rosy Strawberry Buttermilk cake.

You’ll learn all about:
   • the best containers and pots 
   • DIY planter boxes
   • tools and supplies 
   • soil for containers
   • feeding and watering 
   • simple pruning 
   • cooking with your harvest
   • and much more

“With this guide, your garden can be as productive as you’d like, no matter the size." —Modern Farmer

 

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The Family Guide to Outdoor Adventures

Creek Stewart

Explore and experience nature with your kids with these 30 fun and educational family activities dedicated to spending more time outside.

Less screen, more green! In the world of smartphones, tablets, and online learning, the need for children to engage with nature has never been more evident. Outdoor activities and projects inspire exploration, creativity, curiosity, learning, and a sense of wonder. Interacting with nature also fosters a healthy love and respect for the outdoors.

The Family Guide to Outdoor Adventures features fun and engaging hands-on nature, camping, and bushcraft projects that get you and your children outside having more fun, strengthening your bond, and creating memories that will last a lifetime. Written by expert survival instructor Creek Stewart, each project is designed to get parents and their kids outside and teach them about nature and the great outdoors.

From casting animal tracks and dyeing t-shirts with walnuts to building a debris hut and catching minnows with a spider web your family with get your hands dirty, learn some cool nature facts, and complete some awesome projects with your family. Explore, create, laugh, love, and experience the great outdoors together with The Family Guide to Outdoor Adventures.

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Outdoor Kids in an Inside World

Steven Rinella

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • “An imperative call to action” (Nick Offerman) to get children off their screens and into nature, with tips for bonding activities that teach the importance of outside time and build tough, curious, competent kids—from the New York Times bestselling author and host of the TV series and podcast MeatEater

“A revelation for families struggling to get kids to GO OUTSIDE, or to just stop using the darn smartphone.”—Michaeleen Doucleff, PhD, New York Times bestselling author of Hunt, Gather, Parent


In the era of screens and devices, the average American spends 90 percent of their time indoors, and children are no exception. Not only does this phenomenon have consequences for kids’ physical and mental health, it jeopardizes their ability to understand and engage with anything beyond the built environment. 

Thankfully, with the right mind-set, families can find beauty, meaning, and connection in a life lived outdoors. Here, outdoors expert Steven Rinella shares the parenting wisdom he has garnered as a father whose family has lived amid the biggest cities and wildest corners of America. Throughout, he offers practical advice for getting kids radically engaged with nature in a muddy, thrilling, hands-on way, with the ultimate goal of helping them see their own place within the natural ecosystem. No matter their location—rural, suburban, or urban—caregivers and kids will bond over activities such as: 
• Camping to conquer fears, build tolerance for dirt and discomfort, and savor the timeless pleasure of swapping stories around a campfire. 
• Growing a vegetable garden to develop a capacity to nurture and an appreciation for hard work. 
• Fishing local lakes and rivers to learn the value of patience while grappling with the possibility of failure.
• Hunting for sustainably managed wild game to face the realities of life, death, and what it really takes to obtain our food. 

Living an outdoor lifestyle fosters in kids an insatiable curiosity about the world around them, confidence and self-sufficiency, and, most important, a lifelong sense of stewardship of the natural world. This book helps families connect with nature—and one another—as a joyful part of everyday life.

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Great Things to Do Outside

Jamie Ambrose

Get into the great outdoors! This best-selling guide for children gets you out and about exploring the natural world with exciting activities every day of the year.

Take this brilliant book with you wherever you go for observation and interaction with the wonders of nature in a variety of ways. You can make a bug hotel, miniature garden, windmill flower, twig vase, flower curtain, or slingshot catapult. Carve a Halloween pumpkin, watch shooting stars, fly a seed helicopter, cook using the Sun, or help a bird build a nest. Each activity is numbered so you can keep track of what you have been up to.


The endless ideas help young readers explore their own gardens and local parks, as well as discover the magic of the four seasons and have fun during school holidays.


From easy learning for little ones to bigger building projects for older children, there is an amazing array of activities for all ages, interests, and abilities. Step-by-step instructions and crystal clear photography will help you every step of the way.



So what are you waiting for? Get outside and get started!

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Outdoor Opposites

Brenda Williams

This colorful camping singalong encourages physical participation as children learn how to do opposite actions. AGES: 3-7 AUTHOR: Brenda Williams is a widely published poet and former primary school teacher. She has written many educational articles and books, including the Barefoot Books bestseller 'The Real Princess' and 'Lin Yi's Lantern'. Brenda lives in England. ILLUSTRATOR: Rachel Oldfield illustrates children's books and creates children's canvases and posters. She also illustrated 'Up, Up, Up!' for Barefoot Books. Rachel lives with her three sons in England. MUSICIANS: The US-based Flannery Brothers share a love of music and performing songs for children. They also provide the music and vocals for Barefoot Books' 'A Farmer's Life for Me' and 'A Hole in the Bottom of the Sea'. SELLING POINTS: * CORE CONCEPTS: Fun, energetic presentation of opposites stimulates engagement and participation * OUTDOOR PLAY: From apple picking to camping by a fireside, kids are pictured in active play, enjoying and embracing the outdoors * DIVERSITY: The featured children represent different races, genders and abilities * ANIMATION: Enhanced CD features video animation and audio singalong. Our singalongs have over 30 million hits on YouTube

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Outdoor Surprises

Eve Bunting

Welcome to Frog and his world. He enjoys nothing better than spending time floating on his pond or visiting with his friends. He appreciates the simpler things in life and would prefer that things stay just the way they are--nice and peaceful. From acclaimed children's writer Eve Bunting comes a beginning reader series featuring the delightful Frog and his friends Rabbit, Possum, Raccoon, and Squirrel. In Outdoor Surprises Frog eagerly joins a singing group, helps Squirrel rescue a baby bird, and provides a voice of reason when his woodland friends are scared by a nighttime story.

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Outdoor Photography

John Hamilton

In this title, budding photographers will learn how to take great landscape and wildlife photographs. Using simple text and dramatic photographs as examples, all the basics will be covered, including choosing the right cameras and lenses, composition, shutter speeds, depth of field, plus special field equipment used by today's top photographers. Also covered are the basics of making image adjustments in the digital darkroom. Readers will also learn about the history of landscape photography and top photographers in the field. Aligned to Common Core Standards and correlated to state standards. Abdo & Daughters is an imprint of Abdo Publishing, a division of ABDO.

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Upcycling Outdoors

Max McMurdo

Discover your inner genius and learn how to transform unwanted junk into unique and creative garden designs with designer, upcycler and entrepreneur Max McMurdo. Following the success of his first book Upcycling, Max has turned his thoughts to the outdoors with this truly inspirational collection of inventive projects, each built from recycled materials and unwanted 'spare parts'. Whether you want to create a firepit from bicycle wheels, an outdoor plant display from a painted dressing table, or fashion a potting shed from three vintage doors, Max provides invaluable know-how on the tools, techniques and materials required to take you on an outdoor creative journey.  Some of the projects involve only a few simple steps and can be completed within an hour, while others require a weekend of outdoor activity. Above all, every one of the 20 projects is designed to get you upcycling and recycling as you create designs that bring hours of pleasure to your garden.

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Drawing Outdoors

Jairo Buitrago

"This inspired story about the magic of art, nature, and educators is a breath of fresh air."
--Booklist

"Full of wonder... Schoolhouse bliss."
--Kirkus STARRED Review

Let's all draw dinosaurs ... outdoors!

In this remarkable picture book, a group of students spend an unforgettable day drawing dinosaurs outside with their extraordinary teacher.

Maybe your school has a playground, gym, computers, and a library. But at this school in a faraway mountain range, things are a little different. There's a blackboard, some chairs ... and not much else. But with the help of an extraordinary teacher and a little imagination, anything is possible!

The students in this spirited picture book spend their days drawing dinosaurs outdoors. They draw astounding, spectacular creatures that come to life before their eyes, and turn their school into a wondrous place, where any child would want to go and learn.

Drawing Outdoors celebrates the amazing impact of teachers, and the wonderful worlds kids can create while drawing. A perfect gift for a beloved teacher, kids who love dinosaurs, and aspiring artists!

An Aldana Libros Book, Greystone Kids

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Goodnight Great Outdoors

Lucas Alberg

A Perfect Bedtime Story, Whether You're Under a Roof or Under the Stars

Gather the children. Cuddle into a warm sleeping bag. It's time to fall asleep. This gentle, calming story celebrates the wonders of the great outdoors by saying goodnight to nature. As the sun sets, the family prepares their campsite for nightfall. "Goodnight hills, and goodnight clean air. Goodnight creatures everywhere." The soft, rhyming text complements dream-like illustrations, creating a picture book that's just right for winding down. So spend your days playing and exploring. With Goodnight Great Outdoors, you have bedtime covered.

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Sketching Outdoors in Summer

Jim Arnosky

With the same delight and reverence that suffuse his award-winning books, Jim Arnosky invites artists of all ages to experience nature close up by sketching outdoors at a special time of year--summer. "A fine complement to Sketching Outdoors in Spring."--Booklist.

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Fatima's Great Outdoors

Ambreen Tariq

An immigrant family embarks on their first camping trip in the Midwest in this lively picture book by Ambreen Tariq, outdoors activist and founder of @BrownPeopleCamping

Fatima Khazi is excited for the weekend. Her family is headed to a local state park for their first camping trip! The school week might not have gone as planned, but outdoors, Fatima can achieve anything. She sets up a tent with her father, builds a fire with her mother, and survives an eight-legged mutant spider (a daddy longlegs with an impressive shadow) with her sister. At the end of an adventurous day, the family snuggles inside one big tent, serenaded by the sounds of the forest. The thought of leaving the magic of the outdoors tugs at Fatima's heart, but her sister reminds her that they can keep the memory alive through stories--and they can always daydream about what their next camping trip will look like.

Ambreen Tariq's picture book debut, with cheerful illustrations by Stevie Lewis, is a rollicking family adventure, a love letter to the outdoors, and a reminder that public land belongs to all of us.

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Little Critter: Exploring the Great Outdoors

Mercer Mayer

Join Mercer Mayer’s classic and beloved character, Little Critter®, as he and his classmates take a field trip into the woods to study their natural surroundings.

There are plenty of surprises in the great outdoors! Kids will enjoy laughing along with Little Critter and his classmates.

Little Critter: Exploring the Great Outdoors  is a My First I Can Read book, which means it’s perfect for shared reading with a child.

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My Big Book of Outdoors

Tim Hopgood

Introduce little ones to the great outdoors with this beautifully illustrated treasury exploring the wonders of nature in four glorious seasons.

From vibrant springtime flowers to sweet fruits on summer trees, from the falling of autumn leaves to snowdrops in winter, this ode to the four seasons introduces young readers to the world of nature outside their door. During the chilly months, they can discover why birds fly south in winter, search for animal footprints in the snow, or learn to make the perfect paper snowflake. As the sun grows stronger, they’re invited to weave a daisy chain, find a feather, or try their hand at growing a sunflower. Full of activities, poetry, fun facts to explore, and amazing things to see and do outside, this brightly illustrated book makes a delightful gift for all seasons.

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Pete the Kitty's Outdoor Art Project

James Dean

Join Pete the Kitty as he gets creative in this I Can Read story from New York Times bestselling team Kimberly and James Dean.

 

 

Pete the Kitty loves art class. But when the project is to go outside and make art from nature, Pete isn't sure what to create. Then inspiration strikes and Pete realizes that nature art is cooler than he ever imagined!

Beginner readers will love creating nature art with Pete!

This My First I Can Read book is carefully crafted using basic language, word repetition, sight words, and sweet illustrations--which means it's perfect for shared reading with emergent readers. The active, engaging My First I Can Read stories have appealing plots and lovable characters, encouraging children to continue their reading journey.

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Maker Lab: Outdoors

Jack Challoner

Step outside and discover the science that surrounds you!

This fun, fact-filled book is brimming with exciting outdoor experiments to help budding scientists explore the science in their own surroundings. Using household items, construct a water rocket and
blast it skywards to learn about air pressure, or blow giant, long-lasting bubbles to reveal how
surface tension works. Make a worm farm  and observe worms tunneling, then build a diamond kite and discover the key to aerodynamics.

Jam-packed with striking photography, step-by-step instructions, and rigorous attention to detail, Maker Lab: Outdoors will make young scientists excited from the get-go! Featuring a foreword by professor and scientist Robert Winston, the book gives a clear ‘how it works’ explanation for each project, revealing the fascinating science behind it, along with real-world examples that show everyday science in action.

So what are you waiting for? Grab your safety goggles and get stuck in to discover: 

- 25 outdoor experiments that appeal to young readers aged 9+ 
- All materials used are inexpensive and easy-to-find
- Crystal-clear instructions are easy-to-follow
- Educational mix of science-themed craft activities and experiments
- Clear explanation of how and why each experiment works


Maker Lab: Outdoors is perfect for inspiring young scientists and outdoor enthusiasts to discover nature, weather, water, earth and sky. The real-world examples provide a context to better understand the scientific principles underlying each experiment young scientists and outdoor enthusiasts, this sensational science book for kids takes readers out of the house on a journey to better understand their world - and beyond.

From the world of weather to water power, nature watching to giant bubbles, this is a must-have science book for every young scientist who is curious about their surroundings, with something for everyone to learn and love!

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The Outdoor Table

April McKinney

April McKinney celebrates the tradition of packing up your best food and enjoying a meal outdoors.

When most people say they are going out to eat, they usually mean out to a restaurant. But it could mean a front porch brunch with your closest friends; a nighttime concert in the park; a tailgate party at the stadium; a moonlit dinner at the drive-in movie theater; or a picnic at a vineyard.

In The Outdoor Table, you'll find delicious dishes such as:

  • Roasted Garlic Black-Eyed Pea Hummus
  • Mustard-Herb Grilled Pork Chops
  • Lime Surprise Bars
  • Salmon with Maple Syrup Sauce

Whether at a planned event or just an impromptu cookout in the backyard with your friends and neighbors, The Outdoor Table is your guide to creating portable dishes that you can prepare ahead of time and serve cold and or at room temperature when you get to your destination that your family and friends will love.

It's time to pack a picnic and start making memories.

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