Nature and Me by The School of Life
“Nature can help you feel good in your mind. It can help you feel less worried or less bothered when you feel annoyed. It can cheer you up when you’re feeling sad. It can help you feel more confident when you’re feeling a bit shy. And it helps with lots of other good things too.”
NATURE AND ME
Children are used to hearing about how important it is to protect nature, but they may not fully understand how the natural world can positively impact their emotional wellbeing. With that in mind, this book looks to show children how nature can be fun, uplifting, consoling and even offer companionship.
This is a book about how nature can touch us all and help us with our lives (especially when we might be feeling bored, sad or lonely). Children learn about the ways in which they can be comforted, inspired and uplifted by examples of nature such as a flowing river, a cow in a field, clouds in the sky, or a cuddle with a favourite puppy.
What I thought
I adored this one! This is a gorgeously illustrated and informative children's book packed full of facts about nature and the outdoors. It was a super fun read, even as an adult with no kids. I felt like I allowed my inner child to come out and play while reading this one.
This book sheds light on all the playful and exciting things waiting just outside your door. In a world where kids (actually, all of us) are glued to iPhones and video games, and are influenced by what we see online and how that might make us feel, this book felt like an important read and served as a reminder of the way that nature can make us feel as human beings. Nature and Me dives deep into why these feelings matter and how they can help in your kid’s (or your) life.
The book covers things like: understanding what’s scary, making the most of your short life, imagination, and how a change of lens can be good for you. All of these topics are compared to relatable things in nature, like the leopard shark, the 1000-year-old giant redwood tree in California, the sunshine, and a cloud in the sky.
An example of something we can learn from is the wise okapi, who expresses that “being able to be happy on your own is one of the best things in the world. You don’t have to hang around with whoever just happens to be there. You can wait to make friends with people you really like.”
I learned a lot from this little book. Many things about nature that I didn’t know, and things that I can also benefit from as a fully grown adult. It was actually fascinating to learn facts about the animals, stars, and the sun, and what these elements of nature can teach us.
The writing in Nature and Me is lovely, the facts are concise, and the book is highly readable for kids aged eight and up. Each section is accompanied by a beautifully drawn illustration.
I'm constantly in awe of The School of Life, and the books they bring to market. They seem to hit the nail on the head every time.
All in all, this is a fantastic kids book, and fun for the adults too.
About The School of Life
The School of Life is an organization built to help us find calm, self-understanding, resilience and connection - especially during troubled times. They place an emphasis on the need to understand ourselves better, so that we can secure serenity and make optimally reliable decisions, particularly around love and work.
Nature and Me is available for purchase in hardcover from The School of Life or Indigo and in e-book format from Kobo.
Thank you to The School of Life for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Check out more School of Life Reviews here!