What are you reading? Check our January book reviews!
- Blog What are you reading? Check our January book reviews!
Have you read any good books lately? We like to share reviews on books that our members have read that are hiking - or outdoors - related. From infant board books to adult page-turners, we love to hear about what you are reading! I’ll also include a review of my own in each blog post. Share a book review with us on this form and we may feature it in an upcoming blog post!
"Over and Under the Snow" by Kate Messner
A cold and snowy day calls for snuggling in blankets with a good book. "Over and Under the Snow" is a great book to read with your little ones when the weather is a bit too cold for outside adventures or before bed after a long day of exploring.
With beautiful illustrations and well-crafted words that appeal to all the senses, "Over and Under the Snow" is a wonderful book to help children learn about how animals survive during the cold, snowy months of winter.
The book follows a boy and his father on a cross-country ski trip, and the father shares his knowledge of the secret kingdom of the animals in the winter. "Tracks always tell a story," the dad tells his boy. The illustrations show what is happening both above and underground, allowing the reader to really take in what happens in the winter.
"Over and Under the Snow" is written with language that children of all ages can understand, but the book also contains an author's note with more scientific information on the subnivean zone, which is the network of tunnels between the snowpack and the ground. There is also a page that details what the animals addressed in the story do in the winter, which may satisfy the craving for more information of older readers.
Author Kate Messner has also written other nature books for children, including "Over and Under the Pond" and "Up in the Garden and Down in the Dirt."
KATE SALAMEH, OF THE MADISON, WI BRANCH, REVIEWED THIS BOOK FOR US!
"Wild" by Emily Hughes
"Wild" is a short but cute book about a girl who was raised by animals in the wild. Adult humans adopt her but she does not fit in this unfamiliar world so she returns to the wild.
My kids and I enjoy the illustrations; there are lots to take in on each page. It can be a very quick read, but it can be embellished to become a bit longer, too.
As a lover of the natural world, I appreciate how the book encourages readers to empathize with wild animals and how outdoors and wild nature are presented not as scary places but as happy places.
KEIRA WICKLIFFE BERGER, OF THE LEXINGTON BRANCH, REVIEWED THIS BOOK FOR US!
"Finding Wild" by Megan Wagner Lloyd
This is the perfect book for those that may not live near traditional “wild.” Through well illustrated pictures, it goes through what wild can be and how to find it. Its biggest point is that even in cities where you would never think to look for wild, if you look close enough, wild is still there, creeping in. It’s a great reminder that even when we think nature is nowhere to be found, if we look hard enough, we can still find traces of it.
This is a sober tale of Kate Mastrosova, a strong-willed and driven woman. She moved to the United States from Russia at a young age to achieve the American dream. Her determination made her a very successful financial analyst in New York City. In her time off, she had become a goal-orientated mountaineer.
To celebrate her upcoming U.S. citizenship, she embarked on a solo hike up the Northern Presidential Range in the White Mountain National Forest on Presidents' Day weekend. This hike would be her last.
The book questions her decision making, analyzing the risks she faced as a terrible cold front moved in and winds were just over 100 mph. It highlights how treacherous the conditions were for Search and Rescue and the dangers they faced as they headed out in search for her.
I'm from New Hampshire and hike in the Whites frequently. I remember the severe cold we had that weekend with hikers in Facebook groups posting that they had cancelled hikes, urging others to do the same. I remember reading the news reports over the next few days as Search and Rescue teams tried to locate Kate.
This book is very educational and should be a must-read for anyone who likes to hike, yet has not stopped to evaluate the risks involved. I know after reading this cautionary tale that it has changed how I prepare and what I carry in my pack to help minimize the risks.
Hike it Baby now has a Goodreads Group! Join today and add books to our bookshelf! Looking for more member reviews? Search our blog for other Book Review posts! Want to share a book that you love about the outdoors? Submit your review here to be included in an upcoming blog post!
SNUGGLE WITH A BOOK ON A COLD DAY
"Over and Under the Snow" by Kate Messner
A cold and snowy day calls for snuggling in blankets with a good book. "Over and Under the Snow" is a great book to read with your little ones when the weather is a bit too cold for outside adventures or before bed after a long day of exploring.
With beautiful illustrations and well-crafted words that appeal to all the senses, "Over and Under the Snow" is a wonderful book to help children learn about how animals survive during the cold, snowy months of winter.
The book follows a boy and his father on a cross-country ski trip, and the father shares his knowledge of the secret kingdom of the animals in the winter. "Tracks always tell a story," the dad tells his boy. The illustrations show what is happening both above and underground, allowing the reader to really take in what happens in the winter.
"Over and Under the Snow" is written with language that children of all ages can understand, but the book also contains an author's note with more scientific information on the subnivean zone, which is the network of tunnels between the snowpack and the ground. There is also a page that details what the animals addressed in the story do in the winter, which may satisfy the craving for more information of older readers.
Author Kate Messner has also written other nature books for children, including "Over and Under the Pond" and "Up in the Garden and Down in the Dirt."
HIKE IT BABY COMMUNITY CHILDREN'S BOOK REVIEWS
KATE SALAMEH, OF THE MADISON, WI BRANCH, REVIEWED THIS BOOK FOR US!
"Wild" by Emily Hughes
"Wild" is a short but cute book about a girl who was raised by animals in the wild. Adult humans adopt her but she does not fit in this unfamiliar world so she returns to the wild.
My kids and I enjoy the illustrations; there are lots to take in on each page. It can be a very quick read, but it can be embellished to become a bit longer, too.
As a lover of the natural world, I appreciate how the book encourages readers to empathize with wild animals and how outdoors and wild nature are presented not as scary places but as happy places.
KEIRA WICKLIFFE BERGER, OF THE LEXINGTON BRANCH, REVIEWED THIS BOOK FOR US!
"Finding Wild" by Megan Wagner Lloyd
This is the perfect book for those that may not live near traditional “wild.” Through well illustrated pictures, it goes through what wild can be and how to find it. Its biggest point is that even in cities where you would never think to look for wild, if you look close enough, wild is still there, creeping in. It’s a great reminder that even when we think nature is nowhere to be found, if we look hard enough, we can still find traces of it.
HIKE IT BABY COMMUNITY BOOK REVIEW FOR ADULTS
LYNDSEY VAILLANCOURT, OF THE MONADNOCK REGION, NH BRANCH, REVIEWED THIS BOOK FOR US! "Where You'll Find Me: Risk, Decisions, and the Last Climb of Kate Matrosova" by Ty GagneThis is a sober tale of Kate Mastrosova, a strong-willed and driven woman. She moved to the United States from Russia at a young age to achieve the American dream. Her determination made her a very successful financial analyst in New York City. In her time off, she had become a goal-orientated mountaineer.
To celebrate her upcoming U.S. citizenship, she embarked on a solo hike up the Northern Presidential Range in the White Mountain National Forest on Presidents' Day weekend. This hike would be her last.
The book questions her decision making, analyzing the risks she faced as a terrible cold front moved in and winds were just over 100 mph. It highlights how treacherous the conditions were for Search and Rescue and the dangers they faced as they headed out in search for her.
I'm from New Hampshire and hike in the Whites frequently. I remember the severe cold we had that weekend with hikers in Facebook groups posting that they had cancelled hikes, urging others to do the same. I remember reading the news reports over the next few days as Search and Rescue teams tried to locate Kate.
This book is very educational and should be a must-read for anyone who likes to hike, yet has not stopped to evaluate the risks involved. I know after reading this cautionary tale that it has changed how I prepare and what I carry in my pack to help minimize the risks.
Hike it Baby now has a Goodreads Group! Join today and add books to our bookshelf! Looking for more member reviews? Search our blog for other Book Review posts! Want to share a book that you love about the outdoors? Submit your review here to be included in an upcoming blog post!
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