A FIELD GUIDE TO SUMMER: PLAY AND LEARN IN NATURE, by Gabby Dawnay, Dorien Brouwers, Thames & Hudson, June 10, 2025, Hardcover, $14.95 (ages 4-8)
Inspired by the Forest School movement, A Field Guide to Summer aims to teach kids how to play and learn in nature.
A Field Guide to Summer is a pocket-sized introduction to the summer season. Building on children’s natural curiosity about the world around them, this book aims to establish a connection with nature at an early age that will go on to last a lifetime!
Hunt for bugs, build your own sundial, identify different trees, and make your own flower crown. Discover how caterpillars transform into butterflies and why bees are so busy in summertime.
This book features lyrical poems, hands-on crafts and activities, scientific facts, and identifier pages to help children find different animals and plants. Whether a child’s access to nature is in the form of an urban park, a private garden, a field, or a forest, there is so much to discover and experience. —Synopsis provided by Thames & Hudson
A Field Guide to Summer is the third book in Gabby Dawnay and Dorien Brouwers Wild by Nature series, which focuses on the four seasons. The first two books, A Field Guide to Spring and A Field Guide to Autumn were released in 2024.
Like its predecessors, A Field Guide to Summer is the sort of book to which curious kids will be drawn. From its smaller size (approximately 6” X 9”) to its interactive nature, everything about it invites readers to explore the natural world around them.
Topics range from senses and going on a bug hunt to cloud gazing and everything in between. This book would be an excellent resource in a classroom or homeschool or just fun for kids after school or on the weekends.
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