My Nature Journal: A Personal Nature Guide for Young People [Spiral-bound]

Adrienne Olmstead (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 8 and up | Grade Level: 3 and up

My Nature Journal is a unique keepsake journal specifically designed to help children build a lasting personal connection to nature.

This book is interactive, creative and fun! It offers a blend of exploration, discovery and reflective activities that help kids understand and appreciate nature.

Children, parents and educators will all enjoy using My Nature Journal. It's a wonderful way to spend quality time together in nature. For ages 8+

Editorial Reviews

Review

"My Nature Journal is a marvelous tool for discovering nature. Informative, as well as fun, children will enjoy using it." -- Joseph Cornell, nature educator and author of Sharing Nature With Children

"My Nature Journal is a masterpiece incorporating nature awareness, observation, listening, writing and creative skills in one keepsake journal." -- Pat Kinderman

"My Nature Journal is a wonderful beginning journal for budding young naturalists! The activities are fun, creative, meaningful and simple to do." -- Nicole Danielson, Children's Progam Coordinator, Audubon Naturalist Society

Adrienne Olmstead's My Nature Journal: A Personal Nature Guide For Young People showcases 176 pages of nature activities designed for children ages 8 to 14 and is divided into sections covering woodlands, meadows, ponds and streams, seashore, and twilight. Children will observe, participate, sketch, count, reflect, and write about nature. Along the way they'll also learn a great deal about themselves. Safety cautions and a glossary enhance a superb text that is exceptionally presented along with highlighting illustrations. My Nature Journal: A Personal Nature Guide For Young People is a "consumable" and will make a superb keepsake long after the child has completed all the exercises and activities presented. Highly recommended. (Children's Bookwatch, Midwest Book Review
(January, 2000)) -- Children's Bookwatch, Midwest Book Review
(January, 2000)

This may be the most important book review I ever write; it may be the most important one you ever read, its about you, your children and your family.

We all want our kids to grow up to appreciate the things in the outdoors we have found. We would like to give them the same feeling of stewardship and oneness so important to all of us.

Much is written about family these days and doing things for the kids. My Nature Journal can open the door and give them a head start toward a greater understanding of what you would like for them. It is a journal, not just a book. It is an interactive tool which will entice your child, (or grandchild) to investigate things outdoors. It will poke, probe, stimulate, and keep them interested and involved for many years.

I personally highly recommend the book. In my opinion My Nature Journal is the first real tool to help start and encourage children to have interest and a high regard for the outdoors and all it can mean. -- Flyanglersonline.com, January 24, 2000

Where do fallen leaves go? What lives in tide pools How many mosquitoes can a bat eat in an hour?

For many children these answers are learned in the classroom or from television. Nature and Discovery are shows to watch, not things to go and see.

Environmental educator and naturalist Adrienne Olmstead wanted to see that change. Her recent publication, "My Nature Journal", invites children to participate in their natural surroundings. Olmstead believes theres no substitute for experiencing creepy, crawly, slimy things in ones own backyard.

"When exposed to the natural world, children open up their curiosity, intelligence and fascination," she said.

The 176-page book is designed for children ages 8 and up to observe, participate, sketch, count, reflect and write about nature and themselves.

"Journals are a wonderful way to get children to focus," said Olmstead. "Children take a real ownership in their journals. It gets very personal for them." -- Environmental News Network, December, 1999

About the Author

Adrienne Olmstead developed a connection to nature at an early age. Her childhood summers were spent exploring meadows, forests and streams. Her love of nature inspired her to attend the University of California, Santa Cruz where she received a degree in Environmental Studies.

After college, Adrienne worked as a naturalist in several outdoor schols and was director of the Environmental Education Center at Point Reyes National Seashore. She began creating nature journals when she was hired by a water agency to build an education program about the Russian River watershed in California. The journal component of that program was so successful that she decided to design a book -- My Nature Journal -- that kids can use across the country.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Spiral-bound: 173 pages
• Publisher: Pajaro (October 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0967245915
• ISBN-13: 978-0967245911
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.9 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #185,404 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great for Big Kids too!, December 11, 1999

By 

Eldonna Bouton "http://www.whole-heart.com" (author of, "Journaling from the Heart.") - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: My Nature Journal: A Personal Nature Guide for Young People (Spiral-bound)

This is a wonderful journaling tool for children and families alike. As a homeschooler of an 10 year-old, I found this an excellent adjunct for field trips. There are over 40 activities that will have you exploring the woods, the meadows, wetlands, and things that go (?) in the night! The drawings are delightful! Rediscover the beauty of nature in a fun and informative format. From field notes to leaf rubbings, your budding naturalists will be eager to try the simple yet educational exercises. Mine did...and so did I!

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fun, factual, and highly recommended for ages 8 to 14., April 7, 2000

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: My Nature Journal: A Personal Nature Guide for Young People (Spiral-bound)

My Nature Journal with its fill-in worksheets may not be appropriate for library lending, but parents should consider this for kids with an affection for natural history: kids ages 8-14 will find it packed with suggestions for nature activities which encourage observation and note-taking skills. From exploring insects and butterflies to creating poetry and observing the sunset, this pairs facts and easy observational instructions with fun pages of fill-in guided activities in the outdoors. Colorful and encouraging with a very bright cover inviting participation.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fabulous for kids, parents and teachers!, December 12, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: My Nature Journal: A Personal Nature Guide for Young People (Spiral-bound)

My Nature Journal is enthralling in its simple but complete approach to enjoying and learning about nature. For children of all ages either at home or at school, the book includes great nature activities for adults and children to do together. And My Nature Journal effortlessly combines reading, art, writing and science throughout the nature explorations. The book provides colorful but detailed illustrations of the five natural worlds: woodlands, meadows, ponds and streams,

seashore, and twilight. Highly recommended for parents, educators, homeschoolers and kids' clubs as a simple and enjoyable way to approach nature. From The Science Spiders Newsletter, January 2000.