"Nature Smart" book review and giveaway

"Nature Smart is a book for families and individuals who love the outdoors and wish they had an interpretive naturalist with them when something provokes their curiosity".

I couldn't describe this book any better than that!

Click 'BuyNow' below for purchase..

I recently found Nature Smart: A Family Guide to Nature, by Stan Tekiela and Karen Shanberg, at a book store and knew I needed to review a copy for all of you. It just looked like something that is perfect for young families wanting to get outside. The folks at Adventure Publications were nice enough to send me a copy to review for them and to GIVEAWAY to one of you!

But let me back up a bit...

Sam has entered the question asking phase. Every time we go outside she has a handful of questions for me about what we see, hear or are doing. Why is the ice dripping? Where did the snow go? Why is it crawling across the snow? What is this? Where do those tracks go? What lives in this hole? What bird sound is that? And on and on and on. Fortunately for me with my background and her still pretty simple questions I have most of the knowledge already to answer her questions. But I would think that a lot of parents don't. And what happens when her questions get more complicated and/or more specific? I won't always have all the answers.

When I saw this book and started looking at the chapters it just really struck a cord with me because of the way it is laid out and the information that it had.

Nature Smart: A Family Guide to Nature has chapters covering most of the topics families might need help with and kids would find interesting. Each chapter has an introductory section with basic information but then has a whole section that is organized by questions. Simple questions that sound just like something a young child might ask.

Why do birds fly in "V" formation?
If I stop feeding birds, will they die?
How do insects breathe without lungs?
How long do adult insects live?
Why do squirrels chase each other?
Where do all these animal trails go?
Can I raise a baby raccoon as a pet?
Why do turtles and snakes sunbathe?
What's the difference between frogs and toads?
How many mushrooms are there?
Why are plants green?
Where does soil come from?
Can I find gold?
How old is the "old man in the moon"?
And many more!

After answering a ton of great questions in each section there is even more information at the end of each chapter. Specifics about common birds, insects, plants, animals, how to identify certain things and more.

Now because of this last little part in each chapter the book is a bit area specific; it is labeled at the top Midwest and Eastern. But the information that they give about the questions (at least most of them) would be the same in a larger range than that.

This is a great reference book for nature centers, classrooms and parents to have on hand to answer all those crazy questions that kids ask on a daily basis!

SO.....BUY ONE by visiting Adventure Publications . While you are there you can pick up some of the best identification and guide books out there (I have several of their books in my library already!). Plus they have some great kids journals and nature logs. Not age appropriate for Sam but for a slightly older kid they would be amazing.

OR....WIN ONE by entering here! Giveaway of "Nature Smart: A Family Guide to Nature" begins tonight and will run till Saturday, March 5th at noon.

No mandatory entry just simply do any of the following and leave me a comment telling me you did it. Leave mutiple comments for the things that have multiple entry amounts.

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Lots of ways to enter and win! Good luck!

Thank you so much Adventure Publications for the chance to read and pass along this great book.