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A review by wordsandnocturnes
Keeping a Nature Journal: Discover a Whole New Way of Seeing the World Around You by Charles E. Roth, Clare Walker Leslie
informative
inspiring
slow-paced
5.0
The idea of nature journalling appealed to me greatly – the idea that we could keep a journal with snippets of memories, emotion and information that was illustrated and would result in a beautiful archive of stories. It is a nice idea, but a daunting one. The world is wide, nature is complex and ever-changing. Where to begin? The few sources I found online advised me to be bold and to be unafraid to begin. This is all fine and well. It is true that we need to have courage to begin for anything to actually start. The question is: how do I do this in the first place?
This is where this book comes in. It features easy-to-process information in short paragraphs and covers many topics related to keeping a nature journal (materials, seasons, what to look out for…). These are all accompanied with lovely illustrations by the author that are captivating, and in my case, motivating. Throughout the book, it is mentioned subtly at times that we don’t have to be perfect. Nature journalling is an ongoing process of learning. Our art and techniques can improve if we are consistent in our efforts at nature journalling. (Basically, the secret here is practice.)
Another useful tip I found in this book is the helpful ways to improve our drawing and colouring techniques. There were simple exercises and tiny projects that can be done by anyone from anywhere in the globe (and possibly beyond our tiny planet too).
Nature doesn’t have to be large and daunting and mistaken as only associated with fascinating channels like National Geographic. Nature is all around us, even if we need little reminders that there is a wealth of little worlds to discover in our daily lives. For those who live in places where wildlife is scarce and flora is confined in pots or only line roadsides, surely humans and their lives are a part of nature too? Or we should try to coexist with nature as peacefully as we can? Anyway, a nature journal can be something personal too, if you so choose for it to be.
To sum it up, this is an encouraging book filled with useful information and ways to engage children in outdoor activities through nature journalling. It is a good resource to consider if you are interested in nature journalling or want to learn more about nature (there’s even a handy list of recommended books on nature in the book!) Although the things in this book are American and Europe-centric, the techniques and ideas it mentioned can definitely be used no matter where you are in the world.
Many thanks to Netgalley, Storey Publishing, and Clare Walker Leslie for the ARC.
From Words & Nocturnes
This is where this book comes in. It features easy-to-process information in short paragraphs and covers many topics related to keeping a nature journal (materials, seasons, what to look out for…). These are all accompanied with lovely illustrations by the author that are captivating, and in my case, motivating. Throughout the book, it is mentioned subtly at times that we don’t have to be perfect. Nature journalling is an ongoing process of learning. Our art and techniques can improve if we are consistent in our efforts at nature journalling. (Basically, the secret here is practice.)
Another useful tip I found in this book is the helpful ways to improve our drawing and colouring techniques. There were simple exercises and tiny projects that can be done by anyone from anywhere in the globe (and possibly beyond our tiny planet too).
Nature doesn’t have to be large and daunting and mistaken as only associated with fascinating channels like National Geographic. Nature is all around us, even if we need little reminders that there is a wealth of little worlds to discover in our daily lives. For those who live in places where wildlife is scarce and flora is confined in pots or only line roadsides, surely humans and their lives are a part of nature too? Or we should try to coexist with nature as peacefully as we can? Anyway, a nature journal can be something personal too, if you so choose for it to be.
To sum it up, this is an encouraging book filled with useful information and ways to engage children in outdoor activities through nature journalling. It is a good resource to consider if you are interested in nature journalling or want to learn more about nature (there’s even a handy list of recommended books on nature in the book!) Although the things in this book are American and Europe-centric, the techniques and ideas it mentioned can definitely be used no matter where you are in the world.
Many thanks to Netgalley, Storey Publishing, and Clare Walker Leslie for the ARC.
From Words & Nocturnes