Illustrated by Sendak Fellowship recipient Alice Lickens, this gorgeously-produced book is not only a delight in terms of content, it's a visual wonderland, with a fine combination of illustration, photographs, diagrams and cool typography.
Author Josie Jeffrey has created a range of fun activities, slotted into sites such as The Garden, In the Park, In the Woods, and even In the Night-Time. She also provides activities for Rainy, Sunny and Windy Days, as well as ideas for By the Water and In the Street.
Activities include a Bee Survey, planting a Bulb Spiral, a Bug Hotel, Sunset Silhouette Painting, Night Sky Exploration, Wildlife Photography and even a Park Olympics. I particularly love the windsock project, the rain catcher and sundials. Cloud spotting/3D cloud portraits is also a favourite, bringing back the whimsy of childhood long past.
Little bug icons - Helper Bug and Danger Bug, help kids delineate activities that need parental help or guidance, and an index at the back of the book make it easy to find what they're looking for.
It's a joy to see books that promote imaginative, outdoor play that's both mentally and physically stimulating ... and a lot of fun.
Title: Outdoor Wonderland - The Kids' Guide to Being Outside
Author: Josie Jeffery
Illustrator: Alice Lickens
Publisher: Ivy Press, $29.99 RRP
Publication Date: 3 March 2014
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 9781782400820
For ages: 6 - 11
Type: Activity Book, Junior Non-Fiction