The Wild Outside

Tulip loves being outside, exploring nature and all its beauties. One day, she discovers a nature trail which names all of her favourite flowers, trees and plants. Returning home, Tulip finds a package on her doorstep, containing a wonderful nature guide, offering her more information about plants from around the world. After a rainy day, all the chalked labels and names of the nature trail have been washed away so Tulip tries to replace it, adding question marks where she is unsure about something. On her way home, she notices that someone has added the answers to these and, following a trail of muddy footprints, discovers her mystery helper is her Grandpa.

This glorious book celebrates both the wonders of nature and insatiable curiosity! One of the many joys of being around young children is their boundless interest and Tulip exudes an infectious delight in exploring the world around her.

Perfect for inspiring families to get outside during the summer holidays and learn more about nature, ‘The Wild Outside’ offers a wealth of information about trees and plants, presented in little snippets which are easy to understand and remember. The story could easily be used (at home or at school!) as the starting point for inspiring a nature trail around a garden, park or even along the route of a local walk. The ‘outside’ is not a confined area in the story and Tulip and her mum (it doesn’t specify that this is who it is) are shown exploring everywhere, encouraging children to observe nature wherever they find themselves.

At the end of the book, there are suggestions for activities like leaf and bark rubbing and flower pressing which might encourage children to create a nature book of their own like Tulip’s. A very clear warning is given at the very beginning of the book about never touching or picking flowers etc without an adult’s supervision and at the end, there is further guidance for looking after the environment whilst enjoying yourself!

The illustrations are delightful and eagle-eyed readers are sure to spot the clues as to the identity of Tulip’s mysterious guide to nature as the story progresses. The fact that her grandfather is sharing his knowledge and wisdom with her, inspiring and encouraging Tulip to follow her passion and discover more is a lovely way of valuing relationships between different generations whether family members as in this case or not.

Brilliant for supporting (and expanding!) the curriculum at both KS1 and 2 as well as for enjoying at home, ‘The Wild Outside’ is an inspiring, enjoyable read!

The Wild Outside

Rachel Ip, illustrated by Katie Hickey

Hachette ISBN: 978-1526365217

Journey Back to Freedom

Snatched from Essaka in Africa, Olaudah Equiano was captured and enslaved at the age of 11. Having spent time in Barbados and Virginia, he then spent the next eight years travelling the world as slave to a British Royal Navy officer, who renamed him Gustavus Vassa. His final master allowed him to buy his freedom for £40 which Equiano had raised through trading himself. Back in England, he eventually became a prominent member of the abolition movement, publishing his autobiography in 1789.

In ‘Journey Back to Freedom’, Catherine Johnson focuses on Equiano’s early life, although she adds further information in her afterword. Well known for her excellent historical writing and attention to detail, Catherine has used Olaudah’s autobiography as the basis for her work, imagining dialogue except in places where he states he is quoting from life.

This is a disturbing and emotive subject, but Catherine Johnson’s concise and matter of fact style means it is accessible to a younger audience. The horrors of slavery are evident throughout from Olaudah’s initial capture to the barbarity of the voyage, from his life at sea to the cruelty of the West Indies, but Catherine has managed to maintain a fine balance between including this information and being overly descriptive.

Throughout his sufferings, Olaudah’s determination to regain his freedom is incredible and this is a book which will encourage and initiate conversations, developing children’s understanding of the slave trade through Olaudah’s lived experiences. In her afterword, Catherine recognises that he was a complex character. He was against slavery yet he was involved in the trade. This moral ambiguity, the awful situations he found himself in - all of this will lead to thought-provoking, challenging discussions about this very difficult period of history.

Barrington Stoke once again proving their books are for everyone!

Journey Back to Freedom: The Olaudah Equiano Story

Catherine Johnson, illustrated by Katie Hickey

Barrington Stoke ISBN: 978-1781129227

You can read my review of ‘Race to the Frozen North: The Matthew Henson Story’ here.