The Nature of Play by Delfina Aguilar, Clare Aitken, and Sabrina Arnault - ESSENTIAL

 Get Creative

The Nature of Play: A Handbook of Nature-Based Activities for all Seasons by Delfina Aguilar and Clare Aitken, illustrated by Sabrina Arnault. 180 pages. NON FICTION. Greystone Books, 2026. $23 Content: G

BUYING ADVISORY: ADULTS - ESSENTIAL

APPEALS TO: SOME

Thoughtfully organized by the four seasons, Aguilar and Aitken show that nature is full of fun and adventure. This isn't about supervising play; it’s about facilitating it. The activities range from the artistic (making natural dyes or leaf prints) to the practical (building shelters and identifying tracks). With stunning photography and a clean layout, it avoids the over-stimulating clutter often found in children’s activity books.

Aguilar makes nature feel accessible. You don’t need to live in a forest to use this book; many activities are perfectly suited for a small urban park or even a backyard. I love that it encourages taking time to play, where you aren't rushing to a scheduled practice, but instead sitting on the ground, noticing the way a beetle moves. This is the perfect gift for a new parent.

S. Lewis

Glass by Kathryn Lasky - ADVISABLE

Glass by Kathryn Lasky, 213 pages. Harper, 2024. $20.

Language: G (0 swears, 0 ‘f’); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG (some bullying, deaths)

BUYING ADVISORY: EL - ADVISABLE, MS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

14yo Bess feels like the outsider in her family of glassblowers. When she discovers the horrible secret behind the most wondrous of their creations, she flees to the forest. Unfortunately, a poor cousin has to take refuge with the Wickham’s and she may be the next victim in their scheme for money and prestige. 

The subtitle calls this a Cinderella story, and while I might say it is Cinderella adjacent, I would have never minded not knowing about the subtext. By itself, it is an interesting fairy tale that I enjoyed reading. Bess is 14yo at the beginning and is in the woods for at least a couple of years, but the story itself will attract a 5,6,7th grade audience.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS