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by Pamela Hickman                                                                                                    Illustrations by Twila Robar-DeCoste                                                      Formac Publishing - 64 pages                                                               Softcover                                                                                                                 Cost: $12.95                                                                                         

reviewed by Ronnie Scullion

This is the second in a series of "See, Make and Do" books written by Pamela Hickman and illustrated by Twila Robar-DeCoste. Cited for excellence by the Canadian Children's Book Centre on their first jointly produced book, this second work promises to be just as
enticing and educational to young readers.

All the basics of woodland hiking are covered from safety and conservation tips to what to bring along on a day or overnight hike. A wide range of flora and fauna are introduced: from trees and
wildflowers to mushrooms, mosses and lichen; from bugs and salamanders to squirrels and bears.

A host of practical and original suggestions are included that will
make any hike in the woods an adventure in discovery and learning.
Starting with how to construct a humane bug trapper to suggestions like "hike on your hands and knees" or go for a "rainbow hike", will give the youngster an intimate picture of forest life. Kid appeal runs high in this hands-on and "hands-in-the-dirt" approach.

With attractive, accurate and detailed illustrations on every page the
book will be of equal value to parents as a read-aloud story to pre-
schoolers and to school-age beginner readers. The large type, short
chapters and relevant subject matter make it ideally suited for
children six to ten years of age.

Each topic is presented in a novel and challenging way. A quiz on
tree identification introduces the youngster to the different types of
trees commonly found in the eastern maritime woods. Silhouettes,
leaves , bark, branches and cones of several tree types are depicted
and must be matched with their names.

Learning about the curious facts and oddities of nature is intriguing. Is
a small sausage-sized pellet mixed with fur and bone an indication of
an owl's leftover meal?  A ball-like clump of twigs in a black spruce
tree - is it a nest or witch's broom?

Young explorers, naturalists, artists, and builders alike will all find inspiration in the many accompanying activities and projects contained in each chapter. Leaves are explored through arts and crafts projects such as making leaf prints to decorate cards or borders for a bedroom wall. Woodpeckers are attracted to the backyard with a simple-to-construct woodpecker feeder. For use after dark an attractive lantern can be made from a tin can using hammer and nails.

Budding gourmets will enjoy the range of edible treats to be found
in the woods. Descriptive text and pictures are included to help
identify and harvest common berries, roots, edible twigs and leaves,
and spruce sap "chewing gum". Campfire dining is enhanced with a
delicious recipe for roasted marshmallows.

Where "In the Woods" leaves off  young nature lovers will be able to
continue their explorations and add to their knowledge of the
woodland by referring to the various field guides listed at the
end of the book.

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Material protected by copyright. Last revised: December 12, 2003