Aimee discusses ~ The Secret Signs of Nature by Craig Caudill

My favourite childhood activity was a simple, inexpensive, and versatile one: going outside. There was nothing I loved more than going outside for a walk with my family and seeing what I could see.

My favourite memory of this was the day my mum pulled out a local map and asked “Where would you like to go today?” My brother and I peered at the street names and spotted one that seemed curious to us – Fishpool Street. This is not far from Books On The Hill, where I am writing now. I can’t say what it was that appealed to us about this name. Perhaps it was the absurdity of imagining a swimming pool for aquatic animals. We set out for our walk, and wandered down the high-pavemented streets (which felt taller than mountains to us) and past the historic buildings, pointing out unusual door knockers and the alleyways which meant the property used to be an inn. We then ventured into Verulanium, where we spotted birds, miniscule fish in the river, and all kinds of natural wonders.

My presiding memory of this adventure is looking. It is that act of observation that I want to talk about today alongside the resent Magic Cat publication The Secret Signs Of Nature by Craig Caudill. This wonderful book reveals the clues nature provides to us, in a range of different environments : from suburban corners to the deepest depths of a snowy forest, and deserts to the darkest night skies.

The book encourages engagement with your environment and gives children the tools to decode and unpack the clues left in nature – such as what imminent rainfall smells like, how to decipher the message a rainbow gives, and how to identify the different calls of the birds in a dawn chorus.

Written by Craig Caudill -the owner of Nature Reliance School in Kentucky, where he teaches children wilderness safety and survival skills - his passion for nature shines through. With illustrations by Carrie Shyrock, there is always something new to spot on every page. The details and colours of the scenes are stunning, any child would delight in time spent with this book – and may even inspire their own adventures outside.

Having read this book, I can’t wait to get outside again. In the park near my house, the bluebells are just starting to bloom. I think I will use some of the skills in this book to read the secrets of the natural world around me.