Coyote's Guide to Connecting with Nature

Abstract

355 Children, Youth and Environments Vol. 21 No. 1 (2011) ISSN: 1546-2250 Coyote's Guide to Connecting with Nature Young, Jan and Haas, Ellen and McGown, Evan (2010). Shelton, WA: OWLink Media; $34.95. ISBN 1579940250. Coyote's Guide to Connecting with Nature is a wonderful book and activity guide. The foreword is by Richard Louv, who brought to light the fact that many children suffer from nature-deficit disorder in his book, Last Child in the Woods. He notes simply and eloquently, “We need to restore the broken bond between children and nature. The status quo isn't working.” I loved Coyote's Guide because of its numerous suggestions for having fun in nature while learning about her magnificence. The section entitled, “How to Use This Book,” lays out a clear and succinct guide for those “who work with kids of all ages, from one to a hundred.” Part One is the Mentor's Manual, which lays out the principles of Coyote Mentoring. Part Two is the Activity Guide, which outlines games and other exercises that put the guide into practice. At the end of the book is a list of invaluable sources including a list of suggested readings and affiliated programs. As someone who has studied coyotes for more than four decades, I can see why these amazing and adaptable carnivores are a great model for getting everyone interested in what's “out there,” just waiting to be understood and appreciated. Coyotes are nature's most cunning and adaptable tricksters who frequently leave their comfort zones to see what's happening in their surroundings. To quote the authors, this book is titled as it is “because it entices each of us off our beaten path, to experiment with creative approaches, to do something different from what's generally being tried. Coyote goads us to be willing to have a true sense of play and abandon, knowing that this new, uncharted way will truly be the only way out.” I have also worked with children and youth as part of Jane Goodall's global Roots and Shoots programs (http://www.rootsandshoots.org/) and feel comfortable saying that if there ever was a book showing clearly how important it is to get out into nature that should be shared worldwide, this is the one. It is perfect for discussions and hands-on activities so that children and youth, as well as adults, can easily come to appreciate the world around us and expand our compassion footprint to include all other animals, plants, and various habitats. My own book, Kids & Nature: Drawings from the Hands and Hearts of Children and Youth—published with the help of the Children, Youth and Environments Center at the University of Colorado (Boulder)—shows how youngsters naturally connect with all aspects of nature. Children are curious naturalists and in many ways formal, classroom education dulls their senses unless they are afforded the opportunity to spend a good deal of time outdoors, exploring, 356 playing, and simply observing and absorbing the many gifts that nature offers, just like coyotes and other wild animals do. This experience has to be fun and informal—no textbooks or tests— and a good teacher and this book are wonderful guides for showing how the magnificent webs of nature are all around us every second of every day and how easy it is to enjoy them. Children and youth are ambassadors for the future. We must teach them well so they learn how to make the planet a more peaceful and compassionate place for animals and humans, and to keep their dreams alive in a challenging world. We all benefit and feel better when we treat other animals and nature well. By showing children the power of compassion and empathy as they connect with nature, we can also learn a lot from them. It is a two-way street filled with inspiration and hope. Read this book over and over again and share its important messages. As David Sobel notes on the cover, “This is nature education as it should be—mysterious, timeless, hopeful, evocative, and playful.” And, as Richard Louv writes, “this guide should become an essential resource for… anyone...