Our family loves to spend time outdoors. We love hiking and exploring new places, usually right in the middle of a wooded area. We know many families who enjoy doing the exact same thing, but I have to be honest about something.
Being wild and free, connecting with nature, and spending time outdoors, are all things that some people believe (even subconsciously) are typically reserved for those who do NOT look like me. The fact that I grew up in New York City only adds to the confusion as to why these types of activities are appealing to me. Usually, it’s people who DO look like me who are the most surprised.
There have been times when I’ve been ridiculed, even if only in a playful way, for wanting to go camping, rock climbing, or hiking through the National Parks. I have a feeling though, that if people met or understood my family, they might not be as surprised. Our nature-loving ways go way back — from the wild, edible plant-eating prowess of a French Antillean matriarch (my grandmother, and undoubtedly, generations of women before her), to a barefoot, farm-raised boy in the lush green landscape of Antigua (my dad).
My parents and the family lineage from which they come, are from the Caribbean islands. Growing up, the outdoors were just part of their everyday life. They had knowledge about natural things that wasn’t cultivated through formal study, but simply by way of experience: plants as food and medicine, natural resources, and local flora and fauna. Despite the fact that my parents raised two kids in New York City, the values and ways of being they had around nature were something that stuck with them.
We were raised in a real-life Metropolis, our very own concrete jungle. Nevertheless, my mother took many opportunities to immerse us in nature. She planted a garden in our tiny backyard, always so proud of every harvest, no matter how small or large. To this day, I only love beets and tomatoes that have an earthy taste because they remind me of that garden. I learned to spread seeds and pull weeds right alongside her while digging up earthworms and salamanders with my brother.
I also vividly remember us taking walks, and her pulling up mint leaves that grew out of the cracks at the side of non-busy roads. She wanted to be sure that I could identify them. We would take them home, wash them, and use them in tea. “Bush teas,” used as herbal remedies, are a long-time island tradition.
Then, there was the fact that she let us run wild in every patch of green trees she could find, most importantly, the patch right behind our house to which we lovingly referred as “the woods.” We did this up until the small plot of land suffered the same urban fate that mostly every other open space did in our neighborhood at the time. It was taken over by developers and crammed with a surprising amount of homes.
Looking back, that land that we called “the woods” was in actuality, very small. But to us, it was grand and magical. We would hop over the fence and at once be transported to a world where forts, villains, heroes, heroines, and whatever else our imaginations fancied, abounded.
As I got older, my fascination with nature and natural things only grew. I was truly in my element when, as a teacher in East Harlem of New York City, we brought the outdoors right inside our classroom. We had guinea pigs, lizards, and Madagascar hissing cockroaches as class pets. We hatched duck and chicken eggs in incubators right in our science area. We built a compost, filled it with earthworms, and the kids composted scraps they brought back upstairs from lunchtime in the cafeteria.
Indoor plants gracefully lined our library shelves. We did nature studies out on Randall’s Island. We even foraged through Central Park with Wildman Steve Brill. Then, there was the highlight of every school year, which was taking my class camping in the middle of nowhere. We loaded everyone up on a travel bus and ventured a few hours outside of the city. We did it twice a year and it was truly one of those trips that all the kids in our small school highly anticipated once they got to the older elementary grades.
The first night of the camping trip always proved to be the most memorable. That’s because, for many of the kids, it was their first experience of the sort. I loved hearing them talk about how noisy the woods were — animal sounds, crickets, wind…it kept many of them from sleeping through the night. We compared these sounds to the sounds of the city — cars honking, traffic rolling by, loud voices. During our campfire chats, the kids expressed that there was a comfort in both kinds of sounds and that sweet silence in any environment was only a conditioning of experienced ears and minds.
Scott Sampson in his book, How to Raise a Wild Child, asks an important question: “How can we deepen nature connections for children in urban settings, and radically expand the movement to transcend socioeconomic and ethnic boundaries?” Nature is all around us. It’s not just for “those” kids, in suburban or rural settings, with access to sprawling landscapes. We need to stop perpetuating that myth.
I think there is also this assumption that people who live in urban landscapes cannot study nature, or find it without traveling far from their homes. Yes, we need to see rich nature experiences like hiking and camping as open and available to all children, but we also need to stop looking at nature as separate from the locales in which we live.
Interestingly, I think that the suburban/rural myth as it relates to access to nature is largely perpetuated through literature. I’m going to go right ahead and say that there is a serious lack of black and brown characters in books that are set in nature, or books that are about spending time in nature. This lack exists even more so outside of an urban setting. I’m all for normalizing diversity in outdoor experiences and exploration.
In an effort to do that, one of the things we have done is to seek out picture books for our library that are set in nature and that feature black and brown faces. Like I mentioned before, there are not many when you compare with protagonists across all the literature of this type, but I do think the numbers are growing. I thought it might be helpful to highlight a few of our favorites. Perhaps you will identify a new one that you, too can add to your collection or seek out at your local library.
A Beach Tail by Karen Lynn Williams
This book is about a boy named Gregory who ends up on a beach adventure because he gets lost in his play. His nature finds along the way help to lead him back to his father at their blanket on the sand.
Hiking Day by Anne Rockwell
In this book, a little girl is excited because she is going to hike on Hickory Hill with her parents. They pack their gear, consult the map, and head out onto the trail, where nature’s beauty abounds.
The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats
Little Peter wakes up one morning to find snow on the ground. He goes outside to play and simply enjoys himself – crunching through snow, making snow angels, sliding down a hill. He returns home wet and content to tell his mother all about his adventures.
Over and Under the Pond by Kate Messner
This beautiful story explores the pond ecosystem below the water’s surface, while simultaneously telling the story of a young boy and his mom drifting along in a boat as they take notice of the wildlife above and around them.
Please don’t let stereotypes or myths about how you should spend your time or what you should enjoy, derail you from getting outdoors and pursuing quality time in nature. Let’s seek out diversity in this area of life as well as others. Sometimes, people who are unfamiliar with an experience need only to be invited before they give something new a try. Recognize that nature is quite literally everywhere and that all we must simply do is notice.
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I am editing this post to add 30 more titles. Although I wouldn’t necessarily say that all 30 of them are favorites of ours (as were the books mentioned in the original post), we have definitely enjoyed most of these and I believe that they are all worth mentioning as titles that feature people of color out in nature.
The African Orchestra by Wendy Hartmann
This poetry book is about the sounds of nature. It carries the idea that these sounds have become a part of African music. Watercolor illustrations beautifully depict each scene.
Baby Bear's Adoption by Jennifer Keats Curtis
Braden and his sister Finley spend a day out in nature getting firsthand experience of the work of their dad, who is a wildlife biologist. They get to witness what he and his team do to help orphaned black bears. This multiracial family spends time in the woods doing rescue work based on a real-life program in Michigan. It is possible that like the baby bear, the children are adopted too.
Bea's Bees by Katherine Pryor
A girl named Beatrix takes a special interest in the bees she notices nesting in the trees as she walks through the park. When they disappear, she is inspired to research and find out more about how to protect them. She recruits help from many others to bring them back.
The Boy Who Grew a Forest by Sophia Gholz
This is based on the true story of Jadav “Molai” Payeng, a boy in northeastern India who began planting trees to save his home after he saw it being destroyed by floodwaters. The Molai forest has grown over years to become over 1300 acres.
The Camping Trip by Jennifer K. Mann
A little girl named Ernestine is invited by her aunt and cousin to go camping with them for the weekend. It is a very different experience for Ernestine and her family is happy to have her along. My kids loved to see the cousins having a great time even though one was a little out of her element.
Charlotte & the Quiet Place by Deborah Sosin
Charlotte lives in New York City where everything is loud all of the time. Around her neighborhood, at school, or at home, it is difficult for her to find relief from the noise. Through an experience in a park, out in nature, she is able to center herself and find that the quiet place was inside her all along.
The Collectors by Alice Feagan
Friends Rosie and Winslow are young naturalists who adventure out to find something to complete their impressive collection of nature treasures they have on display in their treehouse. Their journey leads them right back to their collection. They discover something they hadn’t seen that had been there the whole time.
Daniel Finds a Poem by Micha Archer
After seeing a sign advertising poetry in the park, a little boy Daniel goes on a search for an answer to the question “What is poetry?” He asks different animals he finds in nature and their poetic responses help him to realize that he finally understands what it is.
Green on Green by Dianne White
Through the changing colors of the seasons, this lyrical story show’s a family journey through time right along with nature.
Goodbye Autumn, Hello Winter by Kenard Pak
Two siblings have a conversation with nature while on various nature walks. They are around their home and pass through town noticing all the changes as it becomes winter.
Goodbye Summer, Hello Autumn by Kenard Pak
A young girl takes a walk, taking in all of the subtle changes in nature signaling the end of summer and the beginning of fall. She has a conversation with all she encounters and nature responds.
Hank's Big Day: The Story of a Bug by Evan Kuhlman
This is actually the story of Hank the pill bug and how he spends his day. He eventually meets up with his best friend Amelia, a little girl who plays in her yard with him in a pretend world full of childhood adventure. The story uses colorful language and charming depictions of nature from a bug’s perspective.
Harlem Grown by Tony Hillery
In New York City’s Harlem neighborhood, a schoolteacher named Mr. Tony gathers the help of the community to help transform a vacant lot into a garden. With the help of Navaeh and her friends, they create a thriving farm and provide food for many. Tony Hillery, the author is the founder and director of Harlem Grown, an organization that provides support, education, and mentorship as they maintain multiple farm sites.
The Hike by Alison Farrell
Three friends, Wren, El, and Hattie, adventure through the forest with Bean the dog. All three are clearly nature enthusiasts and not only are we taken along with them on a hike, but we are treated to all kinds of facts on the way. We even get glimpses of Wren’s nature journal.
Hike by Pete Oswald
This book is a wordless story about a father and child spending the day out hiking. The illustrations are so detailed and rich that words are not even necessary. The story moves along seamlessly and there is so much to experience along with these characters — out in nature and even heading back home for the evening.
No One But You by Douglas Wood
Through stunning illustrations, this book shows a diverse range of children experiencing nature, each in their own unique manner. This book really pulls you in a sensory way.
The Not-So Great Outdoors by Madeline Kloepper
At first, a young girl is reluctant to spend time camping in the great outdoors with her family. She doesn’t realize how fun it could be and how much there is to experience. She has a change of heart after seeing some bears and she becomes aware of how much she has been missing.
Over and Under the Rainforest by Kate Messner
Readers adventure with Tito and a child through a Central American rainforest. Through stunning illustrations, we meet animals and plants of different varieties as we experience the rainforest from up high and down low.
Ruby's Birds by Mya Thompson
Ruby heads to Central Park with Eva, her neighbor from Costa Rica. Together, they bird-watch and spot a songbird. Ruby, who loves to sing herself, is thrilled to return to this New York City park with her family to show them the amazing birds.
Somewhere a Bell is Ringing by Barbara Nye
Told through rhyme, this book just screams bedtime story. It is not the story of one person or one family, but more of a compilation showing how people all around the world are connected to the earth.
Sonya's Chickens by Phoebe Wahl
As a part of a family that lives on a farm, Sonya is responsible for tending to the new chickens. She is heartbroken when a fox gets to one of the chickens but her father helps her to understand why it happened. This is a multiracial family that shares tender moments together throughout this vibrantly illustrated story.
A Stone for Sascha by Aaron Becker
We are not strangers to author Aaron Becker’s style of wordless adventure story. However, I had to read this one a few times to grasp the deeper meaning. Parts of the story are set in nature, namely, the beginning which portrays a young girl and her family burying what we can assume is their family dog. They head to the beach where the story takes another turn weaving in historical depictions that show the interconnectedness of time.
Swimming with Seals by Maggie de Vries
Ally, who lives with her grandmother and great-aunt, goes on her yearly trip to visit her aunt and uncle in the same place that her mother, who she doesn’t see much, lives. They spend time out on the ocean exploring and Ally asks many questions about her mother, who she is happy to discover has a love for the ocean as well. The scene depictions in this book are an interesting style of illustration laid over photography. It features a family which united its members possibly by way of adoption.
Ten Ways to Hear Snow by Cathy Camper
Although this book doesn’t only take place in nature, it shows a young girl, Lina traveling through the snow to see her grandmother, Sitti. She wants to check on her and also make warak enab, stuffed grape leaves together. Along the way, she notices different ways of hearing snow and gets to repeat this with her grandmother at the end.
The Thing About Bees: A Love Letter by Shabazz Larkin
This is a sweet story, a guide, a tribute, poetry, and a love letter all wrapped up in one. The author wrote this book because of a fear of bees and a belief that understanding more about them would help combat his fear. The story is told in a fun way with much creative style.
Water is Water: A Book About the Water Cycle by Miranda Paul
This book captures a child’s different observations about water in different outdoor settings. Water is moving and changing along with the beautifully depicted scenes throughout the story. It is also worth noting that the family is multiracial and the children have a diverse set of friends.
A Way With Wild Things by Larissa Theule
Poppy Ann Fields has got a way with wild things, as her grandmother knows well. She is more at ease with nature’s beauty, including creatures and plants, than she is around people. But she knows that she is not a wallflower, she is a wildflower.
We Are Brothers by Yves Nadon
This is a sweet story about two brothers who visit their family’s lake house every summer. The younger brother looks up to his older brother, who is brave enough to jump from the big rock. He finds the courage to do it too, drawing strength from his brother and friend.
When the Snow Falls by Linda Booth Sweeney
I’m a sucker for adventures in books that include grandparents. This is a sweet story unraveling a joyous day of playing in the snow — on their farm, in the woods, in town, and through a neighborhood. It is written in rhyme in a well-done way. The language is rich and original. Lastly, this family is multiracial and that was depicted beautifully through the illustrations.
Where's Rodney by Carmen Bogan
Rodney is a boy who would rather be outdoors than inside. When his class goes on a trip to a park, he is elated to find that it is not the tiny park from his neighborhood, but a majestic park with much to see and explore. This book is wonderfully illustrated by Floyd Cooper.
I have about five more titles that I might be adding to this list, but I’m not quite ready yet. All of the books listed here are ones I have physically held with my own hands and have read together with my kids, so I am waiting until that can happen first. I will make updates when possible.
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I see some favorites of ours on this list. What a fabulous resource! I’m excited to checking out some new titles. Thank you for sharing your story.
My pleasure, Betsy! I’m glad you were able to find some new titles!
We’ve read about half of these and they were so beautiful, definitely motivated to check out the other half! Thanks!
You are so welcome, Amy!
We loved Hiking Day! And The Snowy Day, OF COURSE. I had not thought of that as an urban nature book but it really is! I also loved Sampson’s book – took lots of notes. I love how your mother cultivated and facilitated experiences with nature in the city! She was way ahead of Sampson!
Yes! It’s true, it really is an urban nature book! Sampson’s book was a great read. I am so grateful for how my mom helped us to see nature’s beauty.
I love the beach, not the beach that we know in the states, the beach from a Caribbean island. My most fondest memory is from the beach in Christiansted, Saint Croix. Our father would go scuba diving and fish for octopus, Conch and lots of delicacies. My sister and I learned to fish at a early age. We didn’t have fancy reels we had a stick with nylon thread tied to it and a single hook We would sit on the dock and fish like crazy. These experiences taught us how to be innovative, sort out problems, and improvise. We learned about sandbars, sea life and respect for the deep waters.
Ellie, I love how those are still fond memories that you hold onto. I think those kinds of lessons learned outdoors are some of the best kind!
Leslie, this is well-written and a true look into who you are. It is also a subject near and dear to my heart. Even more now as a mother. Thank you for expressing this so well from your own story. It encourages me that what I have been observing isn’t a mirage. You see it too. The serenely beautiful land and water scapes of my childhood have called me to linger and explore all my life though my family didn’t share the same tendency, but it is still true today that when I visit home I see very few brown faces like me wandering and wondering. And even here where I live now, I see too few out exploring the trails like us. It is tiring. But it’s been good for us and the others (from all backgrounds) we invite to join us in the wild, fresh air. Like you said, it only takes someone with a new view to come alongside and invite another in so they can see too. Let’s turn this myth on its head. Thanks for saying what needs to be said. Can’t wait to jump into these books with my sons!
Bria, I’m so glad that this resonated with you. I’d love to see more people from all backgrounds embracing nature too. I hope you enjoy the books!