A middle-grade-friendly introduction to flora of the Great Lakes Region, with outdoor activities, games and quizzes that make learning about nature fun! Great for families and educators.

Get dirty digging up roots. Crouch down to look closely at a carnivorous sundew dissolving a dragonfly. Make an elderberry concoction. Test your plant ID skills with a winter twig quiz. Make a soothing plantain salve to treat an itch. Learn which berries you can eat and which to avoid.

Time spent outdoors encourages children’s self-confidence and independence, increases attention span and physical well-being, and fosters care for the environment. With the increasing intrusion of technology into daily life, and the challenges of climate chaos, it has never been more essential for parents and educators to encourage kids to engage with the natural environment. Plants are everywhere, even in urban areas where parks, empty lots and backyards offer the opportunity to learn from and connect to nature.

Drawing on her years of experience as and outdoor educator, Philippa Joly features fifty richly illustrated plant profiles, including information on identification and ecology, cultural uses, and fun activities—all in a way that is accessible and interesting to readers of all ages.

Philippa Joly is a clinical and community herbalist, paramedic and outdoor educator. She runs an outdoor school for kids and leads workshops on herbal medicine, plant identification, ethical wildcrafting, herbal first aid, local healing plants and anticolonial approaches to wellness. Her first book, A Kid’s Guide to Plants of the Pacific Northwest won a Silver Medal in the Moonbeam Children’s Book Awards (2023), and was long-listed for the AAAS/Subaru SB&F Prize for Excellence in Science Books (2024). Joly lives on Denman Island, BC, with her plant-savvy daughter, Breah.

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