top of page

Get Outside!

  • Jul 5
  • 3 min read

Picture books can invite readers into the pages, but they can also be a launchpad for your own nature exploration! These delightful books and others invite readers to make their own summer outdoor adventures, whether your idea of an outdoor escape is simply slurping watermelon on the back patio or as grand as a multi-day canoeing trek on the Hudson River.




cover of the adventures of huckleberry finn. An illustration of a boy's face with a straw hat and a piece of straw in his mouth looking out at the reader.

Little Master Twain: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn: a Camping Primer by Jennifer Adams

(BB ADAMS)

The youngest adventurers can consider outdoor experiences like paddling on a river, sleeping in a tent, or leisurely floating on a raft.




The cover of the camping trip, illustrations of scenes from camping including packing a bag, roasting marshmallows on a fire, going for a hike, and standing in front of a tent.

The Camping Trip by Jennifer K. Mann

(PIC MANN)

Ernestine is setting out for her first camping trip with Aunt Jackie and cousin Samantha. In graphic novel-style panels, Ernestine faces each successive challenge of a camping trip – and discovers the joys of roasted marshmallows and shooting stars.



The cover of Hike, an illustration of two people climbing up the word HIKE, which takes up most of the cover, with drawings of hikers in each word

Hike by Pete Oswald

(PIC OSWALD)

In this wordless picture book, a father and son prepare for and embark on a day-long hiking adventure. They discover subtle signs of animal life and awe-inducing moments of drama, while pushing beyond the limits of their physical stamina and courage.



The cover of Fireworks, an illustration of the backs of two small children in the foreground who look up at a fireworks display that takes up the entire cover.

Fireworks by Matthew Burgess & illustrated by Cátia Chien

(PIC BURGESS)

In this colorful celebration of an urban summer day, two children splash in the water of a spraying hydrant, toss coins into a fountain, listen to a busker’s live music in the park, savor refreshing watermelon, and enjoy the explosive color of fireworks.



The cover of Pie is for Sharing. An illustration of kids sitting around a picnic table, all looking at a pie.

Pie is for Sharing by Stephanie Parsley Ledyard & illustrated by Jason Chin

(PIC LEDYARD)

A family enjoys an idyllic 4th of July community celebration, biking to a local park, sharing a group picnic, playing hide-and-seek, watching the culminating fireworks, and of course – sharing pie!



The cover of Ada and the Galaxies. An illustration of a girl sitting on an oversized mushroom, examining a mussel. She is surrounded by shells, roots, plants, insects, and stars.

Ada and the Galaxies by Alan Lightman & Olga Pastuchiv & illustrated by Susanna Chapman

(PIC LIGHTMAN)

Ada’s home is in New York City, but she heads to an island in Maine in the summer. In the day she explores the island’s rocks and ospreys, kayaking in the waves and building fairy houses on the shores, but she can’t wait to explore the vastness of the star-spattered night sky.



Cover of the book: When You Can Swim. A girl with googles on her forehead looks out at the reader with a wide-eyed, contented look. Three gold seals adorn the cover, denoting the book's awards: the Horn Book Fanfare Best Book, the Governor General's Literary Award, and the Marilyn Baillie Picture Book Award.

When You Can Swim by Jack Wong

(PIC WONG)

Possibilities abound for family swimming exploration – at ocean’s edge, in rock-filled creeks, atop lazy ponds, deep in dark lakes, and across challenging distances – when you can swim.



The cover of the book A Pocket Full of Rocks. An illustration of a boy who holds a pile of rocks and looks out at the reader.

A Pocket Full of Rocks by Kristin Mahoney & illustrated by E. B. Goodale

(PIC MAHONEY)

What can you do with a pocket full of nature? Children fill their pockets with treasures and explore all the things that a rock, a petal, a shell, or an acorn can become, in small moments of creative exploration throughout the year.



The cover of A Couple of Boys Have the Best Week Ever. Two boys wearing matching outfits and hats reach up to the sky and cheer.

A Couple of Boys Have the Best Week Ever by Marla Frazee

(PIC FRAZEE)

A boy and his bestie buddy visit his grandparents for a week away from home. They humorously hunt for ways to pass the time when they aren’t at nature camp: gobbling banana waffles, watching t.v., and playing video games, before eventually settling in for a moment of peaceful nature awe.



The cover of River. An illustration of a canoe in a river, seen from the perspective of a person sitting in the canoe.

River by Elisha Cooper

(PIC COOPER)

In this detailed picture book, a woman canoes from a quiet lake in upstate New York through rivers, rapids, and locks to reach the Atlantic Ocean. She checks out wildlife, berry bushes, bridges, and villages from a unique perspective, showing new ways to connect to familiar places.


Today’s blog post was written by Lisa, Youth Services Librarian at Rochester Hills Public Library.



bottom of page