Disclosure: I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Do you have an explorer on your hands? You know the child who wants to be outside exploring everything. The kid who wants to check out nature, hike, fish, and more? Getting outdoors and trying some of these activities is an amazing summer theme, and I have an amazing book to share with you to help them try some of these activities with an adult or on his/her own. The book is Catch a Crayfish, Count the Stars by Steven Rinella. This book is recommended for ages 8 to 12. At the end of the post I will share even more resources for this summer theme!

About the Book:

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A hands-on, gloves-off, muddy-boots activity book for young adventurers ages eight and up, offering fun projects and adventures to build lifelong skills and knowledge about the natural world—from the host of MeatEater and author of The MeatEater Guide to Wilderness Skills and Survival

Does climbing a tree, building a bug hotel, spearing a bullfrog, stalking wild animals, and scouting for petrified wood sound more fun than homework or chores? If so, this guide is your perfect companion to endless summer days and rainy fall afternoons alike. Filled with advice, insights, and activities to inspire wonder and excitement about the natural world, Catch a Crayfish, Count the Stars is a curious kid’s treasure trove, filled to the brim with outdoor projects, skills, and adventures complete with illustrations. The book presents a ton of fun and exciting ways to explore the natural world, like

• building an outdoor exploration kit
• identifying constellations and navigating using the sun and stars
• collecting fossils and other geological wonders
• tracking animals and following weather patterns
• making your own compass
• growing your own fruits and vegetables
• building survival shelters and primitive hunting weapons
• fishing, hunting, and foraging for wild foods
• making cool art projects using natural materials

A must-have guide for budding naturalists, scientists, gardeners, anglers, foragers, and hunters, Catch a Crayfish, Count the Stars helps get kids out into nature, imparting lifelong knowledge and skills along the way.

From Me:

This book takes us back to a different time. It makes me think of the childhoods of my own time and before. When kids could explore in the woods and go fishing on their own. This book has a tutorial on how to scale a fish as well as fillet it. It gives specifics as to what to pack in your exploring backpack. It also has fun experiments and activities like making your own compass. Then there are also stories about people who did the various activities. For example, Harriet Tubman is featured in the starwatching section. The book also talks about things like hunting. All of the hunting is done for food. It has a recipe for squirrel noodle soup. It also shares survival skills like purifying or finding safe water, building structures, starting fires. Basically, this book is a guidebook on how to be a boy scout without the Boy Scouts.

As I read this book it reminded me of the era of Tom Sawyer or the movie "Stand by Me" from the 1980s. It is for the child who wants to explore and learn how to survive on his or her own in the woods. The book does not just focus on summer activities. There is a section on building a snow fortress. It goes into so many skills and amazing activities. I love all the details and ideas. It is the perfect answer to "I'm bored." If a kid cannot find something to do from this book, then they don't want to do anything.

Now I do need to warn you about the hunting. I know some parents will not want their kids to read about this or how to make their own bow or blow gun. It does have a section about becoming a deadeye (when shooting). If you are one of these families you may want to preview the book or have open discussions about your family's rules, morales, etc. There is a message in the beginning of the book for parents.

This book will help your little one become more independent but definitely should be read and used with some adult supervision. It is the perfect book for exploring the natural world and learning survival skills. It will definitely keep middle grade readers busy all summer and beyond. It does feature other things like foraging for food as well as gardening. It includes how to make pickles and how to cut down a Christmas tree. It really has a bit of everything that we imagine the pioneers needed to move across our land and develop our country. Happy exploring!

Outdoor Activities Resources:

We have shared different books for outdoor activities as well as some outdoor activities of our own over the years. Here are some of them (that are still available) from hiking, gardening, stargazing, and nature enthusiasm. Be sure to check out our Who's in the Backyard? Series for even more on the various creatures you may see in your own yard. All links take you to our reviews so you can learn more about the resources.