Nature in the Home

Christine Linge MacDonald is a Toronto-based freelance writer.

When rain prevents Jamey and Megan from going on a nature hike outdoors,
their father takes them on a nature walk through the house. They make a
game of figuring out the natural origins of each object they encounter,
from the blanket on the bed, to their mother’s silk nightgown, to the
plastic in a pen. Their discussions take them around the world and into
the past.

This small volume, suitable for small hands, dwells on one simple idea,
that nature is in everything. This simplicity is counterbalanced by the
importance of that single point. Suzuki’s text makes it clear that a
real appreciation of our connection to nature is essential to the
ecological welfare of the planet. Fernandes brings this point to life
with her bright and funny drawings. Her plants and animals, while
biologically accurate and diverse, are found sprouting from the
tabletops and romping through the refrigerator.

The author extends the book’s educational and entertainment value by
including a page-by-page catalogue of interesting items found in the
book, with brief descriptions of their origins in nature. The reader is
encouraged to “take another nature walk” through the book in search
of the listed objects.

Nature in the Home is most suitable for junior-grade children, and for
preschoolers, who, like Megan and Jamey, have an adult guide to assist
them. They will finish the book filled with a new sensitivity to the
nature around them. Highly recommended.