Review Detail

Outside, You Notice

Kids Nonfiction 653

Spend an afternoon outdoors

October 12, 2022 (Updated: June 03, 2026)

Overall rating

4.0

Writing Style

4.0

Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)

3.0

Learning Value

5.0

What do YOU like to do outdoors? For readers who don't go outside much, this book provides a good template for structuring outdoors experiences, and for thos who love nature, this provides a lot of additional information about things to notice. From smells after the rain (caused by oils released from plants) to different kinds of edible flowers to the fact that earthworms have no teeth, there is plenty of new information to motivate you to go outside and really look at the world.

Good Points

Each two page spread shows a particular topic, illustrates it nicely, and provides several sidebars about specifics. The main text is usually just a sentence or two, and there are three or more note bubbles, which makes this book still a good choice for reading out loud. A list at the back of the book outlines the different areas of the outside world that are showcased, from a back yard to a Farmer's market.

The illustrations remind me a lot of the 1990s picture books my own children read, with colored pencil drawings supplemented with gouache, collage, and chalk pastel. The people in the pictures seem particularly of that era, but that might be because my daughters wore overalls and had braids like the girl on the cover. The pictures are brightly colored, with lots of green, and have plenty of details.

Playing outside and exploring the world is important for young children, so that they gain an understanding about the natural world and don't just stay inside playing computer games. While I haven't seen a book that is as instructive about observation as this is, it is agood companion to titles such as Schubert's Firsts and Lasts: The Changing Seasons, Giuliani's At the Sea and Holler's Finding Moose.