Review Detail

WILD GIRL: HOW TO HAVE INCREDIBLE OUTDOOR ADVENTURES is written by Helen Skelton, a veteran wild girl herself. In this part-autobiography, part-how-to guide, Skelton details the incredible feats she has conquered, such as solo-kayaking the Amazon River and biking to the South Pole. She shares the gear she used for each experience, explains her training, gives reflective accounts, and then suggests what readers can do if they too are seeking excitement. Skelton ends each section with a “Wild Girl Hall of Fame,” showcasing other fearless females who also have amazing accomplishments on their resumes.

As someone who likes to get active outdoors, I couldn’t wait to read this book. Skelton breaks her adventures into sections: Adventures in the Snow, Adventures on the Sand, Adventures on the Water, Adventures in the Mountains, Adventures in the Countryside, and Adventures in the City. I really appreciated this, because there’s an offer for everyone here. Beyond that, when she suggests what readers can do for fun in nature, she gives “Wild Adventure” options, such as kite-surfing, and “Extremely Wild Adventure” options, such as rock jumping. As someone who has a healthy dose of fear and reverence for the wilderness, I enjoyed perusing the less intense recommendations. I may not be a person who’s going to camp in a place without running water, but some readers might be excited to do that, which again shows how there’s something for everyone in this book.

I do wish the “Where to Go Wild” lists were lengthier and more curated, but that aside, this is a book that I want to hang on to, so that I can refer back to it when planning trips and vacations. It’s also a book that is coming at the perfect time. The more restricted we are right now with what we can do inside, such as the closure of gyms, movie theaters, restaurants, and stores, the more of a need there is to explore what we can do beyond that. I hope with this WILD GIRL book, readers will feel invigorated knowing that exploring the earth, even what is in our backyards, is the perfect way to cure boredom, exercise, and relax our minds.

Overall, Helen Skelton’s stories are incredibly inspiring and a great reminder that our mindset influences all that we do. She shows us that we have what we need within ourselves, and we just have to believe it. For that, WILD GIRL is a must-have for your shelf.