How the Forest Feels: ­Sensory Play Nature’s Way

Gr 1-3–A grandfather and child set out for a walk on a fall day, experiencing the forest through touch. A video game is reluctantly left behind as a young boy follows his grandfather outside on a fall day. The boy’s initial hesitance and dour expression gradually give way to wonder as young and old walk through a field of thistles and reeds, see pine cones and small animals, and splash ­barefoot in a creek. By the time night comes, the boy falls asleep with a smile and a collection of small natural treasures on his bedside table. Rhyming couplets capture the journey, while beautifully descriptive language—from “feathered and fluffy” to “gnarled and knobbed”—complement the softly colored illustrations. There is just enough white space for the text to flow and sometimes curl above and below the text. This is an ideal read-aloud for a lesson on adjectives, especially when paired with an outdoor nature walk or indoor look at a collection of small natural objects. Characters present as white. The book includes author’s notes on the five senses and suggestions for sensory activities children can try.