I was so excited when I read that You Are Here was entering the world. If you love poetry about the natural world, then you must pick up a copy of this stunning collection of poetry. Poet Laureate Ada Limón edited the collection. There are too many contributing poets to name, but here are a few of my favorites: Ellen Bass, Joy Harjo, Diane Seuss, Dorianne Laux, Carolyn Forché, and Aimee Nezhukumatathil. Our natural world has changed from one of pastoral beauty to a world that is rapidly changing. These poems beautifully help the read find footing in today's natural world. I highly recommend picking up a copy. You will delight in the poetry.

In The Heat Will Kill You First, Jeff Goodell, the same author of the previous book on the list, takes a deep dive at the damage extreme heat will have in a continually warming world. This one hit home for me, because I live in a place that has seen longer and hotter summers. The book takes the reader through the ill effects heat has on living organisms, like humans. It also examines wildfires and other consequences of a warmer planet. It’s scary to think about, but it will make you start thinking about how to stay healthy in extreme heat.

If you are looking with a book that will help you connect more deeply with nature, you might want to check out Rewilding: Meditations, Practices, and Skills for Awakening in Nature. The author, Micah Mortali, is the founder of the Kripalu School of Mindful Outdoor Leadership. The book centers on humans as inherently wild and walks the reader through how to reconnect with nature. There are meditations and a bit of yoga and breathing. He weaves in some wilderness skills, like how to start a fire, along with how to spiritually connect with nature. Equal parts guidance and celebration of spirit and nature, the book is a great read for those wanting to find your inner wildness.

I could write a huge list of superlatives about An Immense World. It’s stunning, fascinating, remarkable, unique, and completely engaging. Ed Yong is a writer for the Atlantic and man is he brilliant. His writing is superb. In this book, he takes us inside the umwelt of numerous animals to help us understand what it might be like to sense the world as that animal. Every chapter will teach you things you likely have never even pondered about animals. The chapter about bats and echolocation is absolutely mind blowing. If you love animals and want to understand them better, this book is a must-read.

Carl Safina is one of my all-time favorite authors. He hooked me years ago with his book, The View from Lazy Point, and I’ve been trying to read everything he’s ever written. Beyond Words is an up-close look at the lives of elephants and whales, and I promise you that you will look at both differently after reading this book. If you’ve ever heard the rumor that killer whales can read minds, you will love the deep dive Safina takes about the behaviors of orcas. The reader will come away with a better understanding of how animals think and feel. There is also a middle-grade reader, if you want to share these ideas with a young reader. It's called, Beyond Words: What Elephants and Whales Think and Feel. 

’ve always gotten a kick out of the Worst-Case Scenario books. They are chock-full of great information presented in an interesting and engaging read. This book looks at extreme situations and gives you step-by-step information about how to emerge from these situations unscathed. I mean, you never know when you might need to escape from quicksand or land an airplane. If you, too, enjoy being prepared for nearly any situation, check this one out for sure.

Your Brain on Nature takes a look at the evolving neuroscience and research on how human brains respond to immersion in nature. Spoiler alert: being in nature does really good things to your brain. This book is for those who want more solid science to understand why nature makes us feel better. It takes a look at studies that show benefits such as lower blood pressure, and reduction in stress hormones.

Paul Stamets is the OG mushroom guy. He’s been studying and writing about mushrooms for eons, and this book has been around for nearly 20 years. Mycelium Running: How Mushrooms Can Help Save the World is a deep look in the magic and mystery of mushrooms. If you are looking for a one-stop-shop kinda book with information about the nature of mushrooms as well as how to propagate fungi, this book is a good one to start with. It will give you a solid foundation for all of your mushroom endeavors.

Rooted has been called a meditation on how to deepen your connection to the natural world. The subtitle, “Life at the Crossroads of Science, Nature, and Spirit” sums up the gist of the book. The book examines the science of nature’s benefits to humans, but it also looks at ways you can better connect with nature to bring you benefits. There are many doom and gloom books about the climate; this book is not one of them. It will give you hope and inspiration.

This book is a novel, but I loved the unique way the author channeled the thoughts of an octopus and then wrote from his point of view. This novel is heart-warming and follows a widow who takes a job at a local aquarium after the death of her husband. But, she’s had some other trauma in her life and her buddy Marcellus, a giant Pacific octopus, helps her solve some mysteries. Remarkably Bright Creatures   will make you take a look at your own life and the inevitability of death in a non-threatening way. I loved the book and felt like I learned a bit more about octopi, even if it was through fiction.

Butterflies are beautiful. I mean, who doesn't love to see butterflies?! This handy field guide, Butterflies of the Northeast,  is super small and easy to tuck into a backpack for identifying butterflies and moths commonly found in the Northeastern part of the county. The publisher, AdventureKeen, publishes a ton of these handy and beautiful field guides for the entire country. AdventureKeen is also my publisher, so I'm a bit biased. But I do love a handy little field guide, and these are just perfect. I've got the guide for spiders and wildflowers, too. 

The Serviceberry: Abundance and Reciprocity in the Natural World, is the latest read from Indigenous author, Robin Wall Kimmerer. It's a petite book, which means you need to savor it as you read. The chapters are short, perfect to read one a day and reflect on. The focus of this book is the idea of reciprocity and not always taking from the natural world, but creating systems of reciprocity. Highly recommend!

If you start dabbling in nature journaling or botanical drawing, an easy next step might be to try watercolors. I enjoy creating with watercolors as the medium. And Watercolor in Nature makes it easy and approachable to begin capturing wildlife and landscapes with watercolors. The book is great for beginners. Author Rosalie Haizlett starts off by providing a detailed list of materials you’ll need to get started with watercolors. She then provides a variety of projects to try, including ink and watercolor projects as well as just watercolors. From mushrooms, snails, and caterpillars, to leaves and flowers, you’ll know exactly how to get started and the steps to take to create a finished work of art.

On the Move is a deep dive into how climate change is already and will continue to force people to move from their homes. There's a ton of great data and information in this book presented in engaging prose. It's unsettling to read about places that have already experienced catastrophic climate events. But as the planet continues to heat, more and more people will be forced to relocate to more habitable places. Lustgarten breaks it all down in this timely book that everyone should read.

The Water Will Come opens with a startling image. It takes us to a future time when Miami Beach is completely under water due to sea level rise. The scariest part of the book is that sunny day flooding is already happening in Miami and other low-lying coastal areas. The book walks the reader through scenarios and looks at what will happen when, not if, the water comes. Warning: It can be anxiety-inducing to read, but it’s a realistic look at how water systems will react in a continually warming planet.

Suzanne Simard is the scientist who discovered that trees can actually communicate with one another through underground fungal networks, aka the wood wide web. Many of her male colleagues looked down on her work until she gathered the scientific data to show that she was, in fact, correct. Finding the Mother Tree details her story of the discovery and the magic of the mother tree.

Braiding Sweetgrass is a super popular book by indigenous writer, Robin Wall Kimmerer. Kimmerer is a botanist, a professor, and a member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation. She draws on her knowledge as a scientists and her indigenous wisdom to weave stories about what plants and animals can teach us. The central thread of the book is sweetgrass, a holy plant to indigenous peoples. To celebrate its 40th anniversary, the publisher of the book, Milkweed Editions, issued a beautiful hardcover edition of Braiding Sweetgrass that has been updated with a new introduction and several new illustrations. I feel like I see references to Braiding Sweetgrass everywhere these days. This book is a must-read for everyone. Robin Wall Kimmerer is brilliant in her writing and storytelling. Braiding Sweetgrass is like a warm hug that will nurture you and help you feel better about the state of the world, just knowing that books like this exist. It examines what other living beings can teach us about life. And when we learn how to listen to other beings, then we better understand the Earth and our place in it.

As previously mentioned, I love author Carl Safina. I just finished reading his latest book, Alfie & Me. During the pandemic, he and his wife rescued a little baby owl that they named Alfie. They weren’t even sure the owlet would survive, but she did and Safina brings us all along for the journey. Safina also takes a deep dive into philosophy and how we humans have come to view our place in the world. Safina’s prose is delightful as we follow his interactions with the little screech owl that will steal your heart. Highly recommended!

I love this book. Let’s just say that my brain is prone to catastrophic thinking, and How to Prepare for Climate Change calms my fears. I can literally envision the consequences of a warming world and it creeps me out regularly. I’m no prepper, but I like to be prepared for potential calamity. This book will help you prepare. It takes a look at climate change in very practical ways, from the best places to live to how to prepare a “go bag,” for when bad things happen. If you saw the movie or read the book, Leave the World Behind, this book will help calm your nerves and prepare. The information is presented in a very simple and engaging way and makes you feel a teeny shred of control.

As the subtitle suggests, The Nature Fix: Why Nature Makes us Happier, Healthier, and More Creative, is an investigation into how nature makes us happier, healthier, and more creative. I bought this book looking for creative inspiration and it certainly delivered. The author delves into the science about why nature makes us feel good. It will make you put down your phone, turn off your computer, and head outside for a walk in the woods.

If you watched the documentary Fantastic Fungi on Netflix and are looking for more, then the book Fantastic Fungi: How Mushrooms Can Heal, Shift Consciousness, and Save the Planet might fill in anything not covered in the film. Paul Stamets is the editor of the collection of essays that cover all the myriad aspects and benefits of mushrooms. Other contributors include: Eugenia Bone, Suzanne Simard, and Andrew Weil.

Erin Benzakein made me fall head over heels in love with growing flowers. She is a flower farmer in Washington State and has a robust social media following. Benzakein harnesses her vast amount of knowledge and pairs it with stunning color photos of her beautiful flowers. I bought A Year in Flowers first and loved it so much that I bought Cut Flower Garden. There are practical tips for growing flowers for cutting even if you are not planning to become a flower farmer. These books are just gorgeous to look at, but I bet they will inspire you to start growing more flowers.

I love signing up for tree tours. If you’ve never been on one, you should check to see if your local arboretum offers them. On one of these tours I asked the arborists what book he loves about trees. And his answer was The Tree Book. It’s mammoth, like a giant textbook. It is so beautiful and informative. The photos alone are worth the price tag. The information is top-notch and will help you better understand where to plant trees in your yard and neighborhood. The book examines the benefits of the different trees and how they fit into landscapes, streetscapes, and gardens. I kind of love just flipping through it and picking a species to learn about.

I am slightly obsessed with moss. I love hiking in places where moss is abundant. If you are like me and love to take deep dives into learning every little bit of information about plants and animals, this field guide, Common Mosses of the Northeast and Appalachians, will help you better understand what you are looking at when you encounter moss. It's got stunning photos that give you close-up views of these mosses. I also love all of the information about where each is commonly found. If you love to pet moss in the forest, this is a great guide book to help you connect more deeply with your moss friends.

I stumbled upon Your Brain on Art in a little independent bookstore. I was drawn in immediately by the vibrant cover. And, not to judge a book by its cover, but it sucked me in. This book introduces the concept of neuro arts and looks specifically at how art is good for our brains. The reason I include the book here is because there are numerous instances where the authors discuss how the beauty of nature can also help and heal our brains. I loved this book and highly recommend it to anyone who is interested in learning more about how great engaging in art and nature is for our brains.

I absolutely loved The Light Eaters. The title alone is fascinating when you think about the fact that plants essentially eat light and make food from it. You will never look at plants the same way after reading this book. Schlanger's prose is beautiful as she weaves stories of plants that are mesmerizing. My main conclusion after reading this book is that humans have been underestimating plants forever and it's time for us to look at and give them the respect they deserve. If you are a plant lover, this book is a must-read. If you aren't yet a plant lover, I bet you will become one after reading this fantastic book. 

I am a big fan of bugs. I know they can be pesky (mosquitos!), but they are literally responsible for the food we eat each day. Without pollinators, we would have no coffee, no fruit, no veggies. We, you and I, are their best hope these insects have for living and continuing to provide humans benefits. That’s the gist of Nature’s Best Hope: A New Approach to Conservation that Starts in Your Yard. Author Douglas Tallamy is a professor of entomology and wildlife ecology at the University of Delaware, and he often writes about how important our yards are to the greater health of the planet….which is where plants come in. Our job is to nourish native insects and animals by planting the plants that feed them. He’s a huge proponent of native plants in landscapes and argues that if we all treated our yards as if they were national parks, we would support so much more wildlife. His other books include Bringing Nature Home and  The Nature of Oaks.  I highly recommend all of his books.

The Sixth Extinction is a must-read if you fully want to understand how climate change is impacting organisms on a grand scale across the globe. Author Elizabeth Kolbert takes the reader on a journey through previous mass extinctions and looks at how they compare to modern times. She argues that we are currently undergoing a 6th mass extinction and that humans are the cause. It’s a dark read, but it really made me want to know and understand more. The writing takes complicated scientific ideas and presents them in accessible prose.

After I read this book, I started calling my beloved pet basset hound a “smart wolf.” And, if you read Our Wild Calling, you may start doing the same to your dog. You’ll learn how all dogs are descended from wolves and how freaking smart they are. You’ll also meet and learn about the wild wolves living in and near Yellowstone National Park. Louv is the author who wrote the famous Last Child in the Woods, and has been helping to connect humans and nature ever since. The Nature Principle is another Louv book about how to turn our electronics off and reconnect with the natural world.

Rooted has been called a meditation on how to deepen your connection to the natural world. The subtitle, “Life at the Crossroads of Science, Nature, and Spirit” sums up the gist of the book. The book examines the science of nature’s benefits to humans, but it also looks at ways you can better connect with nature to bring you benefits. There are many doom and gloom books about the climate; this book is not one of them. It will give you hope and inspiration.

Another amazing Carl Safina read, Becoming Wild, will really make you reconsider what you thought you knew about animals. This book will give you new ways to think about animals, their families, and their behaviors. The stories Safina tells to illustrate his scientific ideas are lovely and will touch your heart. 

The Uninhabitable Earth is a pretty scary book to read about what may be in store for us as the planet continues to warm. Sea-level rise, food shortages, and increases in conflict are just the beginning. This book takes a deep dive at the geopolitical ramifications of climate change. It is a harbinger of what could be in store for us if we can’t control the amount of greenhouse gasses entering the atmosphere. It’s definitely worth the read and takes a big-picture look at climate change across the planet.

Forest Bathing: How Trees Can Help You Find Health and Happiness has been called the definitive guide to Forest Bathing. It digs deep into the science behind forest bathing and the myriad benefits it can offer humans. You’ll learn all about phytoncides, which plants release and we breathe in. Being around trees can improve your mental health and your body’s ability to fight sickness. It’s an overall great read and will inspire you to spend a lot more time in the woods.

If you are an extreme lover of lavender like I am, then you need The Lavender Companion. The book is gorgeous, with vibrant colorful photos of lavender and lavender-filled landscapes. I'm a big fan of books from Storey Publishing for their practicality. But this books is both practical and beautiful. The book has information about growing lavender, as well as the many, many uses for this amazing herb. The authors detail the many different kinds of lavender as well as their uses in wellness and cooking. There are tons of useful recipes to make things like lavender tea,  bath bombs, and a variety of culinary uses. If you love lavender, definitely grab a copy of this lovely book.

The Sibley Guide to Trees is my go-to tree identification book. It’s gorgeous. David Sibley is such a gifted artist. The entries for the trees will help you identify trees from their leaves, seeds, bark, and structure. There are also maps that show where geographically the tree can be found in the wild. It’s a hefty book, brimming with awesome information about trees.

The Overstory is a novel by Richard Powers and while it’s not a “tree” book in the same sense as the others, the overstory and what connects all the characters are trees. The story follows several characters through their battles to save old growth forests from being chopped down. The book draws on real life stories surrounding the early days of the Earth First! movement in the United States. Powers won a Pulitzer Prize for fiction in 2019.

I was assigned to read What the Robin Knows as part of my training to become a Mindful Outdoor Guide through the Kripalu Center for Yoga & Wellness. If you are interested in learning more about bird song and behavior when you look outside your window, then this book is for you. There are also some links in the book where you can go online and actually listen to what author Jon Young is referring to in the writing. Whether you live in the city, suburbs, or country, you'll no doubt learning something knew about your avian neighbors. 

I have always been drawn to art, pun intended. I have taken a few beginner botanical drawing classes and find the practice of drawing from direct observation very calming and enjoyable. But I am also a huge fan of bugs and insects. So, when I saw The Insect Artist hit the market, I snatched it up right away. The book focuses specifically on how to draw butterflies, bees, and other insects. Maybe if more of us draw their beauty people might not be so quick to squish them on sight.