The outdoors inspires. Being Out There lends itself to creation, exploration, discovery, and sometime just the plain ol' accidental fun of getting lost in the woods and finding a whole new world. Never is this more evident and influential than to the curious and tireless mind of a kid. This book series celebrates those carefree moments in a fun and engaging presentation, with brother and sister main characters embarking on an adventure into a host of outdoor locales of different personalities, like a northern bog forest, high alpine mountains, coastal rainforest, or desert. Along the way they meet resident critters or perhaps a wise and storied local resident, and the kids learn about different habitats, life highlights of wildlife, the ins and outs of area flora, and much more. The story actively engages young readers with a tale of exploration and unique ways to learn and experience the place they're in, and the kids' own place within it all. A 'What We Learned' page closes the story, with some key moments and terms, and their definitions, readers might not have known before, along with some that stretch their knowledge base just enough to motivate them to discover the answers. This book invites and encourages kids to get out there and see the world around them, and provides an entertaining and effective approach to learning about what's right out the door.
Wisconsin native Steve Johnson is a lifelong fan of all things outdoors. He grew up roaming the northern lakes and forest regions of Minnesota and Wisconsin and spent his college years exploring high in the Colorado Rockies. Steve can usually be found somewhere outdoors and in tune with nature's finest. A regular contributor to Backpacker and regional magazines across the country, some of Steve's other work includes Minnesota Waterfalls, Loop Hikes Colorado, Bicycling Wisconsin, Mountain Biking Minnesota, Best Bike Rides of Minneapolis and St. Paul, and monthly outdoors columns for Wisconsin and Minneapolis publications. He currently lives and writes in southeastern Minnesota.
