Families looking for an inspiring new children’s book should keep an eye on Dr. Karra to the Rescue, releasing June 16th. This engaging nonfiction title introduces young readers to the world of wildlife rescue, veterinary medicine, and animal conservation through the real-life work of a wildlife veterinarian.
Written by Christy Gove, Dr. Karra to the Rescue follows Dr. Karra, a veterinarian at the Wildlife Center of Virginia, as she treats injured wild animals and helps them heal. The book is designed to capture the attention of children who love animals while also teaching them about science, compassion, and environmental responsibility.
What is Dr. Karra to the Rescue about?
Dr. Karra to the Rescue is a children’s nonfiction picture book centered on the rescue and care of wild animals. Through a series of real cases, young readers see how Dr. Karra responds when animals are hurt and need expert care. The book features several animal patients, including:
a baby opossum attacked by a dog
a young owl suffering from lead poisoning
a turtle hit by a car
a robin injured by a cat
a ring-necked snake caught on a glue trap
Each story gives readers a close-up look at the challenges wild animals face and the important role wildlife veterinarians play in helping them survive.
More Than a Story: What Young Readers Will Learn
This title offers more than animal stories. It gives children a clear, age-appropriate introduction to:
what a wildlife veterinarian does
how injured wild animals are treated
why wildlife conservation matters
how human actions can affect animals and habitats
how young readers can become more aware of the natural world
Because the stories are based on real events and connected to the work of the Wildlife Center of Virginia, the book has strong educational value. At the same time, its storytelling approach keeps the reading experience warm, accessible, and memorable.
Why Parents, Teachers, and Librarians Will Love This Book
Dr. Karra to the Rescue is especially well suited for families, educators, and librarians seeking children’s books about animals, STEM books for kids, or books about veterinarians and wildlife rescue. It combines real science with emotional storytelling, making it a strong fit for classroom discussions, library displays, homeschool reading lists, and summer reading recommendations.
The book may be especially appealing to children who dream of working with animals one day. By presenting wildlife medicine in a relatable and inspiring way, it helps young readers imagine how they, too, might make a difference.
With its blend of true animal rescue stories, educational content, and heart, Dr. Karra to the Rescue is positioned to connect with readers looking for books that entertain while also teaching empathy and care for the natural world.
About the Author: Christy Gove
Christy Gove began writing children’s nonfiction after an eagle rescue at her parents’ cabin inspired her debut book, Esther the Eaglet. Since then, she has focused on sharing true stories of injured wildlife, the people who care for them, and the lessons they teach about stewardship.
She works closely with wildlife professionals, including those at the Wildlife Center of Virginia, to create books that are both accurate and engaging for young readers. Through her books and events, she encourages children to see themselves as helpers and protectors of the natural world.
Christy is the author of six books, including Maggie the One-Eyed Peregrine Falcon, Greta the Great Horned Owl, Bailey the Bear Needs Help!, and Dr. Karra to the Rescue.
Grizzly Narrows is the sixth book in a mystery series that blends wilderness suspense, personal stakes, and a relentless manhunt. For readers searching for a new mystery release with atmospheric writing and outdoors danger, this upcoming novel stands out as a strong contender.
Set in the remote Northwoods, Grizzly Narrows begins with a violent prison escape that puts a deadly plan in motion. A vengeful fugitive is headed toward Sam Rivers, an experienced outdoors lawman whose past has left behind enemies determined to settle old scores. As the threat draws closer, the novel expands beyond a straightforward pursuit story. It becomes a high-stakes mystery about family, justice, revenge, and survival in a landscape where isolation can be as dangerous as the people moving through it.
Why It Will Appeal to Fans of William Kent Krueger and C.J. Box
Readers who enjoy books by William Kent Krueger and C.J. Box may find a lot to admire in Grizzly Narrows. The novel combines a vivid sense of place, emotional weight, and character-driven suspense with nature, law-enforcement tension, and a gripping survival element. Like the strongest wilderness mysteries, it treats the natural setting as more than scenery—the forests, lakes, and remote terrain influence every decision, heighten the danger, and deepen the atmosphere. At the same time, the story carries a rugged realism, pairing a credible investigative thread with a villain whose presence drives the plot from the opening pages. The result is a mystery thriller that should appeal to those who enjoy dangerous terrain, determined protagonists, and escalating stakes.
A Strong Entry Point for New Readers
Although Grizzly Narrows is the sixth book in the mystery series, it also works well as an entry point for readers who have not yet encountered the character of Sam Rivers. Longtime series readers may appreciate the returning relationships and deeper backstory, but newcomers can still step in without difficulty. The central conflict is immediate, the stakes are clear, and the suspense begins early. That makes Grizzly Narrows an appealing option for anyone.
The novel offers:
a compelling Northwoods setting
a revenge-driven central conflict
an outdoors lawman at the center of the action
standalone readability within an ongoing series
suspense rooted in both landscape and character
Grizzly Narrows arrives as a mystery thriller built for readers who want atmosphere, danger, and a story with both momentum and heart.Find it wherever books are sold on June 9, 2026.
If you think of great American road trips (and we love road trips), your mind probably jumps to Route 66 or the Pacific Coast Highway. But there’s another drive that quietly rivals them both—444 billboard‑free miles of history, mounds, battlefields, and deep Southern landscapes: the Natchez Trace Parkway.
The new Guide to the Natchez Trace reveals just how much story is hidden in this deceptively gentle two‑lane road. Far from being just a pretty drive, the Trace is what the authors call a “ribbon of time,” threading together Indigenous civilizations, European empires, frontier traders, Civil War armies, and today’s cyclists and RV travelers.
Here are three powerful historical glimpses from the guide—each one a reminder that when you roll your tires along the Trace, you’re literally driving across millennia.
Milepost 10.3
1. A Ceremonial City on a Hill: Emerald Mound
Just 10 miles from the southern end of the Parkway, an unassuming turnoff leads to one of the most extraordinary Indigenous sites in North America: Emerald Mound.
According to Guide to the Natchez Trace, Emerald Mound is the second‑largest Mississippian ceremonial mound in the United States, covering nearly eight acres and measuring roughly 770 by 435 feet—about 2½ by 1½ football fields—with a height of around 35 feet (p. 88). It was built and used as a ceremonial center by the ancestors of the Natchez people between about AD 1250 and 1600, then abandoned when the Natchez shifted their capital to what is now known as Grand Village.
What makes Emerald Mound so striking is not only its size but its engineering. The builders reshaped a natural hill by layering earth along its sides to create a massive flat-topped platform. Two additional mounds crown its upper surface— impressive earthworks in their own right. Archaeological investigations of the site date back as early as 1838, underscoring how long scholars have recognized its importance.
Standing atop Emerald Mound today, you’re on consecrated ground where processions, ceremonial dances, and religious rituals once unfolded. It’s a stunning antidote to the idea that pre‑colonial North America was an “empty” wilderness.
2. A 9,000-Year Campsite: Bear Creek Mound
Farther north, near the Mississippi–Alabama line, the Parkway passes another extraordinary window into deep time: Bear Creek Mound.
The guide notes that this is the oldest prehistoric site on the entire Natchez Trace corridor, first used by migratory hunters as early as 7000 BC (p. 125–126). Over roughly 8,000 years, the people who stopped here evolved from nomadic hunters into settled agricultural communities. The mound travelers see today was built during the Mississippian period, between AD 1200 and 1400, likely for ceremonial or elite residential use.
Archaeologists excavating Bear Creek Mound found burned daub—mud plaster from wattle‑and‑daub structures—suggesting a temple or a chief’s house once stood on top. Nearby, the remains of a small residential village complete the picture: not just a random earthwork, but a lived‑in landscape where people farmed, worshipped, governed, and raised families for thousands of years.
When you pull off at Bear Creek today, it looks like a peaceful grassy rise above the water. Yet this one stop alone condenses almost 10,000 years of human adaptation—from Paleo‑Indian hunters to complex Mississippian societies.
Milepost 122.0
3. A Swamp That Tells a New Story: Cypress Swamp and the Woodland Mound Builders
The Trace isn’t only about dry land. At milepost 122.0, the Cypress Swamp invites travelers onto a wooden boardwalk that loops through a shadowy, waterlogged world of bald cypress and water tupelo. It’s a favorite stop for modern visitors—but the guide shows how it links to a much older human story.
Within the Parkway, seven documented mound sites trace the rise of Indigenous cultures from the Woodland Period through the Mississippian era. At places like Bynum Mounds and Pharr Mounds, Woodland people (roughly 100 BC to AD 200) built elaborate burial mounds and participated in long‑distance trade networks that stretched well beyond present‑day Mississippi. Excavations at Bynum, for example, uncovered finely polished greenstone axe heads, copper spools, and galena—materials not native to the region—indicating extensive trade connections (p. 112–113).
The Cypress Swamp provides the ecological backdrop that made these societies possible. The guide explains that water tupelos and bald cypress thrive in saturated soils, with cypress “knees” helping roots breathe and stabilize the trees in floods and storms (p. 104). The same river valleys and wetlands that support today’s herons, turtles, and alligators also once supported Indigenous hunters, fishers, and farmers who learned to work with the rhythm of these waters.
A walk here becomes more than a nature break; it’s a way to feel how closely human survival and swamp ecology have always been intertwined along the Trace.
Driving Into the Past
These are just three of many historical threads running through Guide to the Natchez Trace: monumental mounds, ancient trade networks, and a campsite that predates the pyramids. Elsewhere in the book, the Trace becomes a stage for Kaintuck boatmen trudging home from Natchez, French and British clashes for control of the Mississippi Valley, Civil War battles, and the 20th‑century campaign—led in large part by determined women—to resurrect the route as a national parkway.
For travelers, the beauty of the Natchez Trace is how accessible this history becomes. You don’t have to be an archaeologist to stand atop Emerald Mound, a military historian to explore Brices Cross Roads, or a botanist to appreciate the swamp. With a good guidebook in hand, each pull‑off becomes a portal into another time.
If your idea of a great road trip mixes scenic driving, short walks, and the feeling that the ground under your feet really matters, the Natchez Trace—and the stories captured in this guide—may be the most quietly spectacular journey in the country.
Many parents and teachers are asking the same question: What can kids actually do about climate change?
Children hear about wildfires, floods, pollution, and rising temperatures all the time. But information without action can leave them feeling overwhelmed. What young readers need is a way to understand the science, process their emotions, and see where they fit into the solution for the future.
A climate book that explains the problem for kids without leaving them stuck in fear
Some environmental books focus so heavily on what’s going wrong that young readers come away feeling helpless. Climate Action for Kids takes a different approach. It explains how Earth’s systems work, how people have changed the climate, and what communities can do next.
The book makes a difficult subject easier to understand through accessible examples and memorable comparisons. It helps readers see that climate change is serious but not hopeless.
That sort of balance is especially important for adults looking for:
climate change books for kids
Earth Month/Earth Day classroom books
environmental science books for upper elementary and middle grade readers
books that address climate anxiety in children
What readers will learn from Climate Action for Kids
Rather than staying abstract, Climate Action for Kids gives readers a framework for understanding both causes and solutions.
Young readers learn about:
the difference between weather and climate
the carbon cycle and greenhouse gases
renewable and non-renewable energy
how transportation, waste, and land use affect the planet
how climate change affects weather, biodiversity, oceans, and communities
why resilience, cooperation, and better choices matter
Just as importantly, the book shows that climate action solutions are not limited to scientists or politicians. Kids can be part of a larger effort by learning, observing, asking questions, helping their communities, and building better habits.
Why this message matters before Earth Month and release day
Early April is the perfect time for a book like Climate Action for Kids. Teachers are planning Earth Day activities. Parents are looking for meaningful spring reading for their children. Libraries, schools, and homeschoolers are searching for timely nonfiction that feels both educational and hopeful.
A book release right before Earth Day gives families and educators a chance to move from climate awareness to climate learning.
That makes this more than a seasonal read. It makes it a useful tool for real conversations at exactly the right time.
How Climate Action for Kids helps with climate anxiety
One reason children struggle with environmental news is that they often hear about the impacts without hearing enough about solutions. Climate Action for Kids helps correct that imbalance.
The book:
validates that climate change can feel scary
explains the science in manageable language
reminds readers that humans can make better choices
points to real examples of environmental progress
emphasizes resilience, cooperation, and community action
Instead of teaching kids to panic, it teaches them to understand.
parents who want to talk about climate change without overwhelming children
teachers planning Earth Day or Earth Month lessons
librarians building environmental reading lists
homeschool families teaching science and civic responsibility together
young readers who want facts, context, and practical hope
A practical climate book for classrooms and families
One of the most useful things about Climate Action for Kids is that it connects science to daily life. Readers can relate the book’s ideas to what they already see around them: weather changes, waste, transportation, energy use, and community preparedness.
That makes it a strong conversation starter for:
classroom discussions
family reading time
Earth Day units
science enrichment
student projects on sustainability and resilience
Why order Climate Action for Kids now
If you’ve been looking for a children’s climate book that is factual, encouraging, and action-oriented, this is the moment to put Climate Action for Kids on your list.
With its April 7th release date arriving just ahead of Earth Month, the book offers a timely way to help young readers move from confusion to clarity and from anxiety to informed hope.
Release date: April 7th Book: Climate Action for Kids Ideal for: parents, teachers, librarians, and young readers ready for science-based hope
If you want children to understand climate change and believe they can help shape a better future, Climate Action for Kids is a strong place to start.
FAQ
What is Climate Action for Kids about?
Climate Action for Kids is a children’s nonfiction book that explains climate science, climate impacts, and practical solutions in a way that is accessible and hopeful for young readers.
Is Climate Action for Kids too scary for children?
No. The book addresses the seriousness of climate change, but it does so in a balanced way that helps reduce helplessness by focusing on understanding, resilience, and action.
Who should read Climate Action for Kids?
The book is ideal for parents, teachers, librarians, homeschoolers, and children who want a clear introduction to climate science and climate solutions.
Is Climate Action for Kids good for Earth Day or Earth Month?
Yes. Its focus on science, solutions, and community action makes it a strong choice for Earth Day reading lists, classroom units, and spring family reading.
What makes Climate Action for Kids different from other climate books for children?
It combines scientific explanation with emotional reassurance and practical action, helping young readers understand both the problem and the possibility of progress.
When the weather heats up, many kitchens become the last place anyone wants to be. Turning on the oven or standing over a hot stove can make you feel even warmer and more uncomfortable. Still, most people want more than takeout or a plain salad at the end of the day. They want food that feels fresh, homemade, and satisfying—without adding extra heat.
Some Assembly Required shows how no‑cook meals can deliver all of that, with less effort and no time at the stove.
Simple Assembly, No Cooking
The heart of no‑cook meals is simple: Focus on assembly instead of traditional cooking. This approach relies on tossing, layering, and mixing, rather than frying or baking.
Many of the recipes in Some Assembly Required start with ingredients people already buy:
Rotisserie chicken
Canned beans and lentils
Prewashed salad greens
Smoked fish and deli meats
Jarred roasted peppers, olives, and artichokes
These staples are turned into colorful and healthy salads, wraps, grain bowls, tostadas, and more. Short ingredient lists and clear steps mean dinner can be ready in minutes instead of hours.
Cool Meals for Hot Days and Gatherings
On hot days, even thinking about heating up the oven can feel exhausting. No‑cook meals solve this problem by leaning on the fridge, pantry, and fresh produce instead of the stove.
Bright salsas and creamy dips made in a blender or food processor
Shrimp cocktails and chilled seafood salads built from precooked proteins
Fresh, crunchy salads and lettuce wraps that stay crisp
Make‑ahead chilled soups and desserts
These dishes are perfect for potlucks, picnics, and backyard parties because they travel well and can often be prepared hours before guests arrive. Big‑batch drinks like agua frescas, iced punches, and light cocktails add a cool, festive touch without extra heat or stress.
Using Pantry Staples and Leftovers Wisely
A key part of no‑cook meals is learning to use what’s already on hand. This cookbook offers tips for building a smart pantry with items such as:
Canned beans, tuna, and salmon
Whole grains like quinoa, farro, and rice
Nuts, seeds, and nut butters
Jarred vegetables and pickles
These ingredients become the base for fast meals that do not require turning on the stove. Leftover meats, herbs, and random vegetables from the crisper drawer are turned into salads, wraps, bowls, and dips, helping cut down on food waste.
Instructions are flexible, with lots of options like “use any cooked grain you have” or “swap in your favorite beans.” This relaxed style lowers the pressure and makes it easier to experiment and learn.
Cooler Kitchens, Lower Bills, Better Meals
Because these recipes skip cooking, they keep kitchens cooler and can help lower energy bills. Chilled soups, hearty salads, grain bowls, and no‑bake snacks rely on the fridge more than the oven.
In the end, Some Assembly Required proves that amazing no‑cook meals are possible, even on the hottest days. With smart shortcuts, fresh ingredients, and simple directions, anyone can enjoy homemade food without heating up the whole house.
Along the Natchez Trace, women’s stories are literally written into the landscape—if you know where to look. The new Guide to the Natchez Trace makes those stories easier to find by flagging a series of “Women of the Trace” stops: places where women taught, ran businesses, shaped communities, and quietly altered the course of regional history. For Women’s History Month, here are four of those stops that reveal how deeply women are woven into the Trace’s 9,000‑year “ribbon of time.”
1. Elizabeth Female Academy (Milepost 5.1): A Radical Classroom in the Woods
It’s easy to miss: just a short paved path off the Parkway near Natchez, leading to a single brick wall rising from the trees. That wall is all that remains of Elizabeth Female Academy, but the ideas that once lived here were anything but ruinous.
Founded in 1818 and operating until 1845, Elizabeth Female Academy was the first degree‑granting institution for women in Mississippi, and some historians now argue it may have been the very first women’s college in the United States. The school granted a Domina Scientiarum—“Mistress of Sciences”—at a time when the idea of women pursuing higher education was still controversial, even laughable, in many circles.
The academy sat on land donated by Elizabeth Roach Greenfield, a reminder that women shaped this institution not just from the lectern and the student benches, but from the deed books and financial underpinnings as well. Its curriculum was advanced for the era, designed to offer more than “finishing school” polish to the daughters of the emerging planter elite. Varina Howell, who would later marry Jefferson Davis, was among its graduates; noted naturalist John James Audubon briefly taught here, too.
Today, the ruin is quiet, but standing in front of that lone wall, you’re looking at one of the earliest physical manifestations of a radical idea in the Deep South: that women’s minds were worth educating, not just their manners.
2. Mount Locust Historic Inn and Plantation (Milepost 15.5): Polly Chamberlain’s Front Desk
A few miles farther up the Trace, Mount Locust looks, at first glance, like a classic old Southern house: a simple frame structure, shaded by trees, with outbuildings and fields beyond. But in the early 1800s, this was one of the most important“stands” on the Natchez Trace—an inn, farm, and waystation rolled into one—and a woman was at the center of it.
Mount Locust is the only surviving pre‑1820 stand left along the Trace. While the property passed through several hands, the guide highlights Paulina “Polly” Chamberlain as one of the women who ran it. In an era when the route was infamous for bandits, disease, and grueling conditions, stands like Mount Locust were lifelines for Kaintuck boatmen trudging home from Natchez, postal riders racing deadlines, and itinerant traders moving between river and upland towns.
Running a stand was hard, entrepreneurial work. A standkeeper’s day might include cooking for a roomful of men, managing enslaved laborers or hired help, tending kitchen gardens and livestock, handling payments, and keeping peace among exhausted, often armed travelers crowded into a single room. Women like Polly Chamberlain weren’t just “helping” husbands; they were co‑managers and, in many cases, the steady, long‑term presence that kept these frontier businesses going as men came and went.
Visiting Mount Locust today, you can tour the restored inn, walk the grounds, and read interpretive panels that bring those stories forward. It’s a rare chance to recognize a woman who did what so many women have done in travel history: run the place, quietly and competently, while others got the headlines.
If you’ve seen photographs of the Natchez Trace, chances are you’ve seen Windsor Ruins: a surreal cluster of towering brick columns rising from a Mississippi hillside, all that remains of a once‑lavish Greek Revival mansion.
The guide tags Windsor Ruins as a “Women of the Trace” stop because of Priscilla and Catherine Daniell (often spelled Daniell or Daniel in historical records). The plantation house they inhabited symbolized the extremes of wealth and exploitation that defined much of the antebellum South. Their lives, and the lives of the enslaved people whose labor sustained Windsor, played out along the broader Trace corridor of trade, warfare, and cultural exchange.
Windsor was completed in the early 1860s and survived the Civil War, only to be destroyed by an accidental fire in 1890. What’s left now—the 23 columns, bits of ironwork, and the footprint of the house—invites visitors to confront women’s roles in that world. Plantation mistresses like the Daniell sisters wielded real economic and social power within a violently unequal system. They managed households the size of small villages, oversaw domestic labor, and stood at the center of a social network that extended from Natchez drawing rooms to rural churches and crossroads.
At Windsor Ruins, you’re not only looking at an architectural marvel; you’re looking at the stage on which women navigated the contradictions of privilege, duty, and complicity in slavery. In Women’s History Month, it’s an important reminder that women’s stories along the Trace are not uniformly heroic—but they are central to understanding the place.
4. Gordon House and Ferry Site (Milepost 407.7): Dolly Cross Gordon’s River Crossing
Near the northern end of the Parkway in Tennessee, the brick Gordon House stands watch over a quiet stretch of the Duck River. In the early 1800s, this was a bustling transportation hub, and a woman—Dolly Cross Gordon—was one of the figures who kept people and goods moving.
The Gordons operated a ferry here, shuttling travelers, mail, and livestock across a river that could otherwise be a serious barrier. Ferries were crucial choke points in the old transportation network, and running one combined navigation skill, business sense, and a high tolerance for risk. Floods, storms, and seasonal surges could turn a routine crossing deadly.
As with many frontier enterprises, the work was often a family affair. The guide includes the Gordon House under “Women of the Trace” because Dolly Cross Gordon helped run this operation and maintain the household that anchored it. Widowhood, illness, or simple necessity frequently pushed women into legal and financial leadership too; documents from similar sites show women leasing ferries, signing contracts, and defending property claims when husbands died or departed.
Today, visitors can walk around the exterior of the Gordon House, look down toward the former ferry crossing, and imagine what it meant for Dolly and her contemporaries to live at a literal and figurative crossroads—where the old footpath Trace met the river route, and where women’s “unseen” work made travel possible.
These four sites are only a sampling of the “Women of the Trace” the guide brings to the surface, from legendary figures at Witch Dance to the Yuchi woman commemorated at the Wichahpi Stone Wall, to modern champions like Roane Fleming Byrnes, the “Mother of the Natchez Trace,” who led the 20th‑century campaign to create the Parkway itself.
In a month dedicated to women’s history, the Natchez Trace offers something rare: an entire national park where women’s stories aren’t a side note, but a thread you can follow—from ruined academies and ghostly columns to busy ferry crossings and humble roadside inns—milepost by milepost.
It is early March, and Earth Month is just around the corner. Parents and teachers often wonder how to talk about the environment without frightening young people. Today’s students see a constant stream of scary news about extreme weather and melting ice, and it can make them feel helpless. Luckily, a new book takes a much better approach to this tough topic. Coming out on April 7th, Climate Action for Kids understands these fears right from the start. It validates those worried feelings while throwing readers a lifeline: “Climate change can be scary to talk and think about, but people have a lot of power to make things better for generations to come.“
Starting with Wonder, Not Worry
Before discussing disasters or complex rules, author Ian Hunt helps readers appreciate our home planet. This turns anxiety into a feeling of awe. By exploring the delicate balance of our atmosphere and oceans, the book shows exactly what we are trying to protect. It explains why our world is so perfectly suited for humans and animals. Ian points out the beauty of our natural climate, noting, “Since it keeps the temperature just right for life to exist, some people call Earth the ‘Goldilocks Planet.’“
To keep readers from feeling doomed, the book breaks down hard science into easy ideas. Instead of treating carbon dioxide like an invisible monster destroying the sky, it teaches basic science. It shows how elements naturally move through Earth’s systems over time. To help kids understand the carbon cycle without getting lost in tough chemistry, the book suggests, “Another way to think about the carbon atom is as if it is a world traveler.“
Turning Confusion into Clarity
When it is time to discuss the actual crisis, the book uses smart, real-world examples. Ian carefully separates the causes of global warming from its daily impacts. This helps readers see exactly where they can step in to fix the problem. To show how we must stop pollution while also dealing with its effects, the author vividly explains, “Climate change is like a faucet over a bucket.“
One huge reason that young people feel eco-anxiety is the belief that humans are just bad for the Earth. This book reminds us that humans have lived in harmony with the planet for thousands of years. Our current crisis is a modern problem with our systems, not a permanent flaw in who we are. It states firmly and with hope, “It’s not humanity that is the issue, but the choices that humans make.“
Real Evidence That Change is Possible
Scientific hope is built on history, and this book explains how we have solved huge atmospheric problems before. It spends time looking at the 1990s fight against the hole in the ozone layer. This shows students that countries and businesses can actually change their ways and fix things. Looking back at this massive environmental win, we see that change is possible.
Beyond just stopping future pollution, the book talks about how we can adapt to our changing world right now. It teaches that bouncing back from storms, making emergency plans, and helping neighbors are powerful ways to fight back. The author comforts readers by declaring, “One of humanity’s greatest traits is its ability to build resilience.“
Healing the Planet Together
In the end, this excellent guide leaves young readers feeling smart, supported, and ready to help build a greener future. It takes a lonely, scary subject and turns it into a team mission just in time for spring reading. As you get ready to grab your copy on the April 7th release date, remember the book’s most comforting lesson: “It’s important to remember that none of us are alone in taking climate action.“
A cavity in a tree, excavated by a woodpecker, seems normal enough. But when you stop to think about it, this simple space is absolutely remarkable. Today, let’s take a closer look at the humble woodpecker cavity.
Eastern screech-owl, taken in southern Minnesota
According to the International Ornithological Committee (IOC), there are 241 species of woodpeckers in the world. Here in America, we have 22 species of woodpeckers, ranging from the small downy woodpecker to the giant pileated woodpecker. All these woodpeckers have one thing in common: They all excavate cavities to use for nesting. Because of this, woodpeckers are considered primary cavity-nesting birds. In other words, woodpeckers are the primary users of the cavities that they excavate; however, there are an estimated 75–80 species of non-woodpeckers that also rely on these cavities to nest. These birds are called secondary cavity nesters, and their very existence depends upon woodpeckers. A study published in 2017 found that nearly 20% of all bird species in the world rely on cavities in trees, for roosting or nesting.
Most woodpeckers only use the cavities that they excavate for one brood of young birds. Woodpeckers excavate in dead or dying trees with just a few exceptions. Live trees/wood are too dense and hard for the woodpeckers to excavate. Over the life span of the cavity, it may host dozens of families of baby birds from a wide variety of secondary cavity nesters.
Depending upon the woodpecker species, or the softness of the wood, it takes anywhere from 4 to 20 days for a pair of woodpeckers to excavate a cavity. I say “a pair” because both the male and female do the work. It all depends upon the level of decay in the wood. Obviously, the softer the wood, the faster the process goes. Only a small handful of woodpecker species excavate cavities in live trees. The overwhelming majority are excavated in dead trees or dead limbs of live trees.
In the world of woodpeckers, parenting duties are shared by both adults. Cavities are excavated by both male and female, but the male does slightly more work. When it comes to incubation, the female does most of the incubating during the day, and the male takes the night shift. After the young hatch, both parents bring food to the begging babies.
So many of our most beloved birds—eastern bluebirds and mountain bluebirds—as well as raptors—American kestrels and screech-owls—are dependent upon large woodpecker cavities. In one recent study, it was found that, of all the cavities found in a forest, only 10% of the natural cavities were being used, but 80% of old woodpecker cavities were being utilized by secondary cavity-nesting birds. I think many people do not realize that several waterfowl species, such as hooded mergansers, wood ducks, and buffleheads, also depend upon cavities in trees to nest.
So far, I have been concentrating on nesting and haven’t considered the value of woodpecker cavities for roosting at night. Many species of birds who don’t use cavities for nesting will use a nest cavity for a place to be safe and warm when roosting, especially on long, cold winter nights. Many studies show the benefits of roosting inside cavities compared to being out on a tree branch, which leaves birds vulnerable to nocturnal predators like owls.
And speaking of owls, all the species of screech-owls use woodpecker cavities to nest and also roost, except they roost during the day. All of this was running through my head the other day while I was capturing some images and video of a wonderful eastern screech-owl that I found enjoying a little sunshine on a cold winter day in the northland. Until next time…
Stan Tekiela is an author, naturalist, and photographer who travels extensively to study and capture images of wildlife. He can be followed on www.instagram.com and www.facebook.com. He can be contacted via his webpage at www.naturesmart.com.
Every January, we set the same grandiose goals: Get fit and reduce our carbon footprint, but also save money and travel the world. By February, the gym membership is collecting dust, the savings account is stagnant, and that dream trip to Bali feels impossibly far away.
In 2026, it’s time to ditch the “go big or go home“ mentality. Enter micro-travel: the art of exploring your own backyard through day trips, local hikes, and regional adventures. It’s the ultimate hack for keeping your resolutions without burning out or going broke. Here’s how micro-travel fixes your biggest New Year’s struggles.
Resolution #1: “I need to get in shape (but I hate the gym).“
The Problem: Treadmills are boring. We start strong in January, but the monotony of indoor exercise kills motivation.
The Micro-Travel Fix: Swap the stair-climber for a limestone bluff. Hiking offers physical challenges with a visual reward, making exercise feel like exploration. Instead of a crowded gym, you could be traversing rugged terrain in a natural area or taking a brisk walk along a river boardwalk. Whether it’s an urban greenway or a wilderness trek, you aren’t just burning calories; you are discovering hidden waterfalls and wildlife. When fitness becomes an adventure, you actually stick with it.
Resolution #2: “I want to travel more (but I’m broke).“
The Problem: We equate “travel“ with expensive flights, hotels, and weeks off work. When the budget’s tight, travel is the first thing to cut.
The Micro-Travel Fix: Adventure doesn’t require a passport; it just requires a tank of gas or a bus ticket. Micro-travel focuses on high-value, low-cost experiences within a day’s drive. You don’t need a plane ticket to see geological wonders or world-class art. You can explore “pay-what-you-wish“ museums, visit state parks with nominal entry fees, or tour historic downtowns for free. A Saturday road trip can be just as enriching as a European vacation, at a fraction of the cost.
Resolution #3: “I want to be more sustainable (but also see the sights).“
The Problem: We want to see the world, but long-haul flights have a massive carbon footprint.
The Micro-Travel Fix: Rediscovering your region is the most eco-friendly way to tour. By staying local, you drastically reduce emissions while supporting your local economy. Micro-travel fosters environmental appreciation by guiding you through protected lands and nature preserves. When you explore locally, you become a steward of your own environment, learning to protect the nature that exists right outside your door—while supporting local artisans, farmers, and small businesses.
The Tools You Need to Start
To truly master the art of micro-travel, you need the right resources to uncover the hidden gems in your region. Two excellent examples of guidebooks that unlock these local experiences are the regionalDay Trips series and 60 Hikesseries.
Pennsylvania Day Trips proves that you can find over 200 diverse destinations—from the “Niagara of Pennsylvania“ at Bushkill Falls to fair-trade chocolate factories—without leaving the state. It organizes trips by theme, making it easy to find history, art, or oddities on a whim. Meanwhile, 60 Hikes Within 60 Miles: San Antonio & Austin is the perfect blueprint for fitness-focused exploration. It details trails for every skill level, guiding hikers through the diverse landscapes of the Texas Hill Country and urban San Antonio. Both titles exemplify how a simple guidebook can transform a free weekend into a memorable journey, proving that your 2026 resolutions are just a day trip away.
