The Nosy Crow in Association with The National Trust almanacs are now three years old and still running strong. This may owe something to the fact that almanacs are as old as time – or at least 3000 years old, according to the introduction of this edition. It may also have something to do with the fact that this series strikes a perfect balance between drawing on tradition and appealing to a young and modern audience.
The activity suggestions will keep young readers engaged. There are recipes linked to traditional holidays, instructions for outdoor activities such as building dams and craft ideas such as creating 3D Easter cards. There are also lots of spotting guides that allow the almanac to be taken outside and used to help the reader explore nature, whether it be fossil-hunting, identifying river life or spotting different types of spiders. There is no assumption that readers of this book have access to gardens or to their own outdoor space. Instead, it is geared towards helping readers explore whatever is around them and feel connected to outdoor traditions through other activities too.
There is also a more traditional element to the almanac. Dates of traditional holidays are listed, while moon phases, cloud types, animals to be seen and foods growing are introduced in different months rather than repeated regularly (although a beautiful calendar at the back of the book lists moon phases for readers who are old enough to take interest). It is lovely how this maintains the feel of a traditional almanac whilst being aware of the needs of its audience who might not want information repeated on a monthly basis if they don’t fully understand what it means. This is a lovely, accessible book and it also represents the diversity of our country. Festivals from many religions are included and the illustrations represent our diverse population too.
The book is the perfect size: it is small enough to carry in a backpack or even a handbag but it is chunky enough to be friendly to smaller hands. It is designed to be a companion on outdoor adventures, whether local or further afield.
If you are looking for something to help a child engage with the outdoors this might be the answer. It is also a lovely gift for the New Year because it will be consulted and carried about through the next twelve months and it might be the prompt of adventures to look make on come the end of 2023.
- 2023 Nature Month-By-Month – A Children’s Almanac is available now from Nosy Crow in Association with The National Trust. RRP. £9.99 (Sent in exchange for review)
