Review of “Do You See Me in Nature?” by Tuula Pere

Score: 87/100 (8.7 out of 10)

Your first camping or hiking trip can be quite an experience! You could be caught off guard by all the bugs, especially the blood-sucking mosquitoes. You could get your shoes wet in a stream and wonder if the fish swimming in it are edible or if they could nibble on you!

You might wonder what kind of bird (or birds) you hear singing their songs in the trees. You might wonder if the berries you found are safe to eat or if they'll even be tasty. You might be a bit scared by the hooting of an owl or the howl of a coyote in the middle of the night. You might be mesmerized by the sight of fireflies as they light the night.

You never know if you never try!

This book is a reminder to step outside of your comfort zone and try new things. It also continues the main theme of this series, that of a little boy who is comfortable being himself and living his life because he always has the love of his mother and family looking over him and facilitating his activities.

This series seems to champion a Montessori-like approach in which children are invited to explore and learn through choice and spontaneity rather than via rigid structure and strict direction (such as in most schools). This is arguably how younger children learn best, primarily via activities like playing games, manipulating objects/toys, and making art. This kind of learning is less structured and more free. Arguably, people learn better when they don't realize they're learning. Everything is easier when you're having fun. Everything means more when you choose it and have a say in it.

With that said, the Do You See Me? series is arguably our least favorite of Tuula Pere's brilliant library of books. It might have a lot to do with the art style in these books. The illustrations look very simple and bland in comparison to the ones in Pere's other books. These illustrations aren't as appealing as other books in the author's library. However, that's not to say that there aren't some bright spots. For example, the owl and squirrel look good in this.

The other thing about this book, specifically, is that it seems a bit unfocused, disjointed, and random. One minute, we thought this was a story about the boy trying to gather and eat berries, but the berries become inconsequential or even forgotten later on.

The boy in this book does a lot in this book, but a lot of these activities seem unrelated or not tied into one plot or plot thread. In fact, you could argue that this book has no plot.

Now, having no plot is not the same as having no point. The point of this book, as we explained, is to try new things, step outside your comfort zone, and to learn through exploration. Meanwhile, guardians/parents should facilitate this kind of learning by being present while not being controlling, insistent, or forceful. Parents/guardians should give their children choices and options of things to do and try. When a child is uncomfortable or scared of doing something, like swimming, a modification or accommodation can be made, like swimming in the shallow part of the water.

Check it out on Amazon!