This post may contain affiliate links and I participate in the Amazon Associates Affiliate Program. If you purchase something through one of my affiliate links, it does not cost you anything more, but it helps fund the upkeep for this website.
Like most children, my kids loved picture books when they were young. Whether it was “reading” to themselves or sitting in my lap being read to, it was a treasured part of our daily lives. Over the years, I’ve pared down our collection, saving only the “Velveteen Rabbits” of the bunch. Maisy Goes Camping is a favorite that was easily spared from the Goodwill pile. Reading about Maisy the Mouse and her friends heading into the woods for a sleepover was always a hit with my littles, and it undoubtedly piqued their interest for overnight outdoor adventures.
I was recently exposed to the Heelda the Cat series of pictures books, written and illustrated by Kimberly and Tom Dellinger. The cast of characters in these charming stories would have become fast friends with Maisy and her crew, especially in Enjoy and Respect the Woods and Hiking Safety .
While I haven’t had the opportunity to meet Kimberly yet, I met Tom at a Mountains to Sea Trail Gathering of Friends. He maintains an excellent hiking blog and is one of the nicest people I’ve ever meet in the hiking community. Tom and Kimberly write and illustrate their books, and they strike a clever balance between education and entertainment. I was excited to review them and will undoubtedly hang on to them for the (hopefully) next generation of littles sitting in my lap.
In Hiking Safety, children are exposed to the 10 Essentials (and just as importantly, why they matter) as Heelda and her friends prepare to go hiking. The language in the book is lighthearted to suit the audience, but its message is vitally important. Of course a toddler isn’t going to be packing these essentials before a family hike, but if this book plants the seed of exposure to the importance of 10 Essentials for parents, it could become far more than “just” a picture book.
For instance, headlamps (or some form of light source besides a phone) are frequently absent from the packs of many hikers my SAR team rescues since, “it was just supposed to be a day hike.” If a parent reads this book to their child, they may just remember to include one the next time they head out.
Enjoy and Respect the Woods takes us from the pre-planning phase of a hike and into the woods, again with Heelda the Cat and her adorable animal friends. Cleverly exposing its readers to the tenets of Leave No Trace, Heelda and her friends model exemplary backcountry etiquette by doing things like leaving flowers to grow in the ground, burying their “poo,” picking up their trash, and being respectful to other hikers and wildlife. Again, the subtle messaging educates children, but just as importantly, parents, too. The addition of punny jokes throughout is sure to please dads who read this book to their kids!
Either of these delightful books would make a great gift to a young child between the ages of about 2-6ish, but I recommend buying them as a set since their messages compliment each other so well. I’ve not seen anything like them before in the hiking or storybook categories of books, and they are a welcome addition to the scene!
If you’d like to read more of my book reviews, head here.