Suggested Reading...

[Ernie McLaney]

We have all read that environmental, nature, or wildlife book or even that gardening/landscaping book that really touched us and made a difference in our lives.
I would offer this forum as a means of sharing those special books with the rest of the group.

A book I'll share here is one I read by a speaker we had out at CPCC during our Literary Festival a year or so ago. Richard Louv wrote "Last Child in the Woods" and came to CPCC to discuss his book. He coined the term "Nature Deficit Disorder" which has since become a scientific study. Our children are spending less and less time interacting with nature and it's having a negative effect on their overall development.
The website; Children & Nature Network documents some of this.
It's good reading and has a positive ending. Every parent should read this.

[Carol Buie-Jackson]

Ernie, your post on recommended reading gives me an idea but not sure how to implement on this site. How could we group titles of books that NCWF members recommend and may also have to loan out? We could start a little lending library, but not sure how to accomplish from a technical standpoint. Have any ideas? By the way, Amen to your review of the book and a must read for all "greenies"

[Ernie McLaney]

My advice would be to take a poll to find out how many would be willing to participate. This would mean they would be willing to pay postage and respond in a reasonable manner. It would also mean that we set a standard for length of "posession" so that someone dosn't keep someone's book for 3 months or more, and finally that they take care of the borowwed book and be willing to replace it if they damage it by spilling coffee on it or dropping it into the lake from reading it while kayaking.
I do think it's workth investigating though.
-Ernie

[Carol Buie-Jackson]

Maybe for ease of lending and decreased loss potential, each chapter could maintain their own libraries?

[Nancy DeVries]

Hi Carol! I just returned from a wonderful vacation in the U.P. of Michigan and am trying to catch up on my email. I like the idea of each chapter having a lending library. I've been trying to organize my bookcases (I switched my "library" with my tv room) and have a stack of books that I was going to donate to HAWK for door prizes. But, I think a lending library is a better idea. Do you think the Community Center would let us keep a bookcase there? Or would we have to tote the library back and forth?

[Carol Buie-Jackson]

Welcome back! I don't think we could leave books at the Community Center but maybe we could post a list on the HAWK group page and if someone wants to check out a book, they send an email or post a message and then next meeting, we bring it to them? Thanks for thinking of donating to HAWK, by the way. Could you email me a list of the books and I'll play around with posting a list on the site somewhere

[Nancy DeVries]

There will be more, but so far my pile consists of:
The Audubon Pocket Guide - Familiar Birds of NA
Birds Every Child Should Know - Neltje Blanchan
Suburban Safari - Hannah Holmes
Bird Watching For Dummies
A Girl of the Limberlost - Gene Stratton Porter
Freckles - Gene Stratton Porter

For the most part, these are books that I had doubles of. I have WAY too many books - it is my weakness. I'm also always on the hunt for good books at garage sales. So, there will be more.

[Carol Buie-Jackson]

Thanks! I loved Suburban Safari! It made me look at my backyard from a different perspective. I'll play around with posting the list.

[Ernie McLaney]

Nancy, that's a great list of books! Thanks for being willing to share them.