Handbook of Nature Study

STOP for a second! Deep breath. World is crazy right now in 2025 (and so it has seemed since first publication of this wonderful handbook). The book is thick, perfectly written for everyone. Even enthusiasts of nature should love this and learn from it. Why is "this" nature book superior? Because it takes you outside gently and reintroduces you to your own backyard, your own wild, your own nature..... This book is black and white. Photos and images are profusely throughout. Some may call it cumbersome. But hey (or should I say "hay" to keep it au natural.), you're only a few feet or meters from the great outdoors, where nature displays all and your playground awaits. The world is your global park. The universe is your oyster, your home, and your ultimate first parent. Just how well do you think you know your own back yard? "GO TOUCH GRASS." This book will guide you and teach you. And it will humble you in its authentic voice.

I have had this book on my wish list for a number of years.This is a thick book chocked full of information.It has lessons on each section.They are short simple questions and easy things to see if your child has learned anything about the topic. The only thing that would make this an over the top book any more than it already is-put color pictures in there. This will be a great source for our family.It can be used for private nature study,family study,home schooling,etc.......If you know a nature buff-this would be THE #1 gift to get for them.The print in my book is good,not cloudy looking at all. I know you can see this book free on line BUT-the on line version IS the cloudy looking one.Not this real one.I think to have this resource in your hands in the yard,the woods,the pond-is worth the $ of the book.I am so glad I bought it.It will be used in this house for years to come-unless a newer version of it with color pics come out!!! (-; GET it-you will be glad you did!!!!

Awesome to have on hand for homeschool nature study. Easy to navigate, informative - A must have in the homeschool family home library!

I have a fairly decent natural science home library, and this book is probably the jewel in the crown. It's packed with information, and even though some data has been updated by recent discoveries (the book was first issued nearly a century ago) much of it is still relevent. The author has a contagious awe for the world around us, from caddis fly larvae to little brown bats (which she recommends keeping for a while in order to observe closely). She wrote this when our society was less urbanized and more hands-on, so a lot of her audience (teachers and their young students) had only to march out into a nearby field to collect specimens. Today, we're more used to sanitized, distilled, controllable nature--and nothing that can't be washed away with antibacterial soap--that we forget how compelling these little anthill or treetop dramas are. Comstock brings us into that wild world, and we don't have to go far to find it, after all. Her anecdotes about her personal experiences and her study questions that end each section keep this book from becoming just another field guide. Even if you don't have young kids with whom to share these adventures, it's great to have this resource at hand. And if you do have young kids, it's fun to go mucking around in a ditch right after a storm, looking for tadpoles. Don't be obsessive about diseases (we all eat a pound of dirt before we die...or so they say) and don't forget to bring this book.

This book has it all. It's a large book with small print, but each topic has a fairly easy to read/follow paragraph or two. Definitely need this on your bookshelf for nature lovers, homerschoolers, artists, etc. This is one of those that we'll use for a lifetime!

I do love the content, and the fact that this book is affordable to those of us who aren't antique collectors! We enjoy reading aloud the various descriptions of the subject, the poetry often included about the animal in question, and the charming anecdotes. Reading about a bird or insect has sparked curiosity to search and learn more about that topic. I wish the photos / illustrations were better, but I understand this is a budget edition. Every child should be lucky enough to have Anna introduce nature study to them!

This is an old book but very useful and interesting. A whole lot of information in here

I wish I had the money to buy this actual book, but Kindle version is the next best thing. We use it for home school with Charlotte Mason philosophy of education. Even though it’s an old book, many of the facts will never change. Ex, cloud and cloud patterns are the same in 1911 is what they are now. The original intent was for elementary teachers that might not know as much about nature. It’s made to be picked up and read to a class of children. The Kindle version has a helpful index to find topics easily. And a Kindle is lighter to transport.

TIENE UNA LECTURA CARGADA DE ANECDOTA. RECOMENDABLE

This book has so much great information and suggestions for things to do to learn about different animals, plants etc. Although the wildlife is North American, there is so much information and activities that can be done in the UK that it's still worth getting.

Praticamente uma enciclopédia. Excelente

Beautiful Book, perfect for any home library and great tool for homeschooling and even parenting in a calm way. Great tips and explanations;

El libro aporta mucha información, pero las imágenes (en blanco y negro) están borrosas. Para tenerlas mal, preferiría que no estuvieran y quitar así páginas. O sustituirlas por mejores fotos.