Guest Blog: Barbara Henderson
Author of I Don’t Do Mountains
Top Books for Children about the Great Outdoors
I love being outside, be it in my small back garden or out and about in the nearby hills. I am lucky enough to live in Inverness – an easy distance from the iconic Loch Ness as well as the Cairngorms and the rugged landscape of Wester Ross – picture book Scottish Highlands.
But thanks to books, I am not limited to visiting the places I can easily reach from home. The magic is that I can go anywhere between the pages of a children’s adventure, and in the run up to writing my story, I Don’t Do Mountains, I took full advantage of that.
In no particular order, here are some of my favourites:
The Haunted Mountain by Mollie Hunter
Full of Scottish mountain magic and the ancient Gaelic tales of mountain ghosts and ghouls, this was an atmospheric read which left its marks on my own story.
It is now sadly out of print, but second-hand copies are relatively easy to come by.
Sky Hawk by Gill Lewis
I could have picked many of Gill Lewis’ books here, but Sky Hawk was the first I read, and that first love is hard to replicate.
A really engaging wildlife adventure which captivates, motivates and educates. Brilliant.
This was the first children’s novel I read which had the issue of rewilding at its heart – but young readers would not notice.
They would simply root for the two young protagonists as they travel across remote and mountain and moor landscape in the company of a lynx.
Lark by Anthony McGowan
The deserving winner of the 2020 Carnegie Medal, teen novel Lark follows brothers Nicky and Kenny into the remote moors.
A blizzard strikes, putting the brothers in terrible danger. And yes, there is a heroic dog!
A slim, dyslexia-friendly volume and a story with huge heart.
Little People, Big Dreams: Tenzing Norgay by Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara (Author) and Bandana Tulachan (Illustrator)
Something for younger readers, and lovers of non-fiction: it is fascinating to read about one of the first two climbers to reach the peak of Everest, and to imagine Tenzing Norgay as a child.
The excellent series features a range of outdoor and conservation heroes, but I was particularly drawn to Tenzing’s humble Himalayan beginnings. The facts and photo section at the end adds to its appeal.
Thank you to Barbara for visiting our blog this week to tell us more about her children’s book recommendations about the great outdoors. Barbara’s new book I Don’t Do Mountains is available to purchase from Amazon. Learn more about the book by following along with the blog tour.
Our review panel said “This would be perfect for mountains or British Isles topics and has themes of conservation, wildlife protection, friendship and courage. It would also be an excellent read for year 6 students transitioning to secondary school…” Read the full review here.
Readers might also enjoy the following booklists:
- Children’s Books About Mountains and Volcanoes
- Y6 Transition to Secondary Booklist
- Children’s Books About Explorers and Exploration
- Children’s Books About Geography
Check out our reading for pleasure and curriculum booklists to find more books for children in KS2 or our NEW Year 7 Recommended Reads.
Where next?
> Visit our Reading for Pleasure Hub
> Browse our Topic Booklists
> View our printable year group booklists.
> See our Books of the Month.