O – Out of the Woods

Out of the Woods: A True Story of an Unforgettable Event written and illustrated by Rebecca Bond (2015)

Antonio Willie Giroux lived in Canada over a hundred years ago in a hotel run by his mother. He lived on the first floor; hunters, fishermen, and sportsmen lived on the second floor for a few days or weeks at a time; and lumberjacks, miners, and trappers lived on the third floor for months at a time. There were woods and a lake near the hotel so it was alway full. Antonio enjoyed walking in the woods which surrounded his home for there were never many wild animals there; they had been frightened away long ago by the hunters, trappers, and lumberjacks. But one night a very strange thing happened. During a very dry, hot, summer a fire started out in the woods. The people did their best to fight the fire, but soon gave up and stood in the lake. Before long, they noticed that the wild animals came out of the woods and stood in the lake too. Foxes stood near rabbits, wolves stood near deer. The people stood near elk and moose and bears. And none of them disturbed the others. When the fire eventually burned out, it was safe to leave the water. They were surprised to find that the fire had not burned the hotel. And all of the people and animals returned to their homes.

What an unusual story! It’s certainly not your typical storybook, but certainly one your children will enjoy reading or listening to. Of course, there’s plenty of room to talk about how this little boy’s life is different than your own, one hundred years ago in the wilderness, and discussions about fire safety. But I like the aspect of the woods myself. There are lots of fun woodsy activities you can do with your kids.

Check out these 50 Free Forest Animals Crafts and Activities. 

And I love these nature blocks which would be super easy to make.