Made in the Shade

Even though our cool spring weather has given way to intense summer heat and humidity, I’m still heading out on my bike for afternoon rides. When I leave the street for the bike path, I get a wonderful blast of cooler air as I cut past a very woodsy park.

Trees keep us cool! Groups of mature trees provide shade but also move water to the atmosphere via evaporation and transpiration—processes which also cool the surrounding air. Most people understand that it is cooler in the shade. But scientists and environmental planners note that most Americans are often not fully aware of all the benefits that trees provide.

That’s not true for forest-lover and award-winning author Laura Gehl, who has written more than fifty popular board books, picture books, and early readers. Her tree- and nature-focused books include Apple and Magnolia, Saving Delicia, The Hiking Viking, Who Dug This Hole?, and Odd Birds, while her other books include One Big Pair of Underwear, the Peep and Egg series, I Got a Chicken for My Birthday, My Pillow Keeps Moving, Except When They Don’t, Donut, and the Baby Scientist series.

Laura feels a genuine connection to trees—the kind we’re hoping kids and their grownups build and grow with Tree Trekkers, Start with a Book’s new reading adventure toolkit that integrates hands-on activities with high-quality children’s fiction and nonfiction and outdoor learning opportunities. We are so happy Laura is here to share her own experiences with trees and plant seeds of inspiration to help you ground kids—and yourself—in the natural world. — Rachael Walker, Reading Rockets’ Book Life

Calm Under the Canopy by Laura Gehl

Laura Gehl One day I was walking in the woods near my house with my oldest son. He turned to me and said, “You know, I’ve realized that I get calmer when I’m in the woods.” I felt like shouting, “YES!!! ME TOO!!!” I was thrilled that he recognized, and could put into words, the calming effect of trees. For me, even looking out a window at trees makes me feel peaceful, in a way I never feel if I look out a window at buildings—even very attractive or interesting buildings.

I have four children, and once our fourth child was born, we started house-hunting. The realtor asked us for our requirements. One was more space. Another was…trees! Thankfully, we were able to find a house that gave us both. As I am writing this, I can look out my window and see branches laden with leaves in various shades of green and yellow. I can see different patterns of sunlight filtering through those leaves. And I can see the occasional bird landing on one of those branches (a bonus!). Are those trees outside my window part of the reason I wrote Apple and Magnolia and Saving Delicia, two books celebrating trees? Well, it’s hard to say for sure, but I can tell you that I have a magnolia tree right outside my front door.

When I was in college, I spent a semester studying abroad in Ecuador. While I was there, I had the opportunity to visit the Amazon rainforest, and to have an experience I will never forget. One day, our teachers took us for a hike. Once we were deep in the forest, the teachers had one student stay behind while the rest of us walked on. A bit further along, another student stopped. A few minutes later, the next student. This continued until every student was alone in their own little patch of rainforest. Our assignment was to lie down on the floor of the forest and just…be. Now, this was quite intimidating. In Ecuador’s rainforest, there are jaguars, anacondas, malaria-carrying mosquitoes, tarantulas, and other potentially scary creatures. At first, as I lay on the ground, I worried about ants crawling into my hair, or snakes slithering out of holes, or spiders descending from the trees. But as time passed, as I looked up at the patterns of sun filtering through the trees, as I listened to the hums and buzzes and chirps, as I inhaled the woody, earthy scent, my feelings changed. I felt at peace—and also empowered.

Forest scene This summer, you can replicate this activity with kids (or by yourself!) in the woods or a park near you! If possible, find a trail or an area that isn’t used very much, so that you are unlikely to run into other people—or their dogs. Depending on the age of any kids who are with you, you can lie down right next to them, or a few feet away from them. If you have older kids, you can let them go further away so that they can really feel like they have their own patch of woods. Remember, it may take a few minutes to cycle through all the “This is weird,” “This is scary,” “I’m getting dirt on my clothes,” and “Is that an ant I feel?” thoughts before you get to the calm. Give it time! Encourage kids to take note of what they hear…and see…and smell…and feel. If the sense of peace never comes, that’s okay too! But I hope it will be a peaceful and empowering experience they will carry with them for years to come, just like I did.