Outside In; Deborah Underwood, illustrated by Cindy Derby

Outside In is a beautiful ode to the wonderful world outside. Even though we often find ourselves inside, we still retain many connections to the outside world.

The book is a gentle reminder of our connection to nature and the outside world. Humans are meant to be with nature and no matter how much time we spend indoors away from it, nature will always find its way to us. Whether it comes in the weather that grows the crops to feed us, the cotton fields that are turned into the clothes we wear, the forests that are turned into our furniture, the once wild animals that have become our close personal companions, the rivers that provide our homes with water, or the bugs and the insects that hide in nooks and crannies and those that hitch a ride on the fruits and vegetables that we put in the fridge, nature is determined to seek us out and constantly reminds us that it will never go away. It was here long before humankind and it will be here long after us.

This particular story sees one young girl embraced by nature as she experiences all nature has to offer her both inside and out. Outside, she hears the sounds of nature - birds chirping and leaves rustling on the roof. Inside, she is connected to nature by the household items that were once part of the natural world. She rests by the light of the moon and awakes to the morning sun.

Outside In is told in sparse text that has a wonderful poetic quality to it and the double page spreads are beautifully illustrated with sweeping brushstrokes. The beauty of the outdoors oozes off the pages as leaves, trees, flowers and wildlife pepper the pages. 

No matter how much time we spend inside, nature and the outside world will always be waiting for us.

Recommended for 4+.