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One Day in the...
One Day in the Woods
‘An intrepid explorer, young Rebecca ventures into the forest in search of an ovenbird, a warbler reputed to be the wizard of the woods. Readers follow Rebecca’s progress through the day discovering the secrets of the spring foliage and learning much about the temperate forest and its inhabitants.’ —BL.
64 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 1988
6 people are currently reading
166 people want to read
About the author
Jean Craighead George
204 books1,505 followersJean Craighead George wrote over eighty popular books for young adults, including the Newbery Medal-winning Julie of the Wolves and the Newbery Honor book My Side of the Mountain. Most of her books deal with topics related to the environment and the natural world. While she mostly wrote children's fiction, she also wrote at least two guides to cooking with wild foods, and an autobiography, Journey Inward.
The mother of three children, (Twig C. George, Craig, and T. Luke George) Jean George was a grandmother who joyfully read to her grandchildren since the time they were born. Over the years Jean George kept one hundred and seventy-three pets, not including dogs and cats, in her home in Chappaqua, New York. "Most of these wild animals depart in autumn when the sun changes their behaviour and they feel the urge to migrate or go off alone. While they are with us, however, they become characters in my books, articles, and stories."
The mother of three children, (Twig C. George, Craig, and T. Luke George) Jean George was a grandmother who joyfully read to her grandchildren since the time they were born. Over the years Jean George kept one hundred and seventy-three pets, not including dogs and cats, in her home in Chappaqua, New York. "Most of these wild animals depart in autumn when the sun changes their behaviour and they feel the urge to migrate or go off alone. While they are with us, however, they become characters in my books, articles, and stories."
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
March 28, 2018
Although the subject matter of Jean Craighead George's One Day in the Woods is both interesting and informative, I very much do consider the general plot, I find the author's narrative style as a whole more than a trifle too textbook-like for my personal tastes, at times even bordering on being much too wordy, too descriptive, too minutely detailed for an illustrated chapter book supposedly geared towards recently independent readers (and while I do not want to call the text tedious, some parts of One Day in the Woodsabsolutely and frustratingly seem somewhat if not even rather majorly mundane and dragging for and to me, especially the constant mentions of the specific times of the day and calendar date, which kind of makes me groan a bit truth be told). And considering that I have always had a rather short attention span and am quite easily distracted, I actually have often felt myself drifting right out of the narrative (and I do indeed wonder whether children, but especially whether recently independent readers or children with an equally short attention span as I tend to have might well experience a similar scenario, especially if they are not all that interested in ecology in the first place, have just a passing, remote fancy or a recently developing, budding curiosity about nature) as throughout One Day in the Wood's sixty odd pages, it sure does seem as though Jean Craighead George often just bombards the reader with information upon information regarding ecology, nature, wildlife. And it certainly also feels rather more like I am reading a detailed science textbook than a real and true story, a tale, like I am being presented with a textbook filled with lists, explanations, academic digressions (and the constant barrage of information, while definitely of interest to me, does tend to become somewhat of a chore to read, process and appreciate, especially since with One Day in the Woods, I for one was expecting more fiction than non fiction, was expecting an engaging story and not a science lesson).
Now I do believe that One Day in the Woods could be a great book to use in an elementary or middle school science classroom (as an easy-to-understand textbook or as an adjunct to a more detailed, longer science tome). In a classroom setting (or for homeschooling parents), One Day in the Woods could very likely be a hit with students and make the subject of ecology more approachable than a longer, more involved textbook could/would. And the fact that the author has also listed a number of bibliographical references is not only an added bonus, it enhances the teaching and learning potential of One Day in the Woods (allowing for additional reading and research by both potential students and teachers). However, for simple pleasure reading, I think that unless a young reader is intensely interested in ecology, One Day in the Woods just might be a bit too wordy and too filled-to-the-core with facts upon facts to be an absolute reading joy. And finally, the accompanying black-and-white illustrations by Gary Allen, while they are indeed lovely and descriptive, for me, they still do present more of a decorative trim than an integral part of the narrative (although I really do enjoy his depiction of the flying squirrel, as its huge eyes can be used to point out that mainly nocturnal animals often have much larger eyes in order to be able to see better at night). I think that Gary Allen's illustrations do add a certain something, but I also believe that One Day in the Woods would still be an informative read without the illustrations (they somewhat augment the story, but are not actually necessary for the book's printed words, for its scientific, biologic information to be appreciated).
Now I do believe that One Day in the Woods could be a great book to use in an elementary or middle school science classroom (as an easy-to-understand textbook or as an adjunct to a more detailed, longer science tome). In a classroom setting (or for homeschooling parents), One Day in the Woods could very likely be a hit with students and make the subject of ecology more approachable than a longer, more involved textbook could/would. And the fact that the author has also listed a number of bibliographical references is not only an added bonus, it enhances the teaching and learning potential of One Day in the Woods (allowing for additional reading and research by both potential students and teachers). However, for simple pleasure reading, I think that unless a young reader is intensely interested in ecology, One Day in the Woods just might be a bit too wordy and too filled-to-the-core with facts upon facts to be an absolute reading joy. And finally, the accompanying black-and-white illustrations by Gary Allen, while they are indeed lovely and descriptive, for me, they still do present more of a decorative trim than an integral part of the narrative (although I really do enjoy his depiction of the flying squirrel, as its huge eyes can be used to point out that mainly nocturnal animals often have much larger eyes in order to be able to see better at night). I think that Gary Allen's illustrations do add a certain something, but I also believe that One Day in the Woods would still be an informative read without the illustrations (they somewhat augment the story, but are not actually necessary for the book's printed words, for its scientific, biologic information to be appreciated).
September 5, 2019
One of a series of children's books highlighting different ecosystems from the pen of Jean Craighead George - see also:
One Day in the Desert
,
One Day in the Tropical Rain Forest
,
One Day in the Prairie
and
One Day in the Alpine Tundra
- this title follows the story of Rebecca, a young girl who, inspired by her naturalist uncle, spends the day in the woods, hoping to catch a glimpse the elusive ovenbird. Waiting patiently in various locations, and exploring different layers, from the canopy to the soil, Rebecca experiences all the magic of the forest, before finally discovering why her uncle describes the ovenbird as a "wizard..."
Although chosen as one of our September selections over in The Picture-Book Club to which I belong, where our theme this month is ecosystems, One Day In the Woods is actually less of a picture-book than an advanced storybook with the occasional illustration. Despite the fact that it isn't divided into chapters, I would say that it is well-suited to the beginning chapter-book audience. I would also say that, despite the mixed fiction/non-fiction format, it works better as an informational text than as a story. One never really believes that Rebecca is anything other than a device to allow the author to impart her information about the woods. Still, the information is valuable in its own right, so this might work well as an assigned reading for school, or for young readers with a particularly strong interest in the subject.
Although chosen as one of our September selections over in The Picture-Book Club to which I belong, where our theme this month is ecosystems, One Day In the Woods is actually less of a picture-book than an advanced storybook with the occasional illustration. Despite the fact that it isn't divided into chapters, I would say that it is well-suited to the beginning chapter-book audience. I would also say that, despite the mixed fiction/non-fiction format, it works better as an informational text than as a story. One never really believes that Rebecca is anything other than a device to allow the author to impart her information about the woods. Still, the information is valuable in its own right, so this might work well as an assigned reading for school, or for young readers with a particularly strong interest in the subject.
June 3, 2023
2.5 stars
I didn't care for this book as much as the others. One reason is that she kept talking about "wizardry." It also mentions evolution and eons of time. If eons of time were required for the wood duck babies to be able to climb out of their next, they would have all died off long ago.
It was interesting to learn about different animals and birds.
I didn't care for this book as much as the others. One reason is that she kept talking about "wizardry." It also mentions evolution and eons of time. If eons of time were required for the wood duck babies to be able to climb out of their next, they would have all died off long ago.
It was interesting to learn about different animals and birds.
April 7, 2021
2021 - read aloud with W age 6.
September 29, 2012
We read One Day In The Prairie about a year ago. We liked the detailed descriptions of the prairie ecosystem, but our girls lost interest after awhile. This is a similar book in Jean Craighead George's series of books about different natural environments.
This tale takes us out on a full day of exploring a woodland reservation in northern New York. The book is labeled as a nonfiction book by our local library; I assume it is primarily due to the ecological content. The deciduous woods, part of what is called 'the temperate forest,' houses a vast array of insects, animals, birds and other creatures. We see many of them in Rebecca's quest for the ovenbird. I like that she discovers many ways in which nature fools us and acts in surprising ways.
The black and white illustrations are very realistic and nicely detailed. They complement the story and show a small sample of the wildlife described. Overall, it's an informative and interesting story. We read this over two days so our girls didn't get too overwhelmed by the details or bored by the story, but I think the fact that they are a year older also helped them stay focused as well.
This story was selected as one of the books for the September 2012 - Ecosystems reads at the Picture-Book Club in the Children's Books Group here at Goodreads.
This tale takes us out on a full day of exploring a woodland reservation in northern New York. The book is labeled as a nonfiction book by our local library; I assume it is primarily due to the ecological content. The deciduous woods, part of what is called 'the temperate forest,' houses a vast array of insects, animals, birds and other creatures. We see many of them in Rebecca's quest for the ovenbird. I like that she discovers many ways in which nature fools us and acts in surprising ways.
The black and white illustrations are very realistic and nicely detailed. They complement the story and show a small sample of the wildlife described. Overall, it's an informative and interesting story. We read this over two days so our girls didn't get too overwhelmed by the details or bored by the story, but I think the fact that they are a year older also helped them stay focused as well.
This story was selected as one of the books for the September 2012 - Ecosystems reads at the Picture-Book Club in the Children's Books Group here at Goodreads.
June 28, 2021
I have loved Jean Craighead George since a friend introduced me to her and "Julie" then "Julie and the Wolves" so I have had this book on my shelf for some time. I was not disappointed. The story is fun and interesting, but that's not all. Ms. George takes us with Rebecca to find the magical "overbird" her uncle told her about. Along the way, we see the woods through Rebecca's eyes and the many wonders and "magic" it holds.
The icing on the cake are the illustrations by Gary Allen. Charcoal drawings accompany almost every page, some of the most wonderful illustrations I have seen. Trying to find him on the internet, or at least other books he has illustrated.
At the end of the book are a Bibliography and an Index to encourage further investigation into the woods community. Perfect for 9-90, especially middle school where interests are forming and need nourishment. Fine for younger children too, to be read to them.
On to my next Jean Craighead George book.
Reread 2021, June
The icing on the cake are the illustrations by Gary Allen. Charcoal drawings accompany almost every page, some of the most wonderful illustrations I have seen. Trying to find him on the internet, or at least other books he has illustrated.
At the end of the book are a Bibliography and an Index to encourage further investigation into the woods community. Perfect for 9-90, especially middle school where interests are forming and need nourishment. Fine for younger children too, to be read to them.
On to my next Jean Craighead George book.
Reread 2021, June
December 10, 2010
The plot of the book isn't very interesting. The value of the book is the use of descriptive language Jean Craighead George uses to describes the setting, animals, and plants.
August 16, 2016
Read in preparation of our trip to the UP woods/lake to see grandma and grandpa Blodgett...krb 8/16/16
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October 18, 2022This book is about a young girl named Rebecca, she spends from dawn until dusk in the woods searching for “the wizard of the woods.” That’s what her Uncle Luke called it, at least, the strange Ovenbird whose antics are as wild as anything she could find in the forest. Rebecca begins her search high up in the canopy of trees, because after all, she’s looking for a bird isn’t she? Author Jean Craighead George uses this little tidbit as a ploy to introduce the top five layers of plant life, a great lesson for kids to learn: canopy, shrub, field, litter, and soil. Where might the Ovenbird live? Rebecca wonders. She’ll spend her whole day searching the layers to find it. During her adventures Rebecca meets all different kinds of animals, from flying squirrels to Downy Woodpeckers.
August 9, 2023
An informational book containing pictures about forest ecology written on a level that younger students can grasp. This would be a good resource for teachers to use with students to help them learn more about the different layers in a deciduous forest and the plants and wildlife that lives in each level, but students may lose interest in the book since there is no plot. (Does have some references to evolution).
May 10, 2017
The book I read is called One Day In The Woods. The main character in this book is a young girl named Rebecca. Rebecca is a curious girl and she is very interested in animals. Rebecca is looking for a certain bird called the ovenbird. Rebecca gets very upset when something happens to the environment , for example Rebecca gets very upset when she accidentally set the forest on fire
February 5, 2018
Quick little chapter book about the woods and some of its creatures. We liked learning about the different layers of the forest and drew them into our nature notebooks. Reading about the ovenbird was fun, too, and motivated us to go look up pictures and calls on a bird identification website.
*Contains some evolutionary content.
*Contains some evolutionary content.
June 3, 2018
Told in narrative form, students will learn about the ecology of the North American forest, the Teatown Woods on New York State including flora and fauna within the layers of the woods. Additional themes include human impact and respect for our natural world.
October 18, 2022
An intrepid explorer, young Rebecca ventures into the forest in search of an ovenbird, a warbler reputed to be the wizard of the woods. Readers follow Rebecca’s progress through the day discovering the secrets of the spring foliage and learning much about the temperate forest and its inhabitants.
July 30, 2022
Young readers nature galore.
August 9, 2022
un libro che ha accompagnato la mia infanzia, talvolta lo rileggo ancora oggi. per gli amanti della natura è la lettura perfetta, lo consiglio a tutti. un libro magnifico
September 9, 2022
libro che leggevo da bambina.
se siete amanti della natura, questa autrice fa per voi
se siete amanti della natura, questa autrice fa per voi
October 25, 2023
10/10, thank you random library book sale.
August 5, 2024
Well done, easy-to-read, super informative. Perfect for my 8 YO’s upcoming science curriculum on biomes of the world.
August 29, 2021
Kinda bored while reading it normally I like reading kids books as a quick read but I did not enjoy this one.
September 27, 2012
One Day in the Woods by Jean Craighead George, illustrated by Gary Allen is an illustrated book about a girl who spends the day in the woods looking for an ovenbird.
Allen's black and white illustrations are detailed and show the variety of wildlife observed. Animals pictured include squirrels, screech owl, flying squirrel, raccoon, gypsy moth, robin, cardinal, towhee, Cooper's hawk, chipmunk, wood duck, deer & fawn, skunk, porcupine, and ovenbird. My favorite images are cover, title page, owl, hawk & chipmunk, and skunk.
This would best be used for elementary age children. George's text describes the woods and animals well, though she has a tendency to add many details and explanations that would overwhelm younger children. This could be ussed in an ecosystems or ecology unit, and could be used for younger children if read aloud in several sessions. Supplementing this with color pictures, perhaps some bird sound recordings, and research on specific animals would be helpful. There is a good bibliography included. Rating 3.5 stars
For ages 6 to 10, ecology, eco-systems, animals, forests, kids nonfiction, and fans of Jean Craighead George and Gary Allen.
Allen's black and white illustrations are detailed and show the variety of wildlife observed. Animals pictured include squirrels, screech owl, flying squirrel, raccoon, gypsy moth, robin, cardinal, towhee, Cooper's hawk, chipmunk, wood duck, deer & fawn, skunk, porcupine, and ovenbird. My favorite images are cover, title page, owl, hawk & chipmunk, and skunk.
This would best be used for elementary age children. George's text describes the woods and animals well, though she has a tendency to add many details and explanations that would overwhelm younger children. This could be ussed in an ecosystems or ecology unit, and could be used for younger children if read aloud in several sessions. Supplementing this with color pictures, perhaps some bird sound recordings, and research on specific animals would be helpful. There is a good bibliography included. Rating 3.5 stars
For ages 6 to 10, ecology, eco-systems, animals, forests, kids nonfiction, and fans of Jean Craighead George and Gary Allen.
March 8, 2015
With Lanie. This one will probably only work well as a read-aloud. There isn't much of a plot, but there is very descriptive language and tons of great vocabulary describing the woods and the animals in it. It was good to see Lanie soaking all the words in, but I'm not sure any kid would keep with this book without a parent walking him through it. Even Lanie looked away from the words on occasion and this is VERY unlike her. A worthwhile read anyway, but under certain circumstances.
February 4, 2016
Read this out loud to the munchkin. The main character of One Day in the Woods, Rebecca, spends a day searching for the ovenbird and encounters all sorts of creatures of the forest. The ovenbird (Seiurus aurocapilla) is a small songbird of the New World warbler family (Parulidae). When we finished reading the book we watched this youtube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UNuDC...
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June 11, 2014x2
October 28, 2014
This is a great book to read aloud or use as a study starter, but it won't grab the attention if the child isn't a nature lover.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews