A Girl's Guide to the Wild: Be an Adventure-Seeking Outdoor Explorer!

by Ruby McConnell, Teresa Grasseschi (Illustrator)

Girls belong outdoors! This handbook covers everything you need to get outside, including ideas for what to do, camping and hiking basics, body stuff in the wilderness, advanced skills like maps, weather, and first aid, as well as recipes, projects, activities, and profiles of inspiring outdoorswomen.

Your definitive guide to getting outside--for girls ages 9-12! In addition to basic outdoor skills, this entertaining guidebook includes easy camping recipes, outdoor projects including science experiments and crafts, fun activity suggestions, and inspiring stories of diverse historical and contemporary outdoorswomen (such as Arunima Sinha, the first amputee woman to summit Mount Everest; Juliette Gordon Low, founder of the Girl Scouts; and Libby Riddles, first woman to win the Iditarod). The goal is to improve the quality of girls' outdoor time by increasing participation and independence, making them feel comfortable and safe, and giving them essential skills and knowledge. Charming and approachable, this book will encourage both reluctant campers and budding naturalists to go wild and embrace the outdoors.

Genres: Nature, Nonfiction, Childrens, Parenting

272 pages, Paperback

Published May 21, 2019

About the author

Ruby McConnell is a writer, geologist, and adventuress whose work focuses on nature, the environment, and the relationship between landscape and the human experience. Her experiences as a researcher, activist, and explorer in the wildlands of the western United States led her write A Woman’s Guide to the Wild- the definitive outdoor guide for anyone who identifies as, or loves, women (or just wants to learn how to read a map) and its companion, A Girl’s Guide to the Wild (spring 2019). Ruby believes that positive outdoor experiences are the key to healthy living and protecting the environment and is committed to breaking down barriers that prevent all kinds of people from being outside. Her writing has appeared in publications such as Grain Literary Journal, Oregon Humanities Magazine, and Mother Earth News and was awarded an Oregon Literary Arts Fellowship in 2016. She is almost always in the woods of the Pacific Northwest, but you can find her online at www.rubymcconnell.com and @RubyGoneWild.

Reviews

[Lisa Mcbroom · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dear Readers I am not a Camper by any means , but for those of you that are this is a great book! Filled with information on camping, the book also highlights famous females who were daring outdoor women! Also included are dwellings of camps yes even my idea of camping a blanket fort!

[Bethany Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an amazing adventure for girls! This book has it all!
Not only does she talk about places to visit in the US but also places as far as Japan.
I didn’t realize there were so many groups and troops to be apart of. From Appalachian Mountain Club to Girl Scouts and Women’s Wilderness.
She also talks about many fun outdoor activities: geocaching, rockhounding and orienteering.
Ruby tells you what you need to camp, how to find the perfect campsite, how to create fire, ideas to cook outdoors and first aid and reading a map.
What an AMAZING guide!

[F Black · Rating 1 out of 5]

I felt this was dumbed down so much that it was insulting. My daughters would've been better prepared by Google.
I also dislike that the author is clearly writing to affluent, cis, straight girls, instead of ALL girls.

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really loved what this book was trying to do. The mix of outdoor skills with profiles of famous women was pretty cool. I liked the mad lib style stories thrown in too.
The organization of content didn't make a lot of sense to me though. The "what to bring" chapter mentions a first aid kit, but the suggested contents for the first aid kit are several chapters later under "advanced skills". It is cross-referenced and there is an index but still it seems like a little reorganizing could go a long way.
The content was also so U.S.-centric that it should have been titled "An American girl's guide to the Wild" . It mentions specific U.S. national Parks in the first few pages in some detail. This country specific information would have been better at the back of the book.

[Lester · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a cool book for 'girls'. I wanted to read it as a heads up for my grandaughter.
Nice to read about our female pioneers.
One day..I will find a similar book with a Canadian touch.
I remembered my own daughters creating a mancala game many times in the sand..or dirt..anywhere. The easiest game..they had everything right there. Hands and sticks to scrape little dips in the ground and then search for game pieces..pebbles, old berries, petals etc. Play the game.
Thankx for the book Ruby McConnell.

[Megan Mann · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this was fantastic! It was really informational and as someone who loves the outdoors, I even learned some new information! What I loved the most though, was all of the incredible outdoorsy women discussed throughout the book. I thought that was really driving the point home that women have always been a driving force in nature. (Could have used Marjorie Stoneman Douglas and Hallie Morse Daggett, at least, though!)

[Bobbi Galvin · Rating 5 out of 5]

It really doesn't get better than this. It's well laid out, full of great ideas for camping, journaling, first aid, travel, games, where to go, and even some historical facts and bios. There is so much more to this book! I like that it's written for younger reader, but I would recommend this to anyone planning a visit with nature.

[Kelli · Rating 4 out of 5]

My kids and I have been working through this book for a good portion of the summer. It's geared for girls a bit older than mine but the information is conversational and interesting.
It's a good resources for new campers/outdoorsfolk.

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really great, simplified guide to safely spend extended periods of time outdoors, esp when backpacking or camping. Several chapters have quizzes at the end that my boys enjoyed completing out loud.

[Sands 🌺 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked the way this book is organized.

[Jaren · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars
Didn't realize this was geared towards younger girls so there wasn't much new information for me to learn. I kinda just skimmed through it.

[Jennifer Gyuricska · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great basic book for those new to venturing outside.