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Little Muir's Night

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An original board book that encourage a bedtime in tune with nature.

Join Little Muir as he bids good night to the natural world and experiences the wonder of a starry night outdoors. Legendary conservationist John Muir's dreamy prose and award-winning illustrator Susie Ghahremani's cheerful paintings come together in this luminous board book. Young children will be treated to nighttime creatures--owls, bats, bears, and more--in this colorful ode to our planet and its celestial neighbors, which directly supports the legacy of Yosemite National Park.

14 pages, Board book

Published August 11, 2020

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About the author

John Muir

502 books1,255 followers
John Muir (1838 – 1914) was a Scottish-American naturalist, author, and early advocate of preservation of wilderness in the United States. His letters, essays, and books telling of his adventures in nature, especially in the Sierra Nevada mountains of California, have been read by millions. His activism helped to preserve the Yosemite Valley, Sequoia National Park and other wilderness areas. The Sierra Club, which he founded, is now one of the most important conservation organizations in the United States. One of the best-known hiking trails in the U.S., the 211-mile (340 km) John Muir Trail, was named in his honor. Other such places include Muir Woods National Monument, Muir Beach, John Muir College, Mount Muir, Camp Muir and Muir Glacier.

In his later life, Muir devoted most of his time to the preservation of the Western forests. He petitioned the U.S. Congress for the National Park bill that was passed in 1890, establishing Yosemite and Sequoia National Parks. The spiritual quality and enthusiasm toward nature expressed in his writings inspired readers, including presidents and congressmen, to take action to help preserve large nature areas. He is today referred to as the "Father of the National Parks" and the National Park Service has produced a short documentary about his life.

Muir's biographer, Steven J. Holmes, believes that Muir has become "one of the patron saints of twentieth-century American environmental activity," both political and recreational. As a result, his writings are commonly discussed in books and journals, and he is often quoted by nature photographers such as Ansel Adams. "Muir has profoundly shaped the very categories through which Americans understand and envision their relationships with the natural world," writes Holmes. Muir was noted for being an ecological thinker, political spokesman, and religious prophet, whose writings became a personal guide into nature for countless individuals, making his name "almost ubiquitous" in the modern environmental consciousness. According to author William Anderson, Muir exemplified "the archetype of our oneness with the earth".

Muir was extremely fond of Henry David Thoreau and was probably influenced more by him than even Ralph Waldo Emerson. Muir often referred to himself as a "disciple" of Thoreau. He was also heavily influenced by fellow naturalist John Burroughs.

During his lifetime John Muir published over 300 articles and 12 books. He co-founded the Sierra Club, which helped establish a number of national parks after he died and today has over 1.3 million members. Author Gretel Ehrlich states that as a "dreamer and activist, his eloquent words changed the way Americans saw their mountains, forests, seashores, and deserts." He not only led the efforts to protect forest areas and have some designated as national parks, but his writings gave readers a conception of the relationship between "human culture and wild nature as one of humility and respect for all life," writes author Thurman Wilkins.

His philosophy exalted wild nature over human culture and civilization. Turner describes him as "a man who in his singular way rediscovered America. . . . an American pioneer, an American hero." Wilkins adds that a primary aim of Muir’s nature philosophy was to challenge mankind’s "enormous conceit," and in so doing, he moved beyond the Transcendentalism of Emerson and Thoreau to a "biocentric perspective on the world."

In the months after his death, many who knew Muir closely wrote about his influences.

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5 stars
27 (55%)
4 stars
7 (14%)
3 stars
14 (28%)
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
Profile Image for Susie.
Author 24 books197 followers
Want to read
April 22, 2019
It was a privilege to bring John Muir's words to life with my artwork.

I love that the altruistic mission of sharing the gift of nature extends to every corner of this project: the book is printed on FSC paper, funded by Yosemite Conservancy, and every single purchase of it benefits conservation at Yosemite National Park.
Profile Image for Elizabeth.
2,038 reviews53 followers
July 27, 2022
This book is beautiful. It is a board book, meant for the youngest humans, but could just as easily be on display in the space of anyone who loves nature. The song has a simple message...nature is a part of us. Lovely.
Profile Image for Tonja Drecker.
Author 3 books191 followers
August 13, 2019
The love of nature and the world around us radiates from every page.

This is a sweet, little board book, which simply celebrates nature and invites young listeners (and older readers) to join in on the wonder of life. It's poetic and yet, not difficult to understand. The beauty beams from every page as nature turns into a sheer joy, which not only surrounds but flows through on an inner level.

Nature lovers will enjoy this read and instantly understand the meaning behind the song. But then, even others will be drawn in and meet the verses on a personal level. It illustrations the connection between nature and people, while building respect and love.

The illustrations are simple and match perfectly to the text. Little Muir wanders through forests and mountains with a contagious joy. There's a lovely modern touch, which draws in and makes it a delight to gaze at the scenes.

I received a complimentary copy and enjoyed the book so much that I wanted to leave my honest thoughts.
8 reviews1 follower
September 3, 2019
We love this sweet little book! I love the beautiful John Muir prose, and the rich child-engaging illustrations keep our 3 year old asking for this one again and again. A perfect book for lovers of nature, and especially for those of us in California!
Profile Image for Bredee Holden.
2 reviews1 follower
September 3, 2019
Illustrations are BEAUTIFUL and the words, if possible, even more so. Made me cry because of the gentleness and goodness that it teaches - the best kind of children’s book.
Profile Image for Beth.
2,935 reviews199 followers
October 6, 2019
"The sun shines not on us but in us.
The rivers flow not past, but through us."

Short, stunning writing in board book format from John Muir's journals.
Profile Image for MariNaomi.
Author 34 books413 followers
November 23, 2019
Such a beautifully rendered children's book! I'm especially drawn to the material as someone who grew up in Marin County, where John Muir was king.
Profile Image for Sarah.
479 reviews11 followers
September 12, 2020
Read this daily since receiving it last week to mentally combat heat and smoke. Love the Little Muir series from Susie; yes, they are children’s books first and foremost, but a wonder for nature lovers, too.
8 reviews1 follower
November 29, 2020
My daughters LOVE this sweet book! My toddler especially loved the cute frog that shows up on several pages and enjoyed pointing it out. Such a sweet poetic book and love how it celebrates being out in nature!
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews

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