Title: Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder
Author: Richard Louv
Publication Year: 2008
Website: richardlouv.com
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Review: It’s not that I disagree with the intent of this book, but in the middle of my busy life, I felt like this book was too wordy. I like books that get right to the point. Books should be concise, clear, and straightforward. If a book is going to take me a couple weeks to read, it better be really, really useful.
In my opinion, this book has limited use. The author makes a good case for why nature is so important for our children’s physical and mental well-being. He also discusses all the reasons why kids today have less freedom to enjoy nature than previous generations (law suits, concern with protecting the environment, fear of strangers, fear of injuries, etc.). He discusses all the reasons why children choose not to enjoy nature (tv, video games, overscheduling, etc.). He talks about ways to help your children reconnect with nature, quotes many experts in various aspects of nature, and tells many anecdotal stories. I fully support everything the author asserts. I just wish the book had been edited to be about a third as long. (Personal Rating: 7/10)
Michelle has a PhD in Engineering from Stanford University and a Bachelor's Degree from the California Institute of Technology. 
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