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Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children From Nature-Deficit Disorder | 
 enlarge | Author: Richard Louv
Publisher: Algonquin Books
Category: Book
List Price: $14.95
Buy New: $8.96
You Save: $5.99 (40%)
New (34) Used (8) from $8.96
Avg. Customer Rating:  72 reviews
Sales Rank: 516
Media: Paperback
Edition: Updated and Expanded
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 390
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.6
Dimensions (in): 8.3 x 5.5 x 1.1
ISBN: 156512605X
Dewey Decimal Number: 155.418
EAN: 9781565126053
ASIN: 156512605X
Publication Date: April 10, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: GREAT BUY!Brand New Factory Sealed!!! From US Distributor! WE ARE A 5 STAR SELLER with OVER 2,000,000 BOOKS SOLD!!! OVER ~ 520,000 FEEDBACKS ~ POSTED!!!
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Product Description
Richard Louv was the first to identify a phenomenon we all knew existed but couldn't quite articulate: nature-deficit disorder. His book Last Child in the Woods created a national conversation about the disconnection between children and nature, and his message has galvanized an international movement. Now, three years after its initial publication, we have reached a tipping point, with Leave No Child Inside initiatives adopted in at least 30 regions within 21 states, and in Canada, Holland, Australia, and Great Britain.
This new edition reflects the enormous changes that have taken place since the book—and this grassroots movement— were launched. It includes:
• 101 Things you can do to create change in your community, school, and family.
• Discussion points to inspire people of all ages to talk about the importance of nature in their lives.
• A new afterword by the author about the growing Leave No Child Inside movement.
• New and updated research confirming that direct exposure to nature is essential for the physical and emotional health of children and adults.
This is a book that will change the way you think about your future and the future of your children.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 67 more reviews...
 Persuasive and impassioned, though with some evidentiary gaps May 14, 2008
Richard Louv, Last Child in the Woods
This book makes a convincing case that many of our children are suffering from a deficit of nature in their lives. He connects this nature deficit to a variety of modern plagues, including attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, stress, depression, anxiety disorders, and childhood obesity. The evidence tends to be more anecdotal than systematic or experimental, but the cumulation of such evidence becomes persuasive.
He attributes this deficit to many causes, including a loss of public spaces, the testing climate in public schools reducing recesses, the growth of organized youth activities at the expense of just messing around in vacant lots, parents' fears for safety, fears of litigation making cities reduce parks and playgrounds, electronic games and television, and various other ills. The causal links here are even more speculative but again, the story coheres well from an accumulation of circumstantial evidence.
Louv's solutions seem to address symptoms, not underlying causes. Many are wishful thinking - - with so many social and economic pressures taking our kids away from nature, we need a significant restructuring to get them back. I'm not sure how to do this, but this important book certainly does a good job raising the issues.
 TEN Star Great book!!!! May 7, 2008
1 out of 3 found this review helpful
Cannot recommend this book enough whether you live in a city, suburb or rural area.
Nature is all around you as the book says, and sadly to many children have no idea what trees are in their neighborhood, or what that flower called a dandelion is growing thru the crack in the sidewalk.
If nothing else I hope the book will make parents/adults and children simply stop and look around and see what is growing or living around them. Would make a GREAT gift for any parent. So turn off the computer, tv and cell phone and get outside.
 A little too pessimistic and a bit too incomplete April 21, 2008
True, today's computer use by kids has in too many cases divorced them from the real benefits of being outdoors and understanding the need to interact with Nature in all its various forms.
However, the author errs when he puts forth the premise that todays activists are interfering with the kids' rights to interact with nature - NOT SO!!! Hunting and fishing will ALWAYS be with us -- and RESPONSIBLE hunting and fishing should be the core of every sportspersons' agenda. Not everyone wants to hunt and fish -- so those who just enjoy hiking and camping should be aware of and follow the rules and responsibilities of careful stewardship of the earth (bring your trash OUT of the wilderness with you-- be extra careful with camp fires, etc etc)
Not one word of his book mentions Humane Education, or the GREAT work that Humane Educators, especially the Institute for Humane Education -- are doing to re-acquaint children with the ecology (animal vegetable and mineral) that surrounds them and their responsibility toward this ecology that is EVERY individual's birthright. I would HOPE that the next revision of this book WILL discuss the great contributions of these Humane educators and organizations.
Neither does the author mention the efforts on the part of major religious organizations to make their members aware of the need to respect, preserve and maintain God's gifts of flora and fauna and verything that makes up this big beautiful earth.
Growing up in the Big City -- as a child, I visited the MANY FREE places open to kids of all ages in New York City -- namely the zoos and botanical gardens that are still there today. These organizations appeal to children and have programs specifically aimed at all children, and ARE visited on a daily basis by children who attend the local schools.
All is NOT lost -- computer can never supplant the "real Thing" -- but many children still need to acquaint themselves with Mother Earth and their responsible relationship to her. With some improvements, this book can help re-acquaint all of us to the beauty of nature and the need to preserve it (without bashing any of the groups out there who have their own specific philosophies about other living beings) and can act as a beneficial guide to parents and children alike.
Last Child in the Woods April 13, 2008
Last Child in the Woods provides an essential argument for parents, educators, and adults who have been influenced by nature deficit disorder. This book outlines the harm our society faces due to a lack of exposure and appreciation for our outside world. As we continue to place utmost importance on technology our children are being deprived of a childhood spent outdoors, even in their own backyard. Our society has made parents fearful of allowing children to play in their own backyards and parks without complete supervision, which is often not possible due to busy schedules. This fear is depriving our countries' children the opportunity to discover and explore the world around them, use imagination turning sticks into swords and flowers into crowns, and build a strong self-esteem by problem-solving. The final and most important argument this book makes is that if our children do appreciate the world they live in, they will have no reason to fight to save it in the next 50 years. The issues are world faces will become the responsibiltiy of today's children and their children and if they don't have a reason to fight for it, who will?
My Mission in Life April 4, 2008
I am a naturalist and have seen the effects that little to no exposure to the out-of-doors is having on children. I would put this book right next to Rachel Carson's Silent Spring for its eye-opening subject. It does not take a crazest environmentalist to enjoy this book and feel like they can make a difference. I have seen many of the negative examples found in the book in action and work on a daily basis to provide opportunities for kids to get outside. After reading the book, it only made my job all the more important. I find it hard to imagine a person who would not be affected by reading the book.
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