Green Reading: Closer to the Ground

When I first had the chance to read Closer to the Ground: An Outdoor Family's Year on the Water, In the Woods, and at the Table, I was actually worried that it would be even too eco-friendly for me, since I live in a first-ring suburb of St. Paul and would never be able to live completely unplugged.

Dylan Tomine, a Patagonia Fly Fishing Ambassador, conservation advocate and writer, saw two teenagers sitting next to each other, texting. He decided he wanted a different life for his kids than a constantly-connected one. They moved from a Seattle high-rise to an island in Puget Sound - not an isolated island, completely cut off from the outside world, but one with ample opportunity to explore the great outdoors.

The book goes through each of the four seasons, including experiences his kids were able to enjoy, such as foraging for and catching their own food, learning the patterns of nature from experience, not a book, and being surprised by new discoveries.

This book is a great read for anyone who wants inspiration for how to help their kids look beyond the screen - no matter where you live. Even if you can't find your own mushrooms to sauté for dinner, you can still appreciate his family's sense of discovery - and use it to launch your own.

Dylan Tomine is a writer, conservation advocate and speaker for wild fish and water. He serves as a Fly Fishing Ambassador for Patagonia and a trustee with The Wild Steelhead Coalition. A noted outdoor writer, his stories have appeared in The Flyfish Journal, The Drake, The New York Times, and other publications. He lives with his wife and kids, now five and eight years old, on an island in Puget Sound where they run Bainbridge Island Blueberry Co., a U-Pick blueberry farm.

Book Tour Schedule is available at www.dylantomine.com.

Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of the book to facilitate this review.