staff picks

The Naturalist at Home: Projects for Discovering the Hidden World Around Us

By Kelly Brenner

Kelly Brenner’s bestselling Nature Obscura came out during the pandemic’s beginning and was a lifeline of joy and curiosity when many were facing uncertainty. Her new book, The Naturalist at Home, encourages us once again to step outside and appreciate the nature around us — no matter where we are. This hands-on book has twenty projects that bridge the gap between sophisticated science experiments and simple nature activities. With a focus on accessibility and conscientiousness, each project asks the reader to slow down and appreciate the smaller moments our natural world offers each day. The nature-curious of every age have something to gain from this book and the projects in it.

The Wanderer: An Alaska Wolf’s Final Journey

By Tom Walker

Follow Wolf 258, nicknamed “the Wanderer,” as he traverses the Alaskan and Canadian wilds. As part of a research project studying wolves in Alaska’s Yukon-Charley Rivers National Preserve, a GPS collar recorded the Wanderer’s coordinates once a day as he traveled more than 2,700 miles in less than six months. With each leg of this remarkable journey through expansive, rugged, and varied terrain, award-winning author, photographer, and naturalist Tom Walker immerses the reader in the habitat and landscapes that the Wanderer would have encountered. The first book to chart a wolf’s daily movements for such an extended period of time, The Wanderer offers unique insights into this beloved, feared, and mysterious creature.

Day Hiking Central Cascades, 2nd Edition

By Craig Romano

With some of the largest tracts of wilderness in the Pacific Northwest, the Central Cascades are packed with wildlife, geological diversity, and opportunity for adventure. Using US Highway 2 as its primary organizing principle, this new and improved edition of Day Hiking Central Cascades focuses on the best day hikes to be found between the Sultan Basin and Wenatchee, and around Blewett Pass, Chelan, and the Stehekin and Entiat River Valleys. Compact and full-color, this must-have guide from expert hiker and guidebook author Craig Romano covers everything from leisurely, close-to-home strolls to all-day treks and backpacking spots deep in the Alpine Lakes, Glacier Peak, Henry M. Jackson, and Wild Sky Wilderness areas.