I received an arc of this title from NetGalley for an honest review. A little girl and her father are strolling through the forest, and the little girl is attempting to entice her father from his cell phone.

Forest Bath Right Down This Path is a great kids book about taking time away from technology and just being in nature and staying mindful of what surrounds you.
I'm thankful that I was able to read this ARC through Netgalley, it's one I suggest for kids to read and then head outside to your park.

In this tender picture book, Kayla teaches her father how to unplug from his phone and plug into nature as she guides him through the process of forest bathing. The story incorporates a narrative along with poetic text as Kayla and her father explore the wonders of a forest walk together. Kayla is a spirited girl and children will enjoy the way she takes the lead. The illustrations are beautiful with engaging characters.

Kayla decided to go for a forest bath, a term used for a process of relaxation. This is a pychological and physiological exercise started as 'shinrin-yoku' in Japan.

She tried to convince her father for it but that took her pre-session of pychological exercise of another kind, LOL.
She experienced the nature in her very variant way. Sunlight filtered through the branches of trees, scent of soil and breezing in forest along with icy-current of flowing stream, etc.

This was a good induction on the topic via this picture book and people should often do this exercise to get de-stressed and boost their health.

⭐⭐⭐

Forest Bath Right Down This Path by Lisa Robinson is a beautiful ode to the natural world. On a hot summer day, Kayla suggests she and her father go forest bathing, and with some convincing, they set off into the woods. The story takes readers on a journey through the sights, sounds, and smells of nature as Kayla and her dad immerse themselves in the forest.

The illustrations in this book are beautiful and wonderfully complement the poetic narrative half of Robinson’s writing. However, the other half with the Dad and cellphone just didn't work for me. Despite that minor issue, Forest Bath Right Down This Path is an enjoyable read that inspires readers to take a break from their daily lives and find solace in nature.

**ARC Via NetGalley**

This has a girl teach her father to take a forest bath – the experience of experiencing a woodland with as many senses as possible, hearing the sussuration and animals, feeling the grit between your toes, touching the bark lit up by dampness and sunlight to produce the distinctive forest aromas. The father is annoyingly stuck on his mobile phone until she gets him to fully join in, and oddly visuals make him a bit of a hipster, therefore someone who ought to know better. But the visuals are fine for this kind of thing, and while the text does verge on a mindfulness lesson once or twice, the more poetic side of things matches well with the simple conversation and instruction between daughter and dad.

This was a whimsical book that we enjoyed reading. My children enjoyed how the little girl took her father on a walk, but as a parent it also convicted me to be more present with my children. This book is enjoyable for young children, but also for parents also.

My kids loved this beautiful story, and the illustrations were stunning! This book was a gentle reminder to put down the phone or whatever is distracting a parent from their child and be present at the moment with them. We miss so much these days by being too connected to the world outside our present moment.

This is such a cute book that is a great explanation of forest baths, and a good reminder for adults to put down their phones around kids. The illustrations are beautiful, and an adult being taught a new skill by a child is a nice change of pace as well.

I accessed a digital review copy of this book from the publisher.
The story follows Kayla and her Dad as they take a walk in a forest. Kayla tries to get her father to engage in forest bathing activities instead of paying attention to his phone.
The illustrations and Kayla's story were great, however, the storyline about her father was not needed. It took away from the main idea and felt like the book was trying to be two different books.

This book is the first book I have seen to tackle the topic of parents/caregivers being on their phone and not available for their children and I loved it. It really hit home for me as a mom of 4 kids. 3 of my children were born before smart phones and raising a young child with smartphones everywhere is particularly challenging. This book really helped to remind me why it is important to put my phone away.

I really enjoyed the message and the imagery of this book. I felt like I was walking in the forest with the characters while I was reading.

My latest picture book obsession is by @author_lisarobinson with illustrations by @khoa.le.artwork. The use of text and poetry has just completely captivated and got my mind working overtime.

I received an arc from @netgalley as the book is not released until July but you can find find the link in my bio if you are intrigued. I think I need a physical copy of this to add to my collection.

Detailed review below...


Through insightful writing, inspiring poetry, and stunning illustrations by Khoa Le, Lisa Robinson's beautiful book "Forest Bath Right Down This Path" celebrates the advantages of spending time in nature. The addition of poetry lends the book a sense of rhythm and flow, enhancing the tranquil and meditative atmosphere. The poem invites readers to engage their senses by uniquely capturing the essence of the forest bathing experience. The poetry and text are perfectly complemented by Khoa Le's illustrations, which contribute to the book's sense of continuity and harmony. Readers are transported to a place of tranquility and mindfulness by the lush illustrations of wildlife, rivers, and forests. A truly immersive and captivating reading experience that is sure to inspire and rejuvenate readers is created by the combination of the writing by Lisa Robinson, the poetry that is included, and the illustrations by Khoa Le. Overall, "Forest Bath Right Down This Path" is a beautiful and informative book that highlights the beauty and benefits of nature as well as the importance of taking time to be present outside.

#ForestBathRightDownThisPath #NatureWriting #MindfulnessReading #BeautifulBooks #BookLoversCommunity #ReadMoreBooks #Bookstagram

The illustration is gorgeous and the central idea is intriguing, but i wish the plot had been better explored.

The first-page pops! I love the use of white space with the tree. The illustrations throughout are all great and very colorful. I enjoyed the book, the illustrations were my favorite part. It had a good message too of enjoying what's around you (both nature & those that matter) and getting off your phone.

Forest Bath Right Down This Path introduces forest bathing to kids. Forest Bathing is walking in a forest and soaking in all the sights and smells of the forest. Forest Bathing has benefits. It reduces anxiety and induces calmness.

In this book, Kayla goes to Forest Bathing with her father on a hot summer day. Kayla walks in the forest of maple, spruce, and pine trees. She meanders along the path, feels the rocks with her feet, smells the forest, looks at the sunlight dappling through the trees, and dips her feet in a cool stream. The book also introduces the animals and birds native to the forest.

Forest Bath Right Down This Path is a book meant to be read and then experienced by taking a forest bath.

To me this was just an okay book that introduces to young readers the concept of forest bathing if one should believe in such a thing via the narration of the protagonist who is fighting with her wayward parent. Yep just allow that sink in for just a minute....

The reason that I chose to give this story a two star review instead of the one is the opposite usually of the actual story being told. The reader gets to follow the story of the protagonist Kayla before it flips over to a sensory description that provides the reader with what they may hear, feel or see. As such if a reader is wanting to do a forest bathing exercise with their child without reading the while book they could just basically form some concept and activities from these pages or read the additional information in the back.

Otherwise the book is about a parent who is too busy caught up in his cell phone while his precocious daughter is trying to make him detach from the phone and "play" outside. The whole fact of the swap of family roles and the fact that Kayla can be seen manipulating her father although still sugarcoating it so she can get away from it without punishment just blows my mind. And to my poor jaded mind struggling to survive in a world that thinks it's racist more so than ever in history it smells heavily of that Woke mindset since of the fact that the child is clearly biracial while the poor fool of a parent who is more child than his own child is portrayed as a geeky white man who cannot detach from his digital paci.

Others may find this book charming and informative as well as a fun activity for their children when they are outside but I think in my case I will pass on it.

**I received a free copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.**

This book is a must-have for every household with an affinity for quality time and nature. Kayla and her father enjoy a captivating adventure through the forest and teach readers about different plants and animals, as well as mindfulness, along the way. I love this gentle reminder for parents to stay grounded in what's happening around them, instead of their phones and gadgets. Not only is this book filled with captivating illustrations of nature, it also features a multiracial household with a nice subtle nod to inclusivity.

The illustrations are lovely and the book presents forest bathing appropriate to a young audience-- or to beginners of any age.

The presentation of the parent and his interactions with the child left a bad taste in my mouth. The child character knows all about forest bathing and apparently does it frequently with her Mom (no screen time for this character, but she's an idealized person compared to the Dad). Dad is disengaged and uninterested, while the child character is patient, engaged, and informed. Dad is constantly on his phone-- both in illustrations and narration-- on multiple pages. He scoffs and is doubtful of the proposed activity. Parents don't have to be portrayed as perfect, but this was over-the-top.

eARC from NetGalley.

A lovely take on mindfulness and connecting with nature (and each other!). Kayla and her father are in the forest, presumably for a picnic and to spend time in nature, but Kayla's dad is stuck on his cell phone. Through gentle reminders and invitations to engage with their surroundings, Kayla convinces her dad to disconnect and reconnect. While it would have been great to see a more explicitly reflective moment from Dad about what he's taken away from the experience, both kids and adults will appreciate the all-too-familiar experience of needing to turn away from technology to be present in the moment. I especially appreciated the use of contrasting fonts to indicate which parts of the text served as a sort of guided meditation, and the author's note at the end of the book could spur great classroom discussion or plans for a weekend trip to the woods.

Such a great book to inspire children to connect with nature in a mindful and meaningful way. I love that the author provides further information about forest bathing at the end and writes about her own experience and fond memories of her time spent exploring in the forest as a child. One thing I wish were different is the mention multiple times about the girl's father's cell phone usage. I can see what the author was trying to do by pointing it out, but I think kids are observant enough to see this in their parents or other adults and don't need it mentioned in order to connect with and enjoy a book about nature.