Connection to nature has always been a pivotal part of my life, from eating blueberries right off the bush as a child to growing up to be a working wildlife biologist. Becoming a mother only deepened my desire to maintain my relationship with nature, which I believe always holds and nourishes us, and to share that connection with my children.

These books expanded my knowledge of, appreciation for, and connection to nature through fascinating stories of real-world magic, practical guidelines on caring for nature at home and beyond, and inspiration for living a more nature-aligned life.

Check your local library as your first stop for picking up a new book. If you love the book, you can choose to purchase it from your favorite local or online used bookstore or order it through your favorite independent bookshop.

I will continue to update this article as I read!

Books that Deepened my Connection to Nature as a Busy Mom

1. Bringing Nature Home: How You Can Sustain Wildlife with Native Plants by Douglas Tallamy

This book describes the importance of native plants in sustaining wildlife populations, and why and how saving nature is something you can do right at home. Tallamy, an entomologist professor and researcher, makes the argument that if we all manage our own yards as beautiful oases for native plants and wildlife, staggering declines in wildlife populations could shift. He takes it a step further and tells you exactly how you can create a beautiful native plant garden at home (even if you have a strict HOA!), including species lists for your region.

This book helped guide my vision for the herb and pollinator garden I'm establishing in my yard. As a mom, I love to show my toddler the blooming flowers and explain which insects visit them. He also enjoys watching birds in the yard, many of which undoubtedly rely on insect communities that rely on native plants to support their energetically consuming nests and migrations.

2. The Serviceberry: Abundance and Reciprocity in the Natural World by Robin Wall Kimmerer

Kimmerer, an indigenous scientist and author, beautifully parallels the life cycle of a serviceberry with the potential of the gift economy to take root within and counteract the extractive nature of the capitalist economy. She explains that the serviceberry's generosity in turn supports its own livelihood, and describes how we can foster the same spirit in our own communities. She expertly brings the overwhelming negativity of our depletive world into simple ideas and solutions that feel tangible and possible.

As someone who actively strives to examine and edit my purchasing tendencies to avoid overconsumption and waste, this book helped me understand and expand that personal work through nature's lense. And, because we live on a small farm, it offered many ideas for cultivating community and the gift economy when we experience abundant seasons, something I want my son to grow up seeing as normal.

3. Nature's Best Hope: A New Approach to Conservation that Starts in Your Yard by Douglas Tallamy

Following Bringing Nature Home, Tallamy continues the argument in this book that you don't need to save an entire forest or switch into a conservation-focused field of work to impact conservation. You can make a major difference by turning your focus and energy to your own yard and building a space for native plants, insects, and wildlife to thrive.

While his first book is the tangible how-to, this book will set a fire under you to get started with native plants at home. You and your kids can be part of an important shift in the collective thinking about yards, their purpose, and their potential for conservation.

Nature Books on My TBR

As I continue reading non-fiction about nature and its application to our lives, I will shift books I'd like to recommend up to the list above and add a brief summary. In the meantime, here's a sneak peak at my nature-focused TBR (to be read list).

1. Regenerative Leadership: The DNA of Life-affirming 21st Century Organizations by Giles Hutchins and Laura Storm

2. Finding the Mother Tree: Discovering the Wisdom of the Forest by Suzanne Simard

3. Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer

4. Night Magic: Adventures Among Glowworms, Moon Gardens, and Other Marvels of the Dark by Leigh Ann Henion

5. Coyote America: A Natural and Supernatural History by Dan Flores

6. How to Raise a Wild Child: The Art and Science of Falling in Love with Nature by Scott D. Sampson

7. Balanced and Barefoot: How Unrestricted Outdoor Play Makes for Strong, Confident, and Capable Children by Angela J. Hanscom

8. Last Child in the Woods: Saving our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder by Richard Louv

9. The Nature of Oaks: The Rich Ecology of Our Most Essential Native Trees by Douglas Tallamy

10. Crossings: How Road Ecology is Shaping the Future of our Planet by Ben Goldfarb

11. Eager: The Surprising, Secret Life of Beavers and Why They Matter by Ben Goldfarb

12. The Big Burn: Teddy Roosevelt and the Fire the Saved America by Timothy Egan

13. Ignition: Lighting Fires in a Burning World by M.R. O'Connor

14. An Immense World: How Animal Senses Reveal the Hidden Realms Around Us by Ed Yong

15. Tenacious Beasts: Wildlife Recoveries that Change How We Think about Animals by Christopher J. Preston

16. Immersion: The Science and Mystery of Freshwater Mussels by Abbie Gascho Landis

More Ways to Ease the Overwhelm

• The online yoga studio for busy, working moms seeking a slower way of life offers monthly pre-recorded yoga and meditation you can use to sink into a slower pace, plus a slow down framework where you can restructure your most overwhelming challenges into peaceful, rhythmic routines that support you and your family.

• Two-minute Reset Meditations for Routine Calm Days includes ten completely free two-minute meditations for you to capture a moment of calm right now, without spending an hour at the yoga studio or taking paid leave.

• The Mama Naturalist on my website and Substack is a space where I share both conceptual and practical guidance on slowing down, connecting to nature, and living seasonally.

• Mindful Moms Digest offers exclusive yoga and meditation classes, nature stories from a wildlife biologist (me!), and free, supportive resources including links back to every blog post for busy, working moms journeying toward a slower, more seasonal way of life.

• Cultivate Calm Mornings is a structured series of three yoga workshops that supports you in transforming your morning routine from chaotic to calm.