The Hike by Alison Farrell follows three friends and their dog on a hike through the forest by their home. Each character brings something different to the adventure: an eye for science, a love of maps, or documenting their adventure through art. On their hike they encounter plants and animals, they eat berries, make things from leaves, collect feathers and identify animal prints! At the end, they make it to the top of a mountain relishing in the success of the day, before making their way back home amongst the stars and constellations. 

The Hike is about appreciating and noticing the small things that surround you. Wondering and wandering with friends and experiencing nature. I like books like this. That take a small moment and expand it into an adventure. That take opportunities to teach and inspire. Throughout the book, names of the plants and animals are identified. Included as end pages, are pages from the sketch book that one of the characters creates through the hike with further information about the plants and animals observed. 

Check it out and see if you can find the banana slug! You can also learn more about banana slugs and the redwoods in A Walk Through the Redwoods, written by me, and illustrated by Natalia Bruno.