Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children From Nature-Deficit Disorder

In this influential work about the staggering divide between children and the outdoors, child advocacy expert Richard Louv directly links the lack of nature in the lives of today’s wired generation—he calls it nature-deficit—to some of the most disturbing childhood trends, such as the rises in obesity, attention disorders, and depression.

Last Child in the Woods is the first book to bring together a new and growing body of research indicating that direct exposure to nature is essential for healthy childhood development and for the physical and emotional health of children and adults. More than just raising an alarm, Louv offers practical solutions and simple ways to heal the broken bond—and many are right in our own backyard.

“The simplest, most profound, and most helpful of any book I have read on the personal and historical situation of our children, and ourselves, as we move into the twenty-first century.” —Thomas Berry, author of Dream of the Earth

“One of the most thought-provoking, well-written books I’ve read in recent memory. It rivals Silent Spring.” — The Cincinnati Enquirer

“This book is an absolute must read for parents.” — The Boston Globe

“In my opinion, Last Child in the Woods is the most important book published since Silent Spring.” — Robert Michael Pyle, author of Sky Time in Gray’s River

Paperback
416 Pages
ISBN 9781565126053