Run Wild

by David Covell

Overview

Get back to nature in this gorgeous sunlit filled book that celebrates the joy of being outdoors.

"Hey, you! Sky's blue!" a girl shouts as she runs by the window of a boy bent over his digital device. Intrigued, the boy runs out after her, leaving his shoes (and phone) behind, and into a world of sunshine, dewey grass, and warm sand. Filled with the pleasures of being alive in the natural world, Run Wild is an exquisite and kid-friendly reminder of how wonderful life can be beyond doors and screens.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780670014118
Publisher:	Penguin Young Readers Group
Publication date:	06/05/2018
Pages:	40
Sales rank:	1,062,920
Product dimensions:	9.30(w) x 11.60(h) x 0.50(d)
Age Range:	3 - 5 Years

About the Author

David Covell grew up in the wilds of Maine before moving to New York City. He lives in the East Village, is a freelance graphic designer and escapes regularly to the Catskills for his own dose of nature. You can find David on Facebook at www.facebook.com/davidcovellbooks and follow him on Instragram @david_covell.

Editorial Reviews

★ 04/30/2018
Some nature books focus on careful, quiet observation. Covell (the Rat and Roach books) knows that nature makes kids want to move. Bold, exuberant watercolor spreads burst with energy, and a handwritten font makes the text look as if it’s dashed off in chalk. A boy sits indoors when a girl with dark, curly hair sprints by his window. “Hey, you, Sky’s blue!/ (forget your shoes)/ Open that door and.../ Sprout, you’re out!” Now he’s outside, his bare feet pumping through dandelions, catching up. The boy runs hard; they scare up a rabbit, painted in a few strong strokes. Girl and boy emerge from the forest to the seashore; then, a thunderstorm breaks. Things can go wrong in the rain (and in life, Covell suggests): “There’ll be/ slippery slumps./ Bruises./ Bumps.../ and Rotten/ Stumps!” But with the girl’s encouragement (“Come on, then./ Let’s GO!”), the boy’s up and running again. Through powerful art and punchy text, Covell celebrates freedom, the out-of-doors, the joy of movement, and the importance of paying attention to the present moment. Ages 3–up. (June)

Publishers Weekly

05/01/2018
PreS-Gr 4—This lushly illustrated ode to outdoor play and nature should inspire even the most reluctant couch potato to get out and "run wild." A young girl runs past the window of a boy engrossed in some portable screen, inviting him to "OPEN that door and…Chase the wind…Can you grab it?" She has plenty of other suggestions about how to have fun outside like jumping in the mud, running wild, exploring, going for a swim, and observing the wildlife. "Take a deep breath. 1–2-3! Be a fish in the salty sea. Now, UP for air! Just float there…Waves. Rolling. Daydreams. Flowing." There are birds, beetles, worms, clams, butterflies, chipmunks, and slugs to see. The back blurb reveals that Covell "grew up in the wilds of Maine and only came home when it was time for dinner." The joys and wonders of his childhood are vividly recalled in this invigorating, celebratory poem. Full spreads in bold, impressionistic pen-and-ink and watercolor images reflect the movement and freedom of the outdoors. VERDICT A perfect choice for units on country life, nature, the environment, or healthy living. Well-suited to storytime and small group sharing.—Barbara Auerbach, Formerly at New York City Public Schools

School Library Journal

★ 2018-03-27
A child's world appears in black and white—body indoors and face fixed to a screen—until another child zips by with an invitation to join in a barefoot ramble through the untamed outdoors. To rhythmic, clipped verse, the pair runs, jumps, and swims through forest and water scenes. They pause to play, to pretend, and to savor. But it's not all sunshine. A pop-up storm serves as a metaphor for life's mixed weather patterns. "Rain dumps. / There'll be slippery slumps. / Bruises. Bumps… / and ROTTEN STUMPS!" The storm passes and the sun returns, so the adventure continues. Covell's illustrations are exuberant, projecting to readers the raw joy and wonder of exploring the natural world. Thick strokes of what looks like watercolor bleed past bold crayon outlines, creating a delightfully messy sense of movement. This pace matches the staccato rhythm of the fast-flowing rhyming text. The skin tones of the children shift through various shades of beige and brown. Though Covell's intention for the racial ambiguity is unclear, this inclusion of brown-skinned children encouraged to run "wild" in green spaces is a hugely welcome one given their historic exclusion from same.This sweetly unruly book is destined for mud-stained and ripped pages, as it is sure to accompany many a child on wild adventures in their own parks, playgrounds, and backyards. (Picture book. 3-7)

Kirkus Reviews