I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. I really enjoyed this book. I am always open to new ways to get in touch with, or closer to nature and there are lots of great ideas in here, such as journaling in nature, container gardening, and the 54321 technique. I appreciated the section on nature activism to help inspire those who read it into doing more to protect the nature around them and combat climate change such as making the countryside more inclusive, reducing food waste, planting more flowers and trees, and saving water. I also loved the illustrations throughout with them being simple but beautiful just like nature itself.

This beautiful little hard backed book is enough to lift anyone's spirits. Full of stunning colourful illustrations it is a pleasure to flick through.

We have known for some time that being close to nature is good for our well being, but in this book we are shown how to make it happen in a variety of circumstances and how science backs this up. Many of the scientific claims are sourced by experts and data from research, but it is the practical elements that make this book worth buying.

There are five sections: Getting Closer to Nature, Nature as Therapy, Urban Nature, Nature Activism and Nature and Creativity - so a broad and modern take on nature for the average person living in Britain today. Broken down into subsections makes it easy to drop into just to enjoy focused snippets and advice. A strong feature is the Urban Nature chapter that demonstrates that nature is everywhere if you look for it. Churchyards, city animals, canals and council planting are 'hidden gems' when it comes to nature. Very informative and welcoming.

This is an enjoyable read. Alongside the artwork, the information is easy to read with lots of boxes, checklists and bullet points. Ideas on how to bring nature indoors and to create sensory gardens as well as simple observation and nature mindfulness. Plus the gentle green headers, page numbers and borders are very apt. The whole experience is calming and enlightening, totally uplifting and encourages folk to take five minutes out of their schedules to listen to birdsong or the rain.

I highly recommend anyone to have this book to hand. Keep it on your desk or in the kitchen or somewhere where you can always reach it quickly.

I enjoyed this book. It’s one you can pick up and put down when you need inspiration, and it’s written nicely too. It has given me a few tips and thoughts of things I haven’t tried and I am sure I will come back to it again.
Thanks to NetGalley for the chance to read this.

*Just Add Nature* by Rebecca Frank is an absolute delight and a must-have for anyone looking to deepen their connection with the natural world. This book is a treasure trove of inspiration, packed with activities and insights that encourage you to step outside and embrace nature in all its beauty.

From the moment I started reading, I was captivated by the thoughtful structure and engaging content. Rebecca Frank has a knack for making the wonders of nature accessible to everyone. The book is divided into beautifully themed sections, each filled with creative and practical ideas for incorporating nature into your daily life.

One of the standout features of *Just Add Nature* is its wide range of activities. From simple, mindful walks to more involved projects like creating a nature journal, there's something for everyone. I especially loved the prompts that encourage reflection and creativity, helping you to explore your thoughts and feelings in connection with the natural world.

The book is also adorned with stunning illustrations and quotes that resonate deeply with the rhythms of nature. These elements add an extra layer of beauty and inspiration, making every page a joy to explore.

I'm optimistic that this wonderfully crafted book, with its wealth of ideas and gentle encouragement, will be a valuable tool for improving mental well-being.

If you're looking for a beautifully illustrated guide to bringing more nature into your life, *Just Add Nature* is an absolute must-have. Highly recommend!

The author, Rebecca Frank, reminds us of the benefits of spending time regularly outdoors, in nature, whether it’s a back garden, a park or the countryside, backed up by research. She focuses on a different aspect in each chapter and highlights how we can make the most of the benefits in terms of health and well being. In my view, this is a book best enjoyed a chapter at a time, rather than reading straight through, so you can put into practise the activities that she suggests. Thanks to the publisher for an advance copy.

A great book for someone who is at the beginning of their journey of understanding the many benefits of being outdoors.

I personally had hoped for more from it. It sometimes felt a bit more like a research paper for university than an actual book, which took away from the reading experience. At times repetitive, the book gives very clear research behind the benefits of spending time in nature. I enjoyed the inclusion of “blue zones” and enjoyed reading about the benefits of spending time by the sea. Enjoyed the practical advice throughout too.

Natural Trust do this well.

Personally, this felt familiar, and I found the chapter on creativity to be the most useful.

Thinking about all reader who will pick up this book, it is a detailed exploration of nature, well being and mindfulness. A life and nature affirmative book.

Natural wellbeing

This book is a good introduction to how nature can improve our physical and mental health. These don’t require us to be super fit to get started, the important thing is to take that first step, get outside and try things out to see what works for you. Whether it’s walking, drawing, journalling, meditating or just allowing yourself to simply be in nature and let the sights and sounds relax you. Once you get started and feel the benefits there are plenty more to try wherever and whenever you are.

Rebecca’s book reminds us that we are all part of nature and that a regular dose of her healing powers can help to keep us all hale and hearty. Many of the ideas would be good to try with children too, helping them to pick up these skills early in live can only help them to look after their own wellbeing and the earth at the same time. Nature therapy is a real win-win.

I was given this book from the author via netgalley only for the pleasure of reading and leaving an honest review should I choose to.

Just Add Nature is an engaging and uplifting monograph on the positive benefits of nature and the outdoors by Rebecca Frank. Released 11th April 2024 in the UK and due out elsewhere 18th June from National Trust Books, it's 176 pages and is/will be available in hardcover format.

There are many proven benefits to being outdoors, from stress relief to boosted immune system and mental and physical health. The author does a really good job of showing readers how to incorporate more contact with nature wherever they are and in do-able degrees.

The author makes no presuppositions about readers' lifestyles or situations. There are chapters covering urban and suburban areas, so readers who don't live in a nature preserve will still be able to glean benefits from their local surroundings. The author has a positive, calm, upbeat style of writing and is never hectoring or strident.

Four and a half stars. It's a very calming and gently written book. Highly recommended to readers looking to incorporate more nature into their lives as well as enjoying some stress relief.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

An informative and thoughtful about how nature can help us to improve our health.
Easy to follow, full of food for thought.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

I loved this book, it is so true
I was always outside as a child and loved it
In the last few years things have been difficult and a walk outside always helped, this book has opened my eyes and ears even more to the importance of the natural world.
Thank you NetGalley

With absolutely lovely illustrations by Claire Harrup, this is a super guide to improving our health and happiness through nature, whether we live in the countryside, the seaside or a town or city. There are chapters on getting closer to nature, green or blue spaces, nature's role in therapy, urban nature, activism in and around nature and creativity, with a good list of further reading which covers the unreferenced citations of studies and books throughout the work. There's also inclusivity woven into the book, with stories about City Girl in Nature, Black Girls Hike and Flock Together being Black-run organisations helping people from global majority communities to feel confident to go out in nature.

I liked the way it's very practical and offers low-stakes ways to commune with nature, getting a veg box as well as doing active activism in the activism chapter, noting that if you're the kind of person who is already keen at spotting things, going out with no intentions can be good in the therapy section. Little call-out boxes cover simple topics like making your own bird seed and there's a summary at the end of each chapter. A lovely little book which could be very inspiring in the right hands.

Reviewing on my blog 03 April

What a delight this book is. We all know that getting out into nature is good for our overall health but this wonderful book shows us how to utilise the time in nature better. I loved it.

This is a book that reminds us why nature is important for each one of us and why we should need to protect it. It was a really lovely read and I think anyone interested in nature or maybe someone that needs another evidence of why we need it around us should read this book.

Wellness through nature. Rebecca Frank guides us through the health benefits of immersing yourself in nature, from simply watching the birds in your garden to taking a long walk. Even if you're a townie with no garden, you could benefit by helping an elderly neighbour with theirs. She covers many topics including mindfulness and the benefits of being near water, be it a lake, river or ocean. As she says 'Time you enjoy wasting is never wasted time'. The little botanical illustrations between chapters are beautiful. They really add to the delight of reading this book, which you could go back to time and time again.

Just Add Nature is packed full of useful tips and information on how to bring more nature into our lives. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and found to have so many ideas both big and small to help everyone to enjoy the natural world around them and to improve their health and wellbeing. There is something for everyone here, whether you live in the countryside or in the middle of a big city, there is nature all around if you only care to stop for a moment and look and listen. The book encourages everyone to spend just 20 minutes a day outside to feel the benefits that time with nature can give us.
I loved all the tips that the author gives about helping improve the environment, little ways that both adults and children can participate in. I can thoroughly recommend this book to anyone who wants to improve their mental health and learn to be more aware of their surroundings.

Thank you for th advanced copy in exchange for a review.
What an absolutely beautiful book, this book was an absolute pleasure to read. I love nature and live in a village surrounding my fields and lots of different birds and wild animals and you learn something new everyday. This book has helped me in many ways already so I will be definitely purchasing a physical copy.

I found this to be an engaging and informative book that helps shine a light on the positive impacts that Nature can have on your mental health and wellbeing.

The book has a really easy feel about it that means you can dip in and out and take on board different bits of advice and ideas of ways to help boost how you are feeling, alongside the research that backs up the benefits of getting to spend time amongst nature.

The overall message is one of slowing down and taking time to notice - easier said than done! - and it's full of practical tips that cover a wide range of topics relating to the outdoors and nature so there really is something for everyone, no matter what your background or circumstances. It covers aspects such as gardening, feeding wildlife, meditation, walking - and is also very well aware that not everybody has a garden so shows that nature can be found in the smallest areas and those local to you, as well as the impact of having indoor plants too!

Teaching people that just 20 minutes outdoors a day can boost your mental wellbeing, it is really easy to follow and I like the advice too of how you can help nature as well as helping yourself! By using journalling, a sketchbook, photography - to name but a few - alongside the addition of bright colourful images, I found this a book that's aware of the impact it can have on readers of all ages. You can follow the suggestions yourself or get those younger members of your family involved too by looking for nature in your nearby surroundings, be that a nature reserve, a park or even just a churchyard.

Scheduled for 6 April:
Just Add Nature – How to boost your health and happiness, wherever you live by Rebecca Frank is an illustrated, inspirational and informative little book that was a pleasure to read. Just Add Nature does exactly what it says on the tin: it discusses just how vital nature in all its shapes and sizes is for our physical and mental wellbeing. I’ve always been an outdoorsy person, not in any kind of adventurous manner, I’m no Bear Grylls by anyone’s standards, but I do love spending as much time outdoors as I can, and in recent years, I have become an avid gardener and birdwatcher as well as a houseplant mum and a hen herder. No one needs to convince me of the power of nature, but Just Add Nature was a lovely confirmation for me, and a lot of my feelings translated into words. In that way, I think many people who already enjoy nature will love this book, and all the fun little facts and tips it offers. For people seeking to (re)connect with nature and/or city dwellers who think nature is unattainable, or anyone, really, who is looking for a way to slow down and infuse their life with a feeling of calm, Just Add Nature will prove a veritable treasure, I’m sure.

This is a thoughtful, inspiring look at the ways nature can benefit us -- both physically and mentally. The book offers a myriad of suggestions for how to interact with nature in refreshing ways. There's sure to be a section that will appeal to people of all different personalities and interests. It was a relaxing and encouraging read!