Grounded

Product Information

Over the years I've read to a lot of kids, with a lot of kids, discussed books in classrooms, and in book clubs, so when reviewing I often share what kids think or what I imagine kids will think, and I usually acknowledge when I'm being overly critical as a reviewer, but this book I will tell you, I did not read through the intended middle grade lens, I read it as a 42 year old seasoned reader.

As I read Patricia Hasbach’s Grounded, I thought, ‘What if the ideas in Grounded became standard procedure for all legislators? It is possibly because my head is more with fiction books at present, or perhaps because I am lucky to be feeling very grounded within myself at the moment so did not feel a desperate urge to devour it all in one sitting.As she says, being grounded is a way of belonging to our minds and bodies and to the natural world that we live in. Along the way, she encountered an out-of-season, out-of-time atmosphere that haunted every landscape, allowing her to explore themes such as alienation, our perceived sense of 'home' and the isolation of travel.

A no-brainer for someone like me who loves walking outdoors, adores the sea, finds birdsong soothing!Aliis the New York Times bestselling and award-winning author of several books, including the Morris Award finalist Saints and Misfits and Love from A to Z, both named as a top 10 YA title of the year by various media, including Entertainment Weekly and Kirkus Reviews. Whether you choose to read this from cover-to-cover, or dip into a specific topic, or even just read a page or two at a time, ‘Grounded’ works well to explain the therapeutic benefits of the natural environment.

It's a modern yet down-to-earth guidebook for aspiring smallholders on par with John Seymour’s The Fat of the Land. I am based on the edge of the Peak District, Derbyshire, UK, working out how to live a place-based life. We are naturally outdoors beings who have become indoors people through industrialisation and, now, technology. What let it down a little for me, is that I found the photography selected (whilst very pretty to look at) always presented an idealised view of nature… everything was pristine, in artfully muted light, and altogether felt too ‘tidy’.In alternating points of view, the four authors—who collaborated on Once upon an Eid (2020)—have crafted a book that, while it brims with unapologetic Muslim rep, is not about religion but friendship and adventure. A charming, heartwarming, hug of a middle grade book featuring a rag tag group of young Muslim kids who get stuck at an airport during a storm and band together to help find a missing cat. It has also been featured on BBC6 Music with Lauren LaVerne, Ramblings with Clare Balding and several times on local BBC radio. I hope that my project captures a special place on the Suffolk Coast – one that I feel is overlooked in favour of more iconic locations.

You can change your choices at any time by visiting Cookie preferences, as described in the Cookie notice.Grounded is an inspiring blend of practical tips and ideas with personal narrative and a smattering of humour. I loved this thrilling airport adventure, complete with friendship, thunderstorms, chocolate, and a missing celebrity cat. In a turbulent world this is the place that keeps me grounded and I can’t imagine my life without it.