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!

I received a free copy of, Just Add Nature, by Rebecca Frank, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. I think we take for granted, nature that is all around us. This is a very good read.

Just Add Nature is a beautifully illustrated hymn to the natural world. Each chapter carefully explains how essential nature is to human existence - from helping in trauma recovery, protecting physical and mental health and improving focus and performance. Academic findings are cited alongside easy ideas and suggestions to get everyone out into nature. It would be very easy for this book to veer into patronising preaching, but it neatly sidesteps this - acknowledging that to "just add nature" has come more easily to some groups than others. A great book that could help a great many people.

I am always looking for ways to not only improve my wellbeing but also how to utilise the outdoors more so this is the perfect combination for me.

Wouldn't it be lovely if this book were sent to every single person who suffers from loneliness? I couldn't shake the feeling of how beneficial it would be for someone who has lost the sense of self and is in need of finding solace and confidence in life. The book "Just Add Nature" has been truly wonderful. Its advice on how to step out of your home comfort and enjoy the great outdoors has been brilliant, and it also provides an opportunity to combat mental health issues. I highly recommend this book; it can be a great gift for someone who might need just the right nudge! Thanks to Rebecca Frank and NetGalley for this soulful read. I loved it!

Just Add,Nature by Rebecca Frank

The latest medical and scientific research that shows connecting with nature is essential to our wellbeing
Easy, small ways to feel the benefits, wherever you are
A beautifully illustrated, inspirational and informative book

The above says to all really , a great book for nature lovers , it proves in ways you might not realise that getting outside , in all seasons , and all weathers can improve many areas of your life including mental health.
This book would also make a perfect gift.

Just add nature. I feel like this is a motto that can be applied to a lot of situations! Nature is a natural mood lifter and a simple walk surrounded by nature can do wonders to lift your spirit.

I loved the premise of this book and I feel like it’ll be a great read for all and any. Even as a huge nature lover myself, I learnt a lot from this book and also the realisation that I could be implementing a lot more to get more out of my natural world.

Connecting with nature is something I think we all need to do, and even if you’re already a lover of the great outdoors, there’s always more to learn. This book holds a treasure trove of helpful knowledge and hints to help you not only get out into nature more, but how to be more present and get more out of your time outdoors.

Even if you don’t live in the middle of an area of outstanding natural beauty, there is still beauty to be found in the corners of where you live. There’s a fantastic chapter on urban living, nature and wildlife which detailed all sorts of ways you could still get your daily beneficial quota of the natural environment.

The fact that it was also filled with scientific evidence and references to studies carried out was brilliant as well. And the artwork and illustrations are just stunning and really added to the lovely reading experience of reading the book.

It was a fantastically written book and one that I’d find essential to have on my bookshelf.