Book excerpt: When was the last time you climbed a tree? Picked blackberries? Held a snail race? Made maple syrup candy, an old-fashioned quill pen from a bird feather you found, or a plaster cast of an animal track? If the ­answer is "can't remember" or quite possibly ­"never," The Bumper Book of Nature will inspire you to get outdoors and enjoy the very best kind of free entertainment for you and your family. Who wouldn't love to discover a colorful butterfly ­hibernating in a woodshed for the winter or look at a ­snowflake under a magnifying lens? In warmer weather, why not explore rock pools by the seaside, pick wild ­meadow flowers (and then fry up elderflower fritters!), or go on a city safari? Whether you live in the heart of the city, the suburbs, or the deepest countryside, The Bumper Book of ­Nature will bring out the child in you with its treasure trove of offbeat, playful nature activities arranged by season. With lovely full-color illustrations as well as related trivia, quotes, and bits of poetry, it's a wonderful keepsake as well as a one-of-a-kind field guide.