Be a Survivor

by Chris Oxlade

Overview

What happens when you find yourself stranded in the big outdoors, without a phone or computer in sight? Don't panic! With these great survival ideas, you'll learn how to build a shelter from sticks, light a fire without matches, send signals to call for help, find and store water, and much more. Devised and tested by an expert in outdoor activities, these exciting projects bring you the thrill of surviving in the wild, using nature's resources—and your own!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781467763561
Publisher:	Hungry Tomato
Publication date:	11/28/2015
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	7.10(w) x 9.10(h) x 0.40(d)
Lexile:	IG810L (what's this?)
Age Range:	8 - 11 Years

Table of Contents

Time to Go Wild 5

Survival Stuff 6

The Kit You Need to Survive

Take Cover! 8

Building a shelter

Icy Igloos 10

Building snow shelters

Wild Warmth 12

Making a fire

Chop It Up 16

Using a knife

Thirsty Work 18

Finding water

Catching a Feast 20

Hunting and fishing

Wild Fare 24

Foraging for food

Food on Fire 26

Cooking over a campfire

SOS! 28

Calling for help

Did You Know? 30

Index 32

Editorial Reviews

How many youngsters would know how to make a shelter, build a fire, catch fish, stay warm in the snow, or find drinking water if lost in the woods? Young people who have been lost in the wild realize that learning survival skills are often overlooked and then extraordinarily important in such dire situations. Author Chris Oxlade does an excellent job of task analyzing some of the most important survival skills that a hiker, young or old, may well need in order to survive when lost. In each instance Oxlade approaches critical skills, such as starting a fire without matches, building a windbreak, or searching for edible plants, in a straightforward and understandable fashion. Each skill is broken down into a numbered series of sequential steps. Cautionary warnings for each skill set presented are given so that accidents are avoided and mindfulness is encouraged. Each skill is also accompanied by helpful illustrations that combine functionality with whimsy. In fact, Eva Sassin’s clever drawings are a great addition and will produce a chuckle or two along the way. This combination of thoughtful information, clear writing, apt advice, and a smile or two make this a book that will appeal to outdoor minded readers while simultaneously teaching them vital skills in a charming way. Reviewer: Greg M. Romaneck; Ages 9 to 14.

Children's Literature - Greg M. Romaneck

2015-08-26
This entry and a companion in the Go Wild series encourage kids to get out in nature and give them some of the skills that will help them survive and enjoy their journeys. This slim, colorful volume teaches skills vital in emergencies (or maybe just on the next camping trip): building a shelter, making fire (with matches, flint and steel, and a fire drill), knife safety, getting safe drinking water, catching food (fishing, making and using a slingshot—but only if you are truly starving), foraging for food, cooking, and calling for help with fire signals, mirrors, or ground signals. Easy-to-follow numbered steps and clear cartoon illustrations make it easy for kids to pick up and then try out their outdoor skills, and most of the recommended supplies are either common or cheaply obtained. The simultaneously publishing Be an Explorer teaches kids navigational skills—map, compass, finding your way without either, and also in fog, making a map, and hunting for geocached treasure—and how to identify rock types and some common rocks, find fossils and shells, predict weather based on clouds and other clues, avoid bad weather, and observe the night sky—the phases of the moon and some constellations. Both books emphasize safety and that adults should be involved in helping kids learn and practice the skills presented. Humorous cartoon animals throughout and a closing spread of factoids round out the fun. Valuable skills and tips for safely enjoying the great outdoors wrapped in an easy-to-read, fun guide. (table of contents, glossary) (Informational picture book. 8-12)

Kirkus Reviews

07/27/2015
In one of four titles launching the Go Wild series of guidebooks for outdoor activities, readers learn how to keep themselves safe in the wild. Illustrated step-by-step directions walk readers through how to make an igloo, carve a walking stick, build a slingshot, and more. A spread devoted to foraging for food lists a handful of berries and plants that are safe for consumption, while ideas for finding water include placing plastic bags in trees, wrapping towels around one’s legs to collect dew, and even obtaining water from a frog (“only in a real emergency!”). Smiling woodland animals offer quips and tips (“Always release fish that you don’t need for survival”), while cartoon children demonstrate some of the techniques discussed. It’s a solid introduction to some basic, but potentially crucial, wilderness safety information. Simultaneously available: Be an Adventurer, Be an Explorer, and Be a Tracker. Ages 8–12. (Nov.)

Publishers Weekly

11/01/2015
Gr 3–6—This adorable collection of outdoorsy tips and projects—10 topics per volume—teach readers how to use a compass, make an igloo, and build a wormery. Cartoon illustrations and diagrams provide good details for following instructions and are especially helpful when it comes to tricky subjects like knot tying or making a homemade fishing rod. A peanut gallery of irreverent animals offers comic commentary from the margins. VERDICT These clever books will inspire projects large and small.

School Library Journal