Hike

This wordless picture book follows a father and child through a day spent in quality time together on a hike. From the very first page, when the child awakes—eyes open wide with excitement for the day’s planned activity—the illustrations give readers plenty to explore themselves, with the outdoorsy decorations in the child’s room hinting at the child’s passion for the adventure to come. As readers join in on the father and child’s journey out of the suburbs and into the mountains, details continue to abound: vegetation, birds, and even bear tracks (so on each subsequent read through, there will be plenty to explore and marvel at). The close relationship between father and child is evident and inspiring throughout as readers observe their interactions hiking, having a snowball fight once they reach high elevation, and overcoming the child’s fear of crossing a river over a log. Creative perspectives (such as an aerial shot and the reflection in a rear-view mirror) add additional interest to the illustrations, making it feel decidedly fresh. The conservation message shared at the book’s climax—the act of planting a tree together (which is reemphasized by end material)—is enhanced by the charming parent-child relationship on full display.