A study of conducted by researchers at several universities, including Bloomsburg, shows the presence of nature has declined in children's picture books over time, USA Today reports.
Co-author Chris Podeschi of Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania says: "This is just one sample of children's books, but it suggests there may be a move away from the natural world as the population is increasingly isolated from these settings. This could translate into less concern about the environment."
Richard Louv, author of Last Child in the Woods, says this study and others suggest "a physical disassociation with the natural world. … Nature experience isn't a panacea, but it does help children and the rest of us on many levels of health and cognition. I believe that as parents learn more about the disconnect, they'll want to seek more of that experience for their children, including the joy and wonder that nature has traditionally contributed to children's literature."
Original source: USA Today
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