Cross into discovery. Follow ferries, bridge cables, wooded paths, and shoreline views into an island shaped by water and time.
Can You Read Nature? · National Parks
Island waters. Bridge lights. Adventure is waiting across the lake.
Follow ferry wakes, shoreline forests, historic bridges, and island wildlife through a nature book made for curious families exploring Mackinac Island State Park.
Ages 5–14+Family nature bookArt by Lindsy Bach
Read before you go see ten times more!
Hardcover
The keepsake nature book for curious explorers
$29.95hardcover
- The perfect gift for curious kids
- A nature book for your next island adventure
- Original art that makes place-based science memorable
- $1 to Children and Nature Network
Ebook
The nature book you can take anywhere
$12.95instant download
- Your perfect island companion, see 10x more
- Kinder to the planet, nothing in a landfill
- Island science shines on a screen
- $1 to Children and Nature Network
Instant deliveryEbook delivered by email
Free shippingOrders over $40
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Gives back$1 supports nature
Look closer
Every spread carries you farther onto the island.
Meet the island neighbors. Look for birds, deer, fish, and the small lives thriving between forests, beaches, and historic streets.
Meet the artist
Lindsy Bach
Artist, storyteller, and curious island wanderer
“I wanted every page to feel like arriving on the island—where history, water, and wild places meet.”
I grew up in the woods of Northern Michigan, alongside its lakes and rivers. For generations my family has vacationed up there, and made memories. My cousins and I played in the lake as our Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles, and parents looked on. Here, multiple generations of my family came together. The older generations passed on memories, teaching us the way of nature and its value in our own survival. On the boat if Grandpa saw trash in the water, we all knew what to do. He would get the boat as close as he could, then the nets and poles got put to work. We worked together until the trash was safely taken out of the water. As a tribute to my Grandparents, and the influence they had on me, I featured Grandpa in 2 spreads in the book. See if you can spot him taking in the views!
In Michigan it was and still is our tradition to drive the 30 minutes to Mackinaw City. Walking or riding our bikes around the magical island felt like taking a trip back in time. It is a cherished experience, every single trip over.
Growing up this way shaped who I am today, providing me with a passion for nature and all living things big and small. Conservation has always been a priority of mine, even as a young child. So creating the art for this book was a deeply personal journey for me.
In my art I like to express what I see, feel, and experience during my time in nature. Using watercolors and soft pastel, I work to capture the beauty that surrounds me, the sunset over the river as we sit on the boat, or the gentle dragonfly that captures my imagination. Art has always been my favorite way to recreate the beauty I see in this world. I hope through my art you feel like you are seeing Northern Michigan through my eyes and memories. I hope as you experience this magical Island, you make many memories, learn about natural history, and feel the importance of us all doing our part to conserve the natural world around us.
In Loving Memory of Joseph P. Doran May 2024
Lindsy’s illustrations invite families to slow down, look beyond the landmarks, and discover the living island around them.
About this book
What is inside
Explore Mackinac Island’s bridges, ferries, forests, shorelines, wildlife, history, changing seasons, conservation, and ten must-see experiences.
About the author
Narrated by Neil Rosen, children’s book author and founder of WildStork. Neil writes every book as an invitation to look closer, stay longer, and discover what families miss when they move too fast.
Reading level
Ages 5 to 14. Designed for the whole family, with lyrical storytelling and real science to share together.
Wear the wonder
Bring Mackinac Island home. Wear the wonder.
Pair the hardcover nature book with the matching Mackinac Island shirt for a gift that keeps the island close long after the final page.
$59.92$79.90
Save $19.98
Choose your shirt option before adding both items to your cart.