Abigail loves “first Saturdays”—the first Saturday of each month when she and her younger brother and parents go for a nature hike, often to their favorite place, a waterfall deep in the woods. As they make their way beneath huge trees and over large rocks, Abigail thinks about what her parents taught her—God created the forest and the creatures who inhabit it, and people need to take care of it.
When the family arrives at the waterfall, they enjoy the fresh, moist air and catch sight of an Eastern box turtle, darter fish, a red-spotted purple butterfly, and a Mountain Dusky Salamander.
As darkness begins to fall, the family heads back down the trail to their car. Abigail thinks, “I love first Saturdays! And Mom, Dad, Levi, and I love our special place! We are so grateful that God has given it to us—and to the dragonflies, the darters, and even our new friend the Mountain Dusky Salamander. You can be sure we’re going to do our best to take care of their home and ours!”
In an author's note, Richter writes, “The goal of this book is to teach kids about God’s great plan for his planet. God has given us a beautiful world—full of plants, animals, land, sea, and sky—and he put us in charge of protecting it! Even though we haven’t always done a great job of caring for God’s good earth, that doesn’t mean we can’t begin today.” Richter offers practical steps for families to embrace creation care as faithful stewards of God’s world.
Illustrator Michael Corsini’s bright, spirited artwork complements Richter’s narrative and portrays the joy and wonder of spending time in God’s marvelous creation.
(IVP Kids)