Ask Scarlett by Rebecca Baines is awesome! I plan on getting this book for my classroom. It’s a reference book that covers topics such as nature, animals, weather, and health. The format of the book is easy to follow and the photos are pleasing. I can use this book to teach science and I can leave it out in my classroom for students to use as a resource for research or just because they’re curious!
Thank you Magination Press — American Psychological Association for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

I would definitely want to give this to my students. The information is a great mix of topics that appear to be all related to nature but are actually leading to answers that tie in with our everyday lives, like climate change, dealing with big emotions and the benefits of breaks and ways to stay calm, and parsing out the truth about fads from social media like crystals. I like the visual design, with a variety of bright colors and the blocks of information separating some of the questions, which makes it easy to browse and pick the question that stands out to the reader. I appreciate the nice addition of some survey questions/crafts/activities to break up the chapters. There is a lot of information here that would be helpful for adults too though I think the cartoon fox means those that might need these answers would be unlikely to pick this up without a kid in their life.

Ask Scarlett is a beautifully designed, kid-friendly resource that grabbed my attention right away. The layout is bright and engaging, with a fun, easy-to-read font that makes learning approachable. I appreciated how the information is broken down in a simple, clear way—perfect for young readers, but honestly, adults could learn a lot from this book too!

I loved that it included questions throughout, making it interactive and curiosity-driven. You don’t have to read it cover to cover; it’s set up so you can flip to topics as needed, which makes it a handy reference for both kids and families.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC and the opportunity to share my honest thoughts. This will be released August 2025.

#AskScarlett #NetGalley

I absolutely loved this book! It strikes a perfect balance between informative content and kid-friendly presentation. The facts are clearly explained in a way that’s both age-appropriate and genuinely engaging for students. I also really appreciated the thoughtfully designed activities—they extend the learning in meaningful and fun ways. I can’t wait to share this book with my students!

I received an electronic ARC from American Psychological Association through NetGalley.
Those who know Ranger Rick magazines will recognize Scarlett the fox. Scarlett answers a wide variety of questions about the natural world. Each chapter focuses on a different area and the answers sometimes interconnect. Information is presented clearly and in language readers will understand. The photos capture the portions of our world being discussed.

I want to mention that if the author would write an adult version for this book, I would read it as well. The author did an excellent job mixing information and quirky jokes in the text. The questions that were answered could be those wondered by children. Even as an adult I learned something of at least was encouraged to get OUTDOORS!

Brings back fond memories of hours spent pouring over Ranger Rick magazine. It was my first subscription as a kid. This book is great for the questions it asks and answers, for its tone, and for the fun photos. That octopus! I think it would benefit from even more photos and graphics, more Sensory Scavenger Hunts, like the one in the forest bathing section. More hands-on activities like Make a Rainstick. Overall, I'd say Ask Scarlet does what it sets out to do -- shows stressed-out kids the benefits of getting outside in nature, or "Bring[ing] the outside in!"

[Thanks to Magination Press — American Psychological Association and NetGalley for an opportunity to read an advanced reader copy and share my opinion of this book.]

I am an elementary school teacher and I know nonfiction is sometimes harder to get students to dive into. However, I don’t think that will be an issue with this book. The way the layout was designed, the eye catching headings, and with all the photographs and animations to go with the text, this book is very intriguing. I also loved how there were parts like “Screen Getaway” that actually explain harmful things to kids so they can start to understand how their environments are effecting them. I would definitely buy this book for my classroom!

This book may have been geared toward children, but I would recommend all adults read it as well. I enjoyed all the topics covered, the explanations how we would be affected or benefit from, as well as the glossary at the back. The photos throughout were beautiful and added a visual of items explained. Topics included all five senses, weather, pets, and how overlaps occurred, with notes as to whether there was scientific proof or not. By the time I made it to Chapter 5, I had come across some things to try myself in my own life. Definitely for all to read.

I received a copy through Netgalley, and this is my unsolicited review.

This was an interesting take on Ranger Rick. My son used to get the magazines so he was familiar with Scarlet. He wasn't too into this collection. He said he would like one about animals or the comics that are in the magazine. I thought it was ok for a quick reference guide but also a little boring in parts.

Ask Scarlett is an easy-to-understand look at various nature-related questions for kids. It breaks complicated subjects down by theory or "what people say about it" to the science at work, often proving or debunking different claims. Topics range from animal communication, the weather, how nature can help your mental health, and more. Each topic is bite-sized, while still giving thorough answers. I think this would be an excellent book to have for any curious kiddos!

Scarlett the fox is here to educate and answer kids' most pressing questions about nature and the environment. From whether certain weather is healthy all the way to how to take the most satisfying vacation, Scarlett offers tips and educational factoids to help kids grow healthy and smart.

I'm consistently surprised at how good Ranger Rick is at taking big concepts and making them bite-sized for kids. without dumbing them down. The facts in this book are not unlike some of the topics I studied in college, but they're easy to read and approachable for elementary readers. There are a ton of terms, from parts of the brain to the scientific name for the way dirt smells after rain. Most are identified briefly in the text without being distracting, but there's also a helpful glossary in the back with vocab and additional resources. I enjoyed the idea of the craft projects and activities, but I mostly came for the Q and A, and I wasn't disappointed.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

I usually do not read children's/middle school books, but this one attracted me when it compared itself to Ranger Rick, which I read when I was younger. I highly enjoyed the pictures and content of the book. I enjoyed how Scarlett told about nature and how it can impact humans. To me, this made the book a little more user friendly with an relatable understanding.

The only negative I have is that the ebook kindle version was little more difficult to follow sometimes due to the layout/transfer of the story.

Overall, I think this is a great book for children to read and understand more about nature.

Ask Scarlett is a fact filled informational book geared towards elementary school children. It conveys facts about nature and wellness through a question and answer format in easy to read multicolored text boxes. The photos are bright and engaging as well as Scarlett’s lighthearted narration. I can see this book being of very high interest for the children who visit my school library. This would definitely be a book that would be constantly checked out and enjoyed.

This is a really cute nonfiction book for kids all about life and health! I took off a star because there is a section about full moons and the author claims there is no connection between full moons and humans acting crazy or babies being born- as a nurse- I have witnessed this crazy phenomenon countless times. The fact that it has no connection just can’t possibly be true!

Great advice for kids and adults. I loved all the pictures and illustrations - it looks way better on a phone or ipad than on a kindle.

Ask Scarlett is a fabulous book for children (elementary school age) on how nature can affect us, question and answers, and things to do. The book touches on weather, animals, science and lots of fun topics. There are pictures and it is interesting and easy to read. It is like National Geographic for Kjds. #AskScarlett #MagjnationPress#CampNetGalley #CampNetGalley2025

Cute book about being outside and healthy. I managed to enjoy it despite all of the formatting issues.

This book is delightful. The conversational tone makes it feel easy and approachable, and who doesn't love a cute little fox? Anything that makes science and the outdoors more accessible to children is a win in my book.

Sometimes I read kids' books to relax. I also want to learn more about the environment lately, so with that combination, this book seemed like a no-brainer.

It's a short but very informative book that talks all about nature and the positive (and sometimes negative) effects it can have on your mood or your health. It definitely had a couple of things that were new to me as an adult, but still explains them in a kid-friendly way. Among other things, it talks about popular "health crazes" like crystals, grounding and healing places, and whether there is any scientific proof behind them working. (Sometimes yes, sometimes no.)

One fun fact I learned is that there are certain winds that can make you feel bad - possibly because they have positively charged particles that affect your mood and wellbeing. You also can't tickle yourself, because you can't surprise your own brain.