The Handbook of Forgotten Skills: Outdoors

You know that thing where your child asks you how to build a shelter, and you start confidently, then realise you genuinely have no idea? This book is the answer to that moment. Written by Iron Tazz, a man who has hiked over 10,000 miles and slept under the stars more than 400 nights, this is the handbook that turns a walk in the woods into an actual adventure, complete with campfires, whittling, animal tracks and the kind of skills that make children feel genuinely capable and a little bit wild.

We love it because:

• It covers the real stuff: building a campfire, purifying wild water, whittling safely, reading animal tracks and setting up camp properly
• Written by someone who actually lives this life, and brings his own young family along for it
• Gorgeous illustrations throughout make it as lovely to look at as it is to use
• It hands the knowledge directly to children, so they feel like the expert (and honestly, so will you)
• The kind of book that lives in a backpack or sits on a shelf and gets pulled out on a rainy afternoon when someone needs an adventure

What's in the box:

• The Handbook of Forgotten Skills: Outdoors by Iron Tazz, illustrated by Deborah Hocking
• 112 pages, hardback
• Published by Magic Cat / Abrams and Chronicle Books

Great for:

• Children aged roughly 7 and up, and genuinely useful for teens and adults too
• Camping trips, school holidays, Forest School enthusiasts and anyone who wants to get outside more
• Building confidence, independence and a real connection with the natural world
• Gifting to the child who wants to DO things, not just watch them

Important to know:

• Hardback, 112 pages
• Dimensions: 27 x 21 cm
• Full colour illustrations throughout
• Published 6th August 2026
• ISBN: 9781917044806