by Jalen Smith (Illustrator), Reginnald Stanley (Illustrator), Delores Henriques (Author)
The onset of technology has made outdoor play and exploring for young children almost non-existent. Play, according to psychologists, is very significant to the growth and development of young children; however, technology has robbed many children of that free experience. Instead of exploring the outside, children's eyes focused on the computers and games contour, with no urge to venture outside.
With that in mind, I wrote this story to remind children of the simple joys of the outdoors. In this story, Wekhi decides to do something special, the first week of his summer break. He loves his backyard and his red treehouse and the many animals that come there. He takes pictures of all the animals he sees on that first week and makes a scrapbook. Every day for seven days Wekhi had a new experience to capture with his camera. It was a remarkable treat. I hope Wekhi's experiences will inspire children to take a look at the outdoors and have fun. I want them to know that even in their backyard, they can have a wonderful experience.