--- title: "The woodland library: a book home each week" description: "Every child at Footprints in the Forest has a library card and takes a picture book home each week. How the woodland library works, and the first shelves." url: https://www.forestschool.wales/library updated: 2026-10-10 --- # The woodland library: A book to take home Every child at Footprints has their own library card. At the end of their last session each week they choose one book from the woodland library, take it home for the weekend, and bring it back to choose again. ![A little wooden library on a post at the edge of a woodland camp, its doors open on shelves of books, a lantern hanging from the roof and a robin on top.](https://www.forestschool.wales/art/library-hero.fa0a9ce3-800.jpg) ## Their own library card Each child's card has their name, their own number and a line for every book they borrow, stamped with the date when it goes out and again when it comes back. Children can do the stamping themselves. The card lives in the front pocket of their book bag. When it is full it goes into their Field Notebook and they start a new one, so a whole year of books stays together. ![A wooden date stamp and a tin of purple ink beside a library card, a pencil and an acorn on a log.](https://www.forestschool.wales/art/library-stamp.c02d054c-800.jpg) ![Footprints in the Forest](https://www.forestschool.wales/brand/wordmark.645b85ee-400.png) The woodland library ### Library card This card belongs to your name here No. 0001 | Book | Out | Back | | ------------ | ------ | ------ | | Owl Babies | 2 OCT | 9 OCT | | The Gruffalo | 9 OCT | 16 OCT | | Leaf Man | 16 OCT | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ## How it works 1 ### Choose At the end of their last session of the week, each child chooses one book from the library box, with all the time they need. 2 ### Stamp The book goes on their card with the date, stamped by the child if they like. 3 ### Take it home It travels home in their book bag for the weekend: for bedtime, the car, or a wet Sunday afternoon. 4 ### Bring it back Next week it comes back in the bag, gets its second stamp, and they choose again. ![A canvas book bag on a mossy log, two books peeking out and a library card in its front pocket.](https://www.forestschool.wales/art/library-bag.fb880226-800.jpg) ## From the first shelf Picture books about woods, weather, animals and feelings, chosen for their pictures as much as their words. A few we can't wait to share. Choose a book to take it off the shelf. A gold ribbon marks the books for this time of year. ### Twos and threes #### Owl Babies Martin Waddell, illustrated by Patrick Benson, 1992 Three baby owls wait in the dark for their mother to come home. For anyone who has ever waited at drop-off. #### Little Owl Lost Chris Haughton, 2010 A baby owl tumbles out of his nest, and a kind squirrel helps him look for his mum. #### Rosie's Walk Pat Hutchins, 1968 A hen takes a walk round the farm and never notices the fox close behind her. #### Guess How Much I Love You Sam McBratney, illustrated by Anita Jeram, 1994 Two hares, one big and one small, try to measure how much they love each other. #### The Very Hungry Caterpillar Eric Carle, 1969 A tiny caterpillar eats its way through a week and comes out a butterfly. #### Can't You Sleep, Little Bear? Martin Waddell, illustrated by Barbara Firth, 1988 Little Bear is frightened of the dark, so Big Bear brings bigger and bigger lanterns, and then shows him the moon. #### Shh! We Have a Plan Chris Haughton, 2014 Three friends with nets try to catch a bird. The smallest has a better idea. ### Fours and fives #### We're Going on a Bear Hunt Michael Rosen, illustrated by Helen Oxenbury, 1989 Through long grass, a river, thick mud and a dark forest, and all the way home again, fast. #### The Gruffalo Julia Donaldson, illustrated by Axel Scheffler, 1999 A clever mouse walks through the deep dark wood and talks his way past a fox, an owl and a snake. #### Stick Man Julia Donaldson, illustrated by Axel Scheffler, 2008 A stick is carried further and further from his family, and tries to find his way home for Christmas. #### Tidy Emily Gravett, 2016 Pete the badger tidies the forest until there is no forest left. A gentle lesson in leaving the woods as you found them. Just right for now #### Leaf Man Lois Ehlert, 2005 A man made of autumn leaves blows away on the wind. Where will he land? Just right for now #### The Squirrels Who Squabbled Rachel Bright, illustrated by Jim Field, 2017 Two squirrels race for the last pine cone of autumn, and find out it is better shared. Just right for now #### One Snowy Night Nick Butterworth, 1989 On a freezing night, Percy the park keeper's animals come knocking at his door one by one. #### The Snowman Raymond Briggs, 1978 A story with no words: a boy, a snowman, and a flight through the winter night. We have drawn each cover our own way. The books themselves are by the authors and illustrators named. ## Looking after books - Books travel in the book bag, away from flasks and wet kit. - A muddy page means a book has been somewhere good. - If a book gets damaged or lost, just tell us. There is never a charge, and never a fine. ## Their card in the Den Each child's card is in the Den too: the book that is out, when it goes back (with a reminder the evening before, beside tomorrow's kit), and a trail of every book they have read this year. [More about the Den](https://www.forestschool.wales/den) [Join the founding families](https://www.forestschool.wales/join) Every child gets their own card on their first day.