Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder, by Richard Louv. In this influential work about the staggering divide between children and the outdoors, child advocacy expert Richard Louv directly links the lack of nature in the lives of today’s wired generation—he calls it nature-deficit—to some of the most disturbing childhood trends, such as the rises in obesity, attention disorders, and depression. Last Child in the Woods is the first book to bring together a new and growing body of research indicating that direct exposure to nature is essential for healthy childhood development and for the physical and emotional health of children and adults. More than just raising an alarm, Louv offers practical solutions and simple ways to heal the broken bond—and they are right in our own backyard.Richard Louv, a columnist for the San Diego Union- Tribune, has written for national publications, including the New York Times, the Washington Post, and the Christian Science Monitor, and has appeared on Good Morning America, Today, and NPR’s Fresh Air and Talk of the Nation. He is the author of six books about family, nature, and community.