Where Wonder Leads by Eryn Lynum is a beautiful Christian chapter book that combines nature study, science, Scripture, and wonder for children.
When I first heard Eryn Lynum on one of the podcasts I regularly listen to, I was immediately drawn to the way she talked about the natural world.
After hearing her on that podcast, I asked for her book, Rooted in Wonder, for Christmas, and was delighted to receive it that year. That summer, I read it, and I found myself captivated by her philosophy of nature study and the way she encourages us to slow down, look closely, and allow the natural world to lead us to worship our Creator.
So when I heard that New Growth Press was publishing a children’s chapter book by Eryn Lynum, I knew I wanted to get my hands on it.
Where Wonder Leads follows Willow, a young budding naturalist who is always ready for her next adventure. I love her spunk plus the way she introspectively views the world. It reminds me of my oldest child, and I wondered within the first few pages if this fictional character was the oldest child.
From forest trails and museums to zoos and even her own backyard, Willow discovers fascinating creatures, plants, and natural phenomena while learning to see the world around her through the lens of Scripture.
When I received a copy, I knew almost immediately that this would be a book we would incorporate into our homeschool. We’ve been reading it together during Morning Time, and my older boys have really enjoyed it.
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A Chapter Book That Invites Children to Wonder
One of the things I appreciate most about Where Wonder Leads is that it doesn’t simply give children facts about nature.
It invites them to wonder.
That distinction is important to me as a homeschooling mother. There are plenty of books that can teach children scientific facts, and there are plenty of books that can teach children biblical truths. But I love resources that help children see how those two things belong together.
Willow is naturally curious about the world around her. She notices the tiny and unusual things that are easy to overlook—a glowing firefly, a hidden mushroom, a colorful frog, or an axolotl with what looks like a smile.
Through Willow’s adventures, children are encouraged to stop and ask questions about what they see.
Why does this creature look like that? How does this plant grow? What makes this particular animal unique? And ultimately, what can these things teach us about the God who created them?
Taking the Book Outside
One of my favorite experiences with Where Wonder Leads so far happened when we took the book outside. We were reading the second chapter, and instead of sitting inside, we brought our book along while the boys played outside. They were digging a trench hole while I read aloud to them.
It was such a simple moment, but it ended up being one of those homeschool memories that sticks with you.
Here we were, reading about the natural world while actually sitting in the natural world God created.
The boys were getting dirty and digging in the earth. I was reading aloud. We were talking about the things Eryn was teaching us, while all around us were trees, dirt, insects, plants, and the changing landscape of our own little corner of creation.
Chapter 4 in the book focuses on butterflies, and my 3rd-born ended up finding multiple Woolly Mammoth moth caterpillars while we were reading. It was such an applicable moment as he brought them over to the book while I was reading.
It made the message of the book feel much more tangible.
Instead of nature being something we were simply reading about, we were immersed in it.
Science, Scripture, and Nature Journals
Another aspect of Where Wonder Leads that I appreciate is what comes after each chapter. Eryn includes two sections called “Dig Deeper” and “Time to Explore,” and both have become useful parts of our homeschool.
The “Dig Deeper” section gives Eryn an opportunity to unpack the Scripture connected to the chapter and help children think more deeply about what they have learned about God and His creation. I appreciate that the biblical application feels like a natural extension of the story rather than something simply added on at the end.
The section I have found myself using the most, though, is “Time to Explore.” This is where I often take an idea from the chapter and modify it into something for my boys to think about or explore in their nature journals the following day. Sometimes it is a specific nature journal prompt, but more often it is simply an invitation to observe, investigate, or think about something in the natural world around us.
I love that flexibility. We can read a chapter together, dig deeper into the biblical truth, and then carry that idea with us outside into God’s creation. It turns the book from simply something we read into a starting point for actually noticing and exploring the world around us.
Beautiful Illustrations and Invitations to Go Deeper
The illustrations throughout the book are another feature that immediately caught my attention.
There is something particularly appealing about a chapter book that isn’t entirely text. I’ve actually really appreciated this because my boys really need pictures in books at their stage of life. It’s just more engaging for them!
The beautiful pictures woven throughout the story give children something visual to return to and help bring Willow’s adventures to life.
For younger readers, these illustrations make the book feel approachable and engaging. For older children, they provide another opportunity to slow down and look closely at the creatures and natural wonders being discussed.
Final Thoughts
Overall, Where Wonder Leads has been such a lovely addition to our Morning Time. It is the kind of book that works well as a read-aloud but doesn’t end when you close the book. The stories give my boys something to think about, the “Dig Deeper” sections give us a chance to connect those ideas back to Scripture, and the “Time to Explore” pages have given us plenty of reasons to step outside and look a little closer at the world around us.
I think that may be what I appreciate most about it. Where Wonder Leads doesn’t try to turn nature study into another subject that we have to check off our homeschool list. Instead, it encourages the kind of curiosity that makes you want to stop and look, ask a question, or spend a little more time outside.
And we’ve actually experienced that in our own homeschool. Reading the chapters outside while my boys dug a trench in the dirt was one of those simple moments that reminded me why I love this kind of learning. We weren’t just reading about God’s creation. We were sitting right in the middle of it.
For families looking for a Christian nature study book, a thoughtful Morning Time read-aloud, or simply a way to encourage their children to slow down and notice the world God has made, I think Where Wonder Leads is a beautiful choice. It gives children plenty to discover, but more importantly, it gives them a reason to wonder—and then points that wonder back to their Creator.
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