Welcome back to Day 3 of Five Fall Favorites! Our theme for today is Nature.

We used to have open prairie behind our house; we'd see antelope, horses, and hawks and eagles. There were prairie dogs living right behind our fence - we could hear them barking - and sometimes one would come into the yard. But then greedy developers snatched up the land and built developments with ugly, mixed-style, cookie-cutter houses. 🤦‍♀️ Now all the wildlife we get is an occasional hawk, or the coyotes

I had to really sit and think hard about this one. Again, Redwall and Brambly Hedge would've been great choices, but I already used both series! 🤪

1. The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame

I love this book, okay - always have, and the 1980s A&E tv series is just adorable. Toad used to be my favorite character, but as I've gotten older and (hopefully?) more mature, I've found myself gravitating more towards Rat. I love them all, though, and Toad still has a soft spot in my heart - the loveable, outrageous rascal.

2. Tom Swift Among the Diamond Makers by Victor Appleton

I like the 1950s Tom Swift series a good bit better than the 1910s series, but this was always my favorite from the first ones. I thought the iron valley was so cool, the storm was terrifying but awesome, and it was set in the state I lived in as a kid (Colorado).

3. The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien

Pffft, who needs any introduction to The Hobbit? It's a classic with good reason. And besides being a very fall-ish book, Tolkien talks about nature and the weather a lot in here. His descriptions are absolutely beautiful, and this is such an epic yet cozy read.

4. Paddle-to-the-Sea by Holling Clancy Holling

My dad read this to us because he remembered reading it in school when he was a kid. It's a lovely book - the author was an incredible talented illustrator as well - and a fun way to learn the geography of the Great Lakes. Unlike some of Holling's other books, this one doesn't meander off into infodumping. It's especially cool because the main character of the story is an inanimate object - a carved figure in a canoe.

5. Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne

I would've forgotten about this book, except I've got Verne on the brain right now. 😛 Not quite what we'd expect for a nature-themed book, because it takes place (obviously) underground! Verne invented a whole new world beneath the surface of the earth, and it absolutely sucked me in when I read it. There are some very tense parts, and places where I was holding my breath for sure! It's a very good book, just be aware that there is some evolutionary content (though Verne does acknowledge a Creator).

That's all from me today, but do drop by the other Team Hedgehog bloggers to see what they're recommending!

• Abigail @Read Review Rejoice
• Madisyn @Madi's Musings
• Ryana Lynn @Life of Heritage Corner
• Savannah @Blue Flower Story Company

Remember, Katja and Kate have the information on the other teams. Make sure you enter the giveaway too!