Check Out My Newest Guest Post From Author Alan J. Hesse PLUS His New Book ‘The Adventures of Captain Polo: Polo in Brazil’ & Enter A Giveaway! #CaptainPoloBrazil

This post is sponsored by Alan J. Hesse in partnership with The Children’s Book Review. The review and opinions expressed in this post are based on my personal views.

Raising kids who love nature: what a conservationist wants every parent to know 

Alan J. Hesse 

My parents met on the African savannah in the early 1950s. Their idea of the perfect weekend was to climb into my father’s old Land Rover, drive out into the bush, pitch a tent, and simply watch wildlife. It could have been a scene from The African Queen. 

I grew up sharing those adventures. Some of my happiest childhood memories are of forests, rivers, and campfires. Then, when I was twelve years old, I received a book called The Animal Encyclopaedia. I devoured every page. That was the moment I realized I wanted to dedicate my life to wildlife. That childhood fascination eventually took me to the Bolivian Amazon on what was supposed to be a three-month zoological expedition. I stayed for sixteen years and spent the next three decades building a career in conservation and climate education, eventually being recognized as a UN Champion for Climate Education. 

Yet despite everything I have learned, one lesson stands above all others: the path to caring for nature begins with wonder. Our job as adults is not simply to explain the natural world, but to give children the opportunity to experience it for themselves. My parents gave me that gift long before I understood it. Through their own travels, they helped me discover the joy and wonder of the natural world—and everything else followed from there. 

Four gifts every parent can give a child who will grow up loving nature 

1. Let them get muddy 

Curiosity comes before responsibility. Before children can be expected to care about the natural world, they first need the freedom to experience it. Let them climb over rocks, paddle in streams, search for insects, build dens, and explore the outdoors. And if they occasionally come home muddy, wet, dusty, scratched, or bruised—within sensible safety limits—that is just fine. 

Nature exists on its own terms and it is important that children discover this for themselves. They will learn far more by turning over a log and finding a colony of ants or watching a spider weave its web than by reading about these things in a book. 

Those early experiences plant the seeds of curiosity, and curiosity is the first step towards caring for the natural world. 

2. Give them hope, not fear 

Children are naturally curious about the world around them, and sooner or later they will ask about climate change and other environmental problems. The answer is not to avoid these conversations or to sugar-coat the facts. Children deserve honesty. 

But honesty should be accompanied by hope. In my experience, what young people most want to know is whether solutions exist and how they can be part of them. If we present only melting glaciers, burning forests, and endangered species, we risk leaving them feeling powerless. If we also show them the positive actions being taken and which ones they too can take part in, we give them a valuable sense of agency. 

The goal is not to raise anxious children, but informed, optimistic, and engaged ones who believe they can make a difference. 

3. Don’t underestimate them 

Children are often far more capable than we give them credit for. If they ask, “Why are trees important?”, resist the temptation to give a quick answer. Instead, ask, “What do you think would happen if they disappeared?” Encouraging children to reason for themselves develops curiosity and critical thinking—skills they will need throughout their lives. 

Of course, we should explain complex ideas in age-appropriate ways, but that does not mean we should avoid them. I believe children should encounter scientific concepts and vocabulary early on. Our job is not to avoid complexity but to find creative ways of making it understandable. The confidence to tackle big ideas begins in childhood. 

4. Share adventures 

Facts are quickly forgotten, but experiences stay with us for a lifetime. Reading a wildlife story together before bedtime is wonderful. But if you have the opportunity to tell that same story while camping under the stars, sitting around a campfire and roasting marshmallows, it becomes something magical. The crackling fire, the sounds of the night, and the sense of adventure become part of the memory itself. Some of my own strongest childhood memories are of evenings like these. They taught me something no textbook ever could: nature is not just something to learn about—it is something to experience and treasure. 

My parents did not set out to raise a conservationist. They simply raised a child who they allowed to explore the natural world. The career, the science, and eventually climate education all followed naturally. 

That experience – and a well-practiced ability to draw cartoons – inspired me to create the Adventures of Captain Polo series of children’s books. Rather than teaching environmental issues through facts and statistics alone, I want to take young readers on journeys through some of the world’s most remarkable ecosystems and human cultures, allowing them to discover both their wonders and their challenges through story and adventure. My latest book in the series, Polo in Brazil, is one of those adventures. 

Perhaps the greatest gift we can give our children is not all the answers, but the opportunity to explore, to wonder, and to build their own relationship with the natural world. 

ABOUT THE BOOK

The Adventures of Captain Polo: Polo in Brazil

Written and Illustrated by Alan J. Hesse

Ages: 8–13 | 61 Pages

Publisher: Alan J. Hesse (2025) | ISBN: 978-9942489579

Publisher’s Book Summary: Adventure. Comedy. Climate change. A race across Brazil that could change everything. When Captain Polo, the world’s most determined polar bear, continues his journey south from the open-ended mid-Atlantic finale of Pole to Pole, Antarctica finally seems within reach—until ruthless oil tycoon Tex Greedyman sets a dangerous plan in motion to exploit the Amazon. Polo and his ever-practical sidekick Penguin are pulled into a race against destruction that sweeps them across one of the most dynamic countries on Earth—from shark-filled waters and electric-eel rivers to burning forests and vast southern ranchlands. Blending humor, high-stakes adventure, and real environmental science, Polo in Brazil brings big global challenges—deforestation, fossil fuels, Indigenous rights, and climate action—to life in a vivid, page-turning story.

Themes: Climate change & the environment • Deforestation & the Amazon • Indigenous rights • Fossil fuels & clean energy • Geography of Brazil • Conservation & climate action

PURCHASE LINKS

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Alan J. Hesse is an award-winning author-illustrator who merges professional expertise in nature conservation with storytelling and artistic skills. Alan’s 30-year career in conservation and status as a UN Champion for Climate Education gives him a unique edge as an author of children’s books with an environmental focus that is both engaging and educational. He is the author of 11 children’s books, most of them graphic novels, that have been compared to the legendary Tintin collection.

To learn more, visit captainpoloacademy.com.

TOUR SCHEDULE

Thursday, June 11, 2026
The Children’s Book Review
Tour Kick-Off for The Adventures of Captain Polo: Polo in Brazil

Friday, June 12, 2026
Me Two Books
Author Interview with Alan J. Hesse

Monday, June 15, 2026
The Starlit Path
Book Review of The Adventures of Captain Polo: Polo in Brazil

Tuesday, June 16, 2026
The Fairview Review
Book Review of The Adventures of Captain Polo: Polo in Brazil

Thursday, June 18, 2026
Lisa’s Reading
Book Review of The Adventures of Captain Polo: Polo in Brazil

Friday, June 19, 2026
Country Mamas With Kids
Book Review of The Adventures of Captain Polo: Polo in Brazil

Monday, June 22, 2026
@meghenslittlelibrary
Instagram Post about The Adventures of Captain Polo: Polo in Brazil

Tuesday, June 23, 2026
@nissa_the.bookworm
Instagram Post about The Adventures of Captain Polo: Polo in Brazil

Thursday, June 25, 2026
Crafty Moms Share
Book Review of The Adventures of Captain Polo: Polo in Brazil

Friday, June 26, 2026
Glass of Wine, Glass of Milk
Book Review of The Adventures of Captain Polo: Polo in Brazil

Monday, June 29, 2026
icefairy’s Treasure Chest
Book Review of The Adventures of Captain Polo: Polo in Brazil

Tuesday, June 30, 2026
Deliciously Savvy
Guest Post about The Adventures of Captain Polo: Polo in Brazil

Thursday, July 2, 2026
Cover Lover Book Review
Author Interview with Alan J. Hesse

NOW TO THE GIVEAWAY!

Readers who follow along on this virtual book tour will have the chance to win one of five paperback copies of The Adventures of Captain Polo: Polo in Brazil! One lucky grand prize winner will receive paperback copies of all five books in The Adventures of Captain Polo series. Perfect for young adventurers, graphic novel fans, and readers curious about the world around them!

Simply Click Here Or On The Image Below For Your Chance To Win!