Seeing the Wild Clearly: The Story of John Muir For Teens

He was called the "Father of the National Parks," but he was something far more radical—a thinker who saw the natural world not as a resource to be used, but as a sacred community humans belonged to. His life stretched from the factories of industrial Scotland to the soaring granite cliffs of Yosemite, and along the way, he helped change how an entire nation understood nature. This book brings to life the story of a man who walked thousands of miles, filled notebook after notebook with observations, and turned his awe into action. From his boyhood in a strict Scottish household to his years of wilderness exploration, he grew into one of the most influential voices of the modern environmental movement. His words inspired presidents, founded parks, and sparked the idea that wild places deserve protection not for profit, but for their own existence. Written with the energy and insight of a true adventure, this is the journey of how one restless wanderer became a philosopher of the wild. It's about discovery, courage, and the power of seeing the world with gratitude and curiosity—and why his vision of connection, humility, and wonder still matters in an age of cities, screens, and climate change.