Please note: This is a companion version & not the original book. Book Preview: #1 The fat from a whitetail deer is waxier than beef fat and has a higher melting point. It can be pretty off-putting, and it doesn't always have a good flavor. I once threw away a pile of trimmed fat, but magpies and gray jays loved it so much that they learned to associate humans with food. #2 The most important thing about the fat incident was a shift in the relationship between my kids and the local magpies. I wanted them to see themselves as part of nature, so I tried to put them on equal footing with the surrounding landscape and its creatures. #3 Looking up at nature can be dangerous for kids, as it can lead to a sense of alienation from the natural world. We need to let our kids connect with the environment as a peer, not as something separate from them. #4 Thinking native means seeing the world as a ecosystem that you and your family should be a part of. It starts with you, and by extension, you will bring your kids along.