When I pulled out a copy of The Lost Words, my seven-year-old son stared in amazement. When I opened it up, it spread across both of our laps. He read the inner title page aloud—“The Lost Words: A Spell Book”—and then looked up doubtfully. “It’s a spell book? Like a magic spell book?”

Indeed, that’s exactly what Robert Macfarlane and Jackie Morris set out to do when they made this book. They were responding to a decision by the Oxford Junior Dictionary to remove around 40 common words related to nature from its 2007 edition. They were replaced by words like blog, broadband, cut-and-paste and voicemail. The two creators saw this as a tragic loss for children.

Macfarlane wrote for The Guardian about a 2009 study from Cambridge University that found children were better at identifying Pokémon characters than common British plant and wildlife species. They had around 80% accuracy for Pokémon, but less than 50%for real-life species. The paper concluded children have the tremendous ability to learn about creatures, both natural and man-made, but are currently more inspired by made-up creatures than by “living ones”. So we need “to re-establish children’s links with nature”.

The Lost Words aims to do that. The book features 20 words, each with three-page spreads. First comes a word search, where a child can decode (破译) the letters and the name of the species, painted in gold. Next, there’s a poem based on each word, accompanied by a full-page painting. These are called “spells” rather than poems because they’re designed to be spoken out loud to bring back these words and creatures into the minds of children.

Eventually, there’s a full double-page watercolor illustration of the plant or animal in its native habitat. The book was published in 2017 and I’m sorry it’s taken me these years to discover it. But its message remains relevant. If there are young children in your life, this is a book well worth checking out of the library or adding to your collection.

Picture yourself sitting at home in a quiet reading nook, ignoring the world around you, absorbed in a story. You read the description of a book, immediately become interested and now you’re in the middle of a book that you can’t put down. But, there’s a hot debate — physical books vs. e-books vs. audiobooks (有声书). Does the device you’re using to read affect your reaction to the book?

Generally, reading uses several areas of the brain. There’s attention span, reasoning, reading fluency, memory and language understanding. Reading is known to strengthen our ability to communicate, vocabulary and increase emotional intelligence. So, whichever way you’re reading, there are definitely benefits.

But, let’s look at the advantages to reading with your eyes — that’s physical books and e-books. They can help to keep information better. This is because when you can actually see the words, your attention is held more closely. When reading physical books, you can go back and find any part you missed, especially if your mind wanders.

On the other hand, there’s the audiobook. Headphones in, you’re switched off from life and the story really comes alive, almost like watching a film-in your head. Scientifically, listening to an audiobook is likely to help you develop the ability to understand others’ feelings and experiences as you hear the emotion of the story teller. Hearing the story engages different parts of the brain, making you enjoy it more. Yet, with an audiobook it’s true that it’s much harder to go back and listen again.

All in all, it seems that there are advantages to both physical books and audiobooks. Perhaps, next time you find yourself looking through bookshop shelves, also consider the way. It may just change your whole literary experience.

Matt Haig, the best-selling author of the novel “The Midnight”, recommends some books that offer wisdom or comfort in difficult times.

Letters to a Young Poet by Rainer Rilke (1929). This is the ultimate comfort read. The book is what the title suggests: letters from an older poet to a younger one. The great thing about Rilke’s advice is that it acknowledges the darkness and suffering of existence, yet manages despite that—or maybe even because of that—to inspire.

When Things Fall Apart by Pema Chödrön(1996). I read this book during the first lockdown, and it was the perfect read for uncertain times. Chödrön is a Buddhist, but the advice and philosophy in these relatively few pages speaks universally. It’s a great book about embracing life in its totality, about seeing hope and suffering as part of a whole.

The House at Pooh Corner by A.A. Milne(1928). The Winnie-the-Pooh stories really speak to people going through tough times. In many ways, each of the characters reflects a different mental state: Eeyore is depressed, Tigger is hyper-active, Piglet is anxious, and Pooh reflects a hope and optimism much needed in recovery. I reread this book when I was ill with a panic disorder, and it soothed me.

Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott (1994). In my opinion, this is the greatest book about writing ever written. But like Rilke, Lamott is offering far more than writing advice. She is offering wisdom on life and how to embrace its imperfect nature.