Forest

February 11, 2019
The first in a projected series by sustainability learning expert Gamblin poses a cavalcade of questions to guide young readers in observing a woodland environment—queries draw attention to tracks and residents, trees and seasons. Details from these questions (“the moss-covered stump of this ancient tree”) are faithfully reflected in Patkau’s accompanying artwork; the slick illustrations’ digital quality, however, jars somewhat against the text’s more emotional natural evocations. While some readers may find that the specificity of the questions (“Do you see the pine needles, chestnut, oak and maple leaves all mixed together?”) help teach them how “to engage with our delightful Earth,” others may discover that the queries offer too little wiggle room for creative observations to emerge. Still, the open question that closes the book—“What do you see when you see a forest?”—offers an excellent segue to get readers thinking. Ages 4–7.

March 1, 2019

Gr 1-5-Drawing on her doctoral research in sustainability and her international teaching experiences, Gamblin has written a picture book that doubles as a love letter to the forest ecosystem. The gentle second-person narration is intimate and conversational: every page begins with the question, "Do you see?"pulling readers and listeners into the world of the forest, where they might encounter "the swoop of the swallow in flight" or "the delicious sunlight, giving way to the soft darkness of night." With reading suggestions for young and older readers, this beautiful nonfiction picture book will be a useful jumping-off point for inquiry and land-based pedagogy. The illustrations are lush and patterned, and the rich interplay between the text and images allows for this story to work well for read-alouds and silent reading. VERDICT A strong purchase for schools and libraries to encourage connection with the natural world.-Jen McConnel, Queen's University, Ont.

Copyright 2019 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 15, 2019
What can you see in a forest?A series of questions leads readers through an evocative visual experience in this exploration of the woods, its plants, and its creatures. The book begins with, "What do you see when you see a forest floor? Do you see feet--yours and mine--and the marks of others who have crossed this path, on hoof or paw?" It then moves through other sights, including animals, leaves, trees, clouds, days and nights, seasons, colors, flowers, finally leading up to: "Do you see the invitation of the forest, weaving all our lives together? What do you see when you see a forest?" Realistic, digitally rendered art is closely paired with the various descriptions, which focus on perceptions and perspectives related to interconnectivity, sustainability, and nature in all its forms. While the goals here seem to be education and nature appreciation as opposed to anything literary, the text has a lyrical quality. Grace notes in the art include a liberal attitude toward breaking the frame, as when strands of a spider's web stretch across white space. This first in the See to Learn series is ideal for starting a dialogue about the natural world both at home or in the classroom.An inquiry into the world of nature in general and forests specifically that will lead children to form observations and questions of their own. (author's note, further reading) (Informational picture book. 4-7)

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