INTO THE FOREST

This immersive nonfiction picture book offers a walk through all kinds of forests.

Each spread in this delicately illustrated volume offers either a forest scene or a guide to types of trees by shape, with animals and insects labeled and described. The first spread, “Forests of the world,” offers a global map with the different types of forests indicated in a way that shows the connection between proximity to the equator and forest type. After a brief overview of a tree’s life cycle and structure and the route from tree to forest, the book details each type of forest—coniferous, deciduous, and tropical—including the animals that live in each, what kinds of seeds the trees distribute, and what the different kinds of trees within look like. The thoughtfully detailed design offers multiple ways to use this book: for browsing alone, for nature study, or for an extended read-aloud. While most of the facts presented are basic, the poetic text (“The forest is still and crisp, as snow softly and slowly tumbles down”) and the lovely artwork make this offering as pleasant as a stroll through a forest. The small font makes this most accessible as a read-aloud or for fluent readers. Activities (how to plant a tree, animals to find in the illustrations), a glossary, and online resources round out this book. (This book was reviewed digitally with 11.8-by-18.6-inch double-page spreads viewed at 61.2% of actual size.)

A welcome addition to nature lovers’ shelves, for reference and browsing.