LITTLE TREE AND THE WOOD WIDE WEB

Anthropomorphized trees use the Wood Wide Web to support each other in tough times.

Little Tree is a Douglas fir sapling in an old-growth forest where sunlight and water are tough to come by. In despair, Little Tree cries, but trees don’t cry tears; instead, their sadness moves from their roots into the earth and touches a strand of fungus that is part of the Wood Wide Web. The message spreads to nearby trees. Most have reasons they can’t help; only one has energy to spare. Paper Birch sends her extra sugar and water through the Wood Wide Web, and though some of the trees in between take some of the nutrients and the fungus also uses some for itself, there’s still enough left to help Little Tree. And in winter, when Paper Birch loses her leaves and is struggling, Little Tree returns the favor. Some of the words in the closing glossary never appear in either the story or the final note about Professor Suzanne Simard and her discovery of the Wood Wide Web. The Briticism spinney may have readers reaching for the dictionary, and the fir is consistently referred to as having leaves, not needles. The colored pencil illustrations are charming, with patterns, textures, and shadings bringing the trees and other forest animals to life; fall foliage is especially well done. The trees’ faces and branches are expressive.

A good introduction to the Wood Wide Web and a reminder that everyone needs a little help sometimes.