FOREST

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.