A Tree in a Forest

Jean Free, a library consultant, is a retired public-school teacher and
librarian in Whitby, Ontario.

This book tells the story of a maple tree from its beginning more than
two hundred years ago through its death and the rebirth of one of its
maple keys. The large, colorful pictures show all seasons of life in the
forest around the tree. Various events—forest fires, maple
syrup-making, wildlife living in the trees, and, finally, the death of
the ancient maple—are described in the text and illustrations. The
tree’s decay and decomposition are also shown, along with the growth
of a tiny new maple seedling: “another life, another story, has
begun.”

Filled with exquisite details of plant and wildlife, this is a stunning
book. It would be a beautiful addition to a unit on forest ecology. It
is a book that primary children could return to again and again, to
learn from or just to enjoy.