Forest

by Christie Matheson

A simple introduction to the beauty of forests and the vibrant life within them, from the award-winning author of the acclaimed interactive picture book Tap the Magic Tree.

This beautifully illustrated nonfiction children’s picture book begins with a view of the forest at a distance, then zooms in on its fascinating details, including the amazing trees, bright birds, adorable baby animals, and other wonders of nature that inhabit it. The rhythmic text and inviting watercolor illustrations allow curious young readers to observe, explore, and learn what makes forests so special and vitally important.

An engaging read-aloud that invites questions and conversation, Forest offers an intriguing introduction to the natural world and encourages little ones to develop a connection with the great outdoors that can last a lifetime. Perfect for any time of year and a beautiful way to celebrate spring, Earth Day, Mother’s Day, or the arrival of a new baby, this endlessly delightful children's nature book includes additional information about forests and what we can do to care for them.

Genres: Picture Books, Nature, Childrens, Animals, Storytime, Nonfiction, Conservation

Kindle Edition

Published April 2, 2024

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Writer. Illustrator.

Tap the Magic Tree
Touch the Brightest Star
Plant the Tiny Seed
Bird Watch
The Hidden Rainbow
Shelter

Reviews

[donna backshall · Rating 5 out of 5]

The watercolor illustrations in this warmhearted children's picture book filled my soul with so much joy. The inside look into all the precious animals living, hiding in plain sight, would give any child an appreciation for how a forest is much more than trees. It's a home.

Destined to be a classic.

[Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Forest by Christie Matheson is a book for children of all ages. A nature lover's delight, the illustrations are sweet and inviting. Good for discussion in classroom setting or for a child learning to read.

[Rachel Roo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the artwork and meaning behind this book. With a degree in Early Childhood Ed., I think this is a developmentally appropriate book for early readers! I live nesr many national forests and think this would sell well in the bookstore I work at,

[Richie Partington · Rating 5 out of 5]

Richie’s Picks: FOREST by Christie Matheson, Chronicle/Princeton Architectural Press, April 2024, 44p., ISBN: 978-1-7972-2849-5

“No one I think is in my tree
I mean, it must be high or low
That is, you can't, you know, tune in, but it's alright
That is, I think it's not too bad”
– Lennon/McCartney (1967)

“Globally we deforest around ten million hectares of forest every year. That's an area the size of Portugal every year. Around half of this deforestation is offset by regrowing forests, so overall we lose around five million hectares each year. Nearly all – 95% – of this deforestation occurs in the tropics.”
– Hannah Ritchie (2021) - “Deforestation and Forest Loss”

“Try and leave this world a little better than you found it, and when your turn comes to die you can die happy in feeling that at any rate you have not wasted your time but have done your best.”
– Lord Robert Baden-Powell, founder of the Boy Scouts

Just in time for Earth Day 2024, the stunningly beautiful FOREST by Christie Matheson is a joyful, nonfiction picture book featuring an illustrated poem. Here’s the text:

“The forest is…
filled with trees
and their trunks and branches,
needles and leaves.
It has trills and tweets,
food to eat,
holes to explore,
and tunnels galore.
It has webs that glisten
and owls who listen,
nooks for nesting
and beds for resting.
It’s a fun play space
and a hiding place.
It’s shelter from a storm.
The forest is…
home.”

FOREST is filled with gorgeous watercolor illustrations that feature evergreens (and the occasional deciduous species like oak and birch), along with a wide variety of critters–of all shapes and sizes–who inhabit the forest. The covers-front and back-feature a dense, visually impenetrable, aerial view of line upon line of evergreens–the forest. The endpapers are subtly varying shades of forest greens.

Young preschoolers will take great delight in pointing out the variety of forest inhabitants who are revealed: They include the warren of mom-and-baby rabbits next to a fox’s burrow. The chipmunk-on-a-branch tip-toeing by the sleeping owl. The bears and deers, butterflies and spiders, the mama robin and her hatchlings, and the raccoon who blends into the hole-in-a-tree that it is inhabiting.

For slightly older audiences, FOREST thereby provides rich possibilities for expanding upon the forest-is-their-home theme by discussing food chains, camouflage, and natural selection.

The backmatter, titled ”Taking Care of Our Forests,” includes simple tips on conserving the forests, along with a list of organizations involved in planting trees.

So tune in to FOREST. Take a walk in the woods. And consider making a difference by planting a tree.

Richie Partington, MLIS
Richie's Picks http://richiespicks.pbworks.com
https://www.facebook.com/richiespicks/
richiepartington@gmail.com

[Abby (the_rainydayreader) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book as a tool to introduce children to the beauty and importance of nature. It doesn't really have a plot, it is just showing children what a forest is and the animals that live in it. The watercolor illustrations are simple but also beautiful. It has very few words on each page, which lets the beautiful illustrations do the work here.

There is one thing I am confused about. I am reading the ebook copy on my phone, and some pages just have a plain colored background with text. It doesn't even look like an artistic watercolor background- it's just a solid color. These pages kind of look like placeholders, like the book is unfinished. I'm not sure if this is how the finished book will look or not, but I would hope that these pages end up looking a little more pretty than they do on my phone.

I would recommend this book for a wide range of ages. It would be a fine read-aloud for kids aged 3-6, and it would even be a good teaching tool for older children to talk about forest biomes or even the importance of nature.

[Michelle Smith-Palmer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This picturebook has a whimsical feel about it as it takes you through the forest; a home for more than just plants or animals, but a home for us as humans too! The story is simple yet somehow worthy of deep pondering as the reader relaxes into the watercolor-like paintings of deer and other animals enjoying their beautiful home. It may make the reader wonder why he/she hasn't spent more time just enjoying nature, as the animals in the story do just that without even thinking too hard about it. This book is relevant for our times because we are living in a time in our planet's history when humans need reminders to be kind to natural wonders like those found in our forests. The author definitely could make this a series and follow up with other stories about the ocean, desert, island climates, etc. Worth cuddling up with your favorite little reader to enjoy introducing them to the wonders of the forest without even leaving your home.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dreamy, color-saturated watercolor illustrations accompany simple yet evocative text to pay tribute to the forests around us. The picture book [3.5 for me!] opens with a full-page image of the forest, filled with trees of different shades of green, before moving in closer to focus on several trees, then one, and finally, on the different creatures that live on and near those trees. The woods provide food, shelter, places to hide and rest, but most of all, trees clearly serve as home to many different species. This is a lovely, moving introduction to forests, a gentle reminder of their importance and humans' responsibility to be good stewards. Add this one to a science classroom library and then watch youngsters' eyes light up as they peruse its pages.

[marleyshelves · Rating 5 out of 5]

Forest gracefully displays the makeup of the woods, from the trunks and branches, to the animals that call it home. Perhaps best for kids 5 and under, while attractive to readers of all ages, there is something to explore on each page. The paintings contained within present an opportunity for conversation on the forest environment and why, as humans, we should be delicate with such spaces. The book doesn't contain a narrative story, but rather bits on every few pages about the composition of the forest. Really lovely and would make a great gift for any nature lover, young and old.

Thank you NetGalley for an advanced digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

[Therearenobadbooks · Rating 3 out of 5]

A simple book with simple illustrations, almost flat, designed but traditionally painted with one single color of watercolor for each object. We can feel the water in the brush. It has a classic vibe of illustrators from my childhood of watercolor and collage that makes us feel the serenity and the wonder of the forest. It's not filled with text, but a good cadence of one sentence per page and we can almost hear the rustle of the leaves. It's a great book to inspire calm in overwhelming days and to remind us of the importance of our forests and to plant a tree.
Thank you, publisher, and Netgalley for this e-Arc.

[Jess Loves To Read · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Chronicle Books and NetGalley for allowing me to read an ARC of this book.

I am constantly looking for books my youngest can read with confidence and enjoy. She has several learning disabilities and hates reading on her own because it’s really hard for her. This book is perfect for her to see and enjoy. The words are big enough that she won’t feel embarrassed with using her “tools” and she loves the outdoors.

Such a wonderful short book. She loves everything we do in the first and I can’t wait to let her read this! I will definitely be buying it when it’s out.

[Jen Kangas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you #netgalley and #chroniclebooks for letting me read and review #Forest by #ChristieMatheson. What a lovely book. Not too loquacious, but just right with beautifully illustrated photos. Makes me feel as if I’m sitting in the forest and experiencing the pages in real life. This is a great book for children who are nature lovers and conveys a beautiful message to take care of our forests.

[Jennifer T. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Forest is a beautiful kids picture book. I’m no artist but I believe it’s done in watercolors and some of the picture are suitable for framing in my opinion. It’s a sweet little book meant to show kids that there’s a lot going on in the trees and that a forest is much more than just trees. It’s a great little book.

Thanks to the author and publisher for the e-arc I received via NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

[GK Bancroft · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this adorable children’s book. It’s watercolors are beautiful. It introduces new forest vocabulary to children, shows a variety of wildlife, and has a wonderful note in the back on habitat protection. I will definitely be adding this hardcover to my self - thank you netgalley for a digital advanced copy to review.

[Reading Kittens · Rating 5 out of 5]

The simple water color illustrations are charming and beautiful. The way the book is designed is wonderful with the text being on a solid shade of green opposite a single image. This contrast is very appealing. Back matter is brief and offers valuable resources and information. The big overview to small zooming of the story is great.

[Megan Wrye · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great early book to show some of the diversity of the life in a forest. It was a great way to start a conversation about how important our forests are and where different animals make their homes, the drawings were perfect and my four year old loves asking questions from what we read.

[Cara Byrne · Rating 4 out of 5]

With its rhyming information about a lush forest with pine trees, birds, and deer and colorful, realistic illustrations, this would make a great board book. My six-year-old was a little curious, but didn't engage with it as much as other nature-themed books we've read recently.

[Ashlin Edmisten · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautiful exploration of the forest with gorgeous illustrations. Young explorers, tree huggers, and outdoor adventurers will love this book and be inspired by its simplicity and beauty.

Backmatter includes easy tips for preserving forests and links for nature conservation organizations.

[Liz · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book zoom in on all that is in the forest from big trees to all the animals that call it home. I like the macro to micro view of a space that could be used for a discussion or writing prompt. Great for an outdoor storytime or story trail.

[Brandi Rae Fong]

So pretty; a nice basic introduction that uses just a few words per page to explore forests and the plants and animals that live there. Potential for to use for discussion with smaller preschool storytime groups.

[Rebecca]

A fun book for arbor day or an elementary science class edition.

Beautiful artwork and well written words that are simple for early readers to understand.

[Theediscerning · Rating 3 out of 5]

A love letter to forests, that has some charm with its simplistic watercolour artwork and light rhyming touch, but one you really oughtn't rush to chop down any trees for.

[Noelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

The watercolor illustrations are gorgeous. I want to have this book for my own child to help facilitate the discussion about protecting nature.

[Holly Mueller · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quiet, lyrical celebration of the forest. I really enjoyed the illustrations.

[Ms. B · Rating 4 out of 5]

Forests are beautiful in this rhyming story with lush illustrations.

[Katrina Nelson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a cute, simple read aloud. The pictures are beautiful.

[Y.Poston]

Love the simple rhyming poem about nature

[Steph]

Turn/Level: 2/2

A short introduction to the forest.

[Megan (ReadingRover) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful picture book. 4 stars

[Lyla · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars - this book feels fitting because I was just camping! I really liked the pictures and the way the forest was described in a peaceful yet adventurous way.

[Miss Janis the Storytime Lady · Rating 4 out of 5]

nice. non-raucous animal identifying, talking about what you might see/feel/hear/smell in the forest.