The Boreal Forest: A Year in the World's Largest Land Biome

by L.E. Carmichael, Josée Bisaillon (Illustrations)

The vast boreal forest spans a dozen countries in the northern regions like "a scarf around the neck of the world," making it the planet's largest land biome. Besides providing homes for a diversity of species, this spectacular forest is also vitally important to the planet: its trees clean our air, its wetlands clean our water and its existence plays an important role in slowing global climate change. In this beautifully written book, award-winning author L. E. Carmichael explores this special wilderness on a tour of the forest throughout the four seasons, from one country to another. Evocative watercolor and collage artwork by award-winning illustrator Josée Bisaillon provides a rare glimpse of one of the world's most magnificent places.

With excellent STEM applications in earth science and life science, this enjoyable book aims to foster environmental awareness of and appreciation for this crucial forest and its interconnections with the entire planet. In a unique approach, the text features a lyrical fictional narrative describing the wildlife in a specific part of the forest, paired with informational sidebars to provide further understanding and context. Also included are a world map of the forest, infographics on the water cycle and the carbon cycle, a glossary, resources for further reading, author's sources and an index. This book has been reviewed by experts and was written in consultation with Indigenous peoples who live in the boreal forest region.

Genres: Nonfiction, Nature, Picture Books, Science, Animals, Childrens, Environment

48 pages, Hardcover

Published April 7, 2020

About the author

L. E. Carmichael is a multi-award-winning author of more than 20 books for young readers. A former wildlife geneticist and life-long questioner, she uses facts to reveal truths about nature, the environment, and the human condition. Whether educational nonfiction or whimsical flights of fancy, Lindsey’s books encourage critical thinking and cultivate a sense of wonder. Her work empowers young readers to dig deep, to dream and discover, to seek social justice, and to protect our planet.

Lindsey loves beaches, platypuses, and reading fairy tales by firelight. She lives in Ontario with her husband and the ghost of a six-toed cat. lecarmichael.ca

Reviews

[Kathleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 🌲🌲🌲🌲
THE BOREAL FOREST: A Year in the World's Largest Land Biome written by L.E. Carmichael has a gorgeous cover by Josee Bisaillon. Every page has Bisaillon's beautiful illustrations.
Although this educational non-fiction book that looks like a picture-book is possibly written for middle grade readers, younger children should enjoy the pictures. Even some adults would find this book interesting.
Spanning a dozen countries, from Canada to Japan, the boreal forest is our worlds largest land biome. "Sixty percent of the boreal forest is in Russia and twenty-nine percent is in Canada."
Did you know that "There's more fresh water in the boreal forest than anywhere else on earth, with more than 600,000 lakes in Canada alone"?
Have you heard that "Scientists estimate that if all the water in the atmosphere fell at once, 25 mm (1 in.) of fresh rain would cover the entire surface of the earth"?

The Water Cycle, Carbon Cycle and Climate Change in the Boreal Forest are towards the end of the book, followed by a Glossary, Resources, Author's Note and Index.

Here are a few quotes that I wanted share.

"Bogs, fens, swamps and marshes are different types of boreal wetlands. All four types of wetlands are found in Russia's West Siberian Plain, the boreal forest's largest wetland. Covering 900,000 square km (347492 square mi.), it's twice the size of California."

"Peatlands, which form in bogs and fens, cover almost one-third of the boreal biome and play a key role in the global carbon cycle...
Boreal peatlands store more than 400 billion t (441 billion tn.) of carbon in their soils. This keeps carbon out of the atmosphere, helping to slow climate change."

"Wetlands have an essential job – they wash water! Their peat can hold four thousand times its weight in water. Water that enters the peat may take decades to seep all the way out. In that time, the peat filters the water, removing minerals such as phosphorus and poisons such as mercury."


This book belongs in a school library, classroom library, public library, in the hands of young and old environmentalists and those that want to learn more about our forests and climate change.
4.5 🌲🌲🌲🌲

[Jeanette (Ms. Feisty) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice little educational book for middle-grade readers, and for adults like me who like to get scientific information in simplified form. I shall put together a small-ish review very soon.

[Willow · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a super informative science book about the boreal forest biome. I loved the pictures and how the book is organized by season and country, so we can learn about how the boreal forest is different in spring in Canada than it is in spring in Russia. I also liked the visuals for the water cycle and the carbon cycle.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting and informative book about the forests that grow close to the Arctic, like a scarf around the world, as it says in the book. Most in Canada and Russia, this book looks at this vast forest through all four seasons.



Becasue the indigenous people have lived there the longest, the author contacted various peoples and glans to get their take on the forest, and the issues that climate change have brought to it, as well the history of change with this area.

I found this very informative, and well written.

Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.

[Alicia Bayer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really loved the illustrations in this beautiful little book about four seasons in the Boreal forest that spans a dozen countries across the globe. There's a really lovely feel to it as the reader is introduced to all different animals, fish, insects and more through the seasons. It also talks about the water cycle, the carbon cycle, and climate change. It's packed with scientific facts while not overwhelming the page and letting the watercolor illustrations set the tone. This would make a great book for a nature study shelf or for unit studies regarding animals or this region.

I read a temporary digital ARC of this book for the purpose of review.

[J · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a book that has quite a beautiful cover and I was hoping that it would be just as informative as it promised as well as beautiful. In the end the book proved to be really quite informative and interesting in that aspect but partially beautiful. I guess one out of two promises is a partially good compromise if you don't mind cutting corners on your book.

I would have rearranged the book to include the carbon and water cycles up front instead of just tucking it into the back quite randomly. Although it is more information than it is actual story I think that may have helped to set the tone of the book a lot better than how it started off, especially when you consider the fact that the cycles were in the back just before the glossary.

When the book focused on the facts then it was actually a pretty good book that explored not only just the science behind the information but also the cultural and linguistic influences of the boreal forest as well. I enjoyed learning about some of these pieces of information such as the English translation for the Russian name of ice crystals rustling on snowy boughs.

The place, though, that the book flopped was in its general direction, which the reader can pick-up on from the beginning. When it comes to the focal point of the story it seems like L.E. Carmichael couldn't make up his mind on whether he wanted to do a nonfiction-based fiction or whether he wanted to focus on an informative nature book thus we got this pretty seeming hybridized monster. Part of the story tries to give a fictionalized telling of a story of what may be going on within the boreal forest such as a fox picking past mushrooms, a forest fire sweeping through, etc.

To further explore these scenarios and their characters the author includes multiple inserted boxes on each page that focuses on the more scientific aspects. It's sad for me to say these were the parts of the book that I truly enjoyed the most as they were more well written than the fictionalized blurb.

Furthermore the illustrations were hit or miss. The background and plants were done in great detail as well as beautiful colors. But the animals themselves could have used a bit more detail and correction as most of them had some slight resemblance but were off otherwise.

All in all if it had stayed with just one focus on mind the book would have done a great job in having reached that potential. Otherwise I can't quite recommend it even for a nonfictional read.

***I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review***

[Etienne · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not the biggest fan of illustrated documentary, but with this one is worst, some drawings/illustrations of specific animal are bad, don't mean any disrespect here I draw worst then a five years old myself, but some animals would have been impossible to recognize if it wasn't for the name written which is not normal in a book like that.

[The Silvan Reverie | Sarah Street · Rating 5 out of 5]

A stunning and thoughtful nonfiction nature-based book for children. Aimed at ages 8-12, this book takes nonfiction to the next level. Follow the world's largest biome through all four seasons through detailed text paired with beautiful illustrations, all paired with nice sidebars, infographics, maps and more! The information is nicely organized and easy to follow. Each illustrated page with detail also includes a nice tag of what country is featured. Aside from details about each of the four seasons in the boreal forest, there are really nice details about the water cycle and carbon cycle included.

This is great for any biome study or just for a child interested in the wild.

***Note: I was given a review copy of this book by Kids Can Press. Opinions are my own.

[Juli Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a standout natural history picture book; I have high hopes that the author will follow with other biomes! The scientific information is thorough and astounding, and the incorporation of indigenous knowledge and voices is a rare treat. In addition, the gentle, collage illustrations are so engaging. This is a gem of a resource for every nature-loving kid (and I will not hesitate to recommend it to grown-ups, either!).

[Beth Butler · Rating 2 out of 5]

There were a lot of interesting facts included in this book both botanical and cultural. The "story" part of the book was cumbersome and awkward to read. It was too different from the blocks of facts that is was very difficult to switch between the two. Just the fact blocks would have been enough. The illustrations were detailed and interesting.

[Suzy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A-mazing! An absolutely gorgeous and hugely informative book about the importance of boreal forests in sustaining life on this planet. Written for kids in the 8-12 year old range, but honestly this is a great book for adults as well!

[Desi A · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful and informative, though it’s references to climate change and the critical role of the boreal forest caused some anxiety.

[Erika Sarutobi · Rating 5 out of 5]

RTC

[Theediscerning · Rating 3 out of 5]

This interesting, and reasonably successful book, does things in two different ways. Each double-page spread illustrates a particular type of environment in the boreal forest, the taiga, or Canada, whatever you want to call it. The text with that picture – only a paragraph or two – conveys what is going on. But the second way of doing things is by having multiple box-outs, sometimes three a spread, full of the sciencey bits. Now, I say this was reasonably successful for several reasons. One, I think it's interesting having all this detail, but the book does lack the urgency and perhaps the empathy with the place's issues needed – I liked learning about worms being new invaders and unwanted ones at that to the Canadian boreal forest, but I don't think the text would have convinced a younger version of me, the age of the target audience, why I should know such seemingly trivial details. Secondly, the arty writing overlaying each spread is all narrative, while the picture is necessarily a snapshot, but it's a snapshot of before any of the drama has happened, so we never get to see the shrew eat his beetle, or the carnivorous plant get its meal, or the fungus do a 'wolf fart'.

That said, there are successes here – the ecologically-minded student will definitely know, or learn, why this is a unique and essential biome, and the aesthetic of the work, with its atmospheric illustrations, certainly allows for an eye-catching moodiness to the whole. So while it's not perfect in my eyes, I still think it's definitely worth considering, and fills a niche of its own in covering such a singular environment so comprehensively. Three and a half stars. Although when would a beaver swim with his log horizontally in front of him, surely like the one I saw it would tote the wood trailing behind him?

[Cindy Mitchell *Kiss the Book* · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Boreal Forest: a year in the world’s largest land biome by L. E. Carmichael, illustrated by Josee Bisaillin. 47 pages. NON-FICTION. $19. 9781525300448

BUYING ADVISORY: EL - ESSENTIAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Carmichael and Bisaillon walk us through the seasons of the boreal forest. The illustrations are a lovely backdrop for the short, informative paragraphs on each page. While this looks like a picture book, it is instead a visually delightful non-fiction book. Plenty of facts in here for a report or project. I can hope that the collaborators will do the rest of the forest biomes? What a great series that would be.

Cindy, Library Teacher, MLS
https://kissthebookjr.blogspot.com/20...

[Lynn Davidson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a stunning book - full of fascinating information about the boreal forests of the world. They consist of unique environmental communities and are in need of protection. There is so much to know, and this book enlightens the reader in an excellent way. Wonderful illustrations. In the back is a glossary of 65 words and their definitions.

[Critterbee❇ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gorgeous palette and artwork, a lovely immersion into the forest, with all of the flora and fauna involved. What a great way to interest a child in Botany, Nature, Animal Science, ecosystem symbiosis. Pretty enough to gift.

*eARC Netgalley*

[Cheriee Weichel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This review was first published on my blog at https://dickenslibrary.blogspot.com/2.... If you want to see some of the stunning arty by Josée Bisaillon, head over there.

I checked this book out of my local library. It was published April 7, 2020 by Kids Can Press.

There are multiple reasons you need this book. For a nonfiction picture book, it is remarkably comprehensive. It is absolutely chock full of fascinating information. I learned all kinds of new things. The glorious mixed media artwork by Josée Bisaillon is one reason all on it's own. A reader can get lost in the illustrations without beginning to read the text.

The book opens with a poem and introduction to how the boreal forest came into being. On the next page a map of the world shows where this biome forms a ribbon around the northern part of the world. Did you know "that there's more fresh water in the boreal forest than anywhere else on Earth, with more than six hundred thousand lakes in Canada alone?"

Each two page spread has a main body of text. Information boxes provide details about specific aspects of the this topic. The book cycles around the seasons showcasing the forest in different parts of the world. It highlights different habitats. I like that it shows temperature and distance in both metric and imperial measurements.

For each season, information about plants and animals in the different part of the world is presented. We learn about an animal's life: where they live, what they eat and how they get it. We learn about the different plant adaptations for the time of year.

Across the seasons. Indigenous peoples are shown living in their different territories and dealing with modern issues. We learn about the Saami in Siberia protecting their reindeer herds. We learn about the Pikangikum First Nation's historical relationship with forest fires. We are introduced to the Gwich'in First Nation's use of boreal plants as medicine.

Each season addresses the impact of climate change on the forest. It is explained in the context of specific outcomes. An example is harmful insects. Usually these animals are killed by cold winters, but with winters warming, it doesn't get cold enough to accomplish this. Consequently, they spread out of control. (A perfect example of this is the devastation the pine beetle has wrought in my province of British Columbia here in Canada. "Temperatures need to dip below about -30 C for four or five consecutive weeks to kill nearly all pine beetle larvae nestled inside tree trunks, said Nadir Erbilgin, a University of Alberta professor of forest entomology who studies the pine beetle.")

The book addresses the role invasive species have on this biome. Earthworms are not indigenous to this landscape. However they are making their way into the forests. They destroy habitat by eating leaf litter much faster than local systems would. The loss of leaf litter dries the soil so it warms up. Many boreal plants are unable to survive in these new conditions.

The end of the book includes detailed diagrams explaining the water and the carbon cycles. There is further information about the role of the forest with regards to climate change. The boreal forest is now a carbon sink. As it warms up, different actions are triggered that release this carbon into the atmosphere. In turn this increases the rate of climate change.

A table of contents introduces readers to the substance of the book. The back matter contains a glossary, a resource section, a note from the author and an index.

I had no intention of writing a full review of this title. I just kind of fell in love and started making notes so I would remember what to write. I ended up collecting a lot of notes so I ended up with a more comprehensive take on it. If I was still working in my school library I would be tempted to purchase two of these. If I, as an adult, can get so much out of it, I'm certain it would be an ideal introduction for middle grade and high school students as well. At the very least it can be springboard for learning more about the different aspects of this remarkable and important biome.

[Stacy Renee (LazyDayLit) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.


At the top of planet Earth, there is a vast forest that stretches across continents, like 'a scarf around the neck of the world'. The Boreal Forest is one of the largest land biomes in the world, home to countless creatures that call it home, some all year long and some only seasonally. The Boreal Forest: A Year in the World's Largest Land Biome shares everything one might want to know about this northern forest and its inhabitants.

Taking us to different continents and countries around the world, this beautifully illustrated children's book shares insights into the forest and its inhabitants throughout the different seasons.

Winter in the Boreal Forest is especially cold, plunging down into the negatives. Only the hardiest critters survive the winter and this book shares how some of them make it through the frigid temperatures.
Spring is the time of rebirth, the forest reawakening, and continuing a cycle that has lasted for over eight-thousand years. With summer comes the wet months and a plethora of bugs.

There's tons of great information in this book, from the different regions the forest grows in, to the animals and other creatures that inhabit it, to life cycles, soil, temperatures, and more. It focuses on animals specific to the northern regions and how they survive, thrive, and migrate, including mammals, birds, and even insects.

This gorgeous nature book is packed full of useful and interesting facts paired with fascinating illustrations and would make a wonderful addition to any children's nonfiction library!


This review was originally shared (with pictures) on Lazy Day Literature.

[Roger · Rating 5 out of 5]

The narrative style is charmin!

The narrative stimulates the imagination, it is almost poetic within an educational context for children. I did not know that it was such a young biome, only 8 thousand years old. The author tells us about the beautiful life of the forest throughout a year, showing us its cycle through the four seasons. Interesting facts about the adaptations of the species that live in these forests in different countries.

The style of the illustrative art, such as the color temperature, expresses very well the atmospheric characteristics of each season in the forest. The stylized figures of the animals are beautiful and delicate.

I believe that it touches on a relevant and important issue, in these times that there is so much talk about sustainability and climate change. This biome is very representative for life and biodiversity on our beautiful planet, as well as for the water and carbon cycle. The authors point out the importance of protecting this forest, which is to be taken into account.

My sincere appreciation to the Publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to review the book

[kepz_lovesreading · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Boreal Forest is a beautifully illustrated children's book about the amazing Boreal Forests of the world. The main concept of the book is a journey through the four seasons and how plants and animals have adapted to the harsh life of the Boreal. The story is written really well and each page has facts that focus on a particular thing where even adults can learn about some of the strange and wonderful creatures. It is a journey across the northern hemisphere with animals from all different countries and it even features facts from the lives of the indigenous people.
This is a wonderful book for any child interested in nature and animals especially Canadian children as its so relevant to a lot of the natural habitat around them. But it is also an amazing tool for education on the effects of climate change which is relevant for anybody around the world.
I received an ARC ebook in exchange for an honest review from Netgalley.com and Kids Can Press.

[Elizabeth Mellen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m always on the lookout for beautiful non-fiction to share with my 6 year old - this was not that, I don’t think. This has lots of information, maybe too much for her to stay interested for a read aloud, so I’ll keep this in mind for when she’s older.

I love middle grade NF for myself too, as it’s easy to learn the basic knowledge about something I don’t know about yet - sometimes adult non-fiction can be too dry or needs more base knowledge than I have to understand it. I learned some new things in this - I had no idea that salmon upset bears stomachs! - but much was familiar. The artwork was beautiful 💕 and I loved how pages were separated by season and location, and how some Indigenous knowledge was shared as well.

[Jenni · Rating 5 out of 5]

This lovely nonfiction title discusses the boreal forest or taiga throughout the year. There is a central discussion of the forest and its parts as well as informative boxes on each spread. The title includes a table of contents, glossary, additional resources to find information, and an index. The illustrations throughout the title are mixed media and are a soft mix of pencils, pastels, watercolor, and cut paper. They are detailed and fascinating for the reader to pour over looking for details about the boreal forest. The author's note also discusses how she reached out to the native indigenous peoples to add more details about the forests. I would highly recommend this title for most public library collections. This is a topic that does not get covered very often especially in such a beautiful and informative way.

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A nicely organized collection of informations about the boreal forest. Organized roughly seasonally, this book features tidbits about animals, culture, and plants that are intertwined with the boreal forest biome. I did not realize that it is a huge carbon sink, and (of course) climate change is wrecking it. When I was in elementary school, it was the Rain Forest that was endangered and it was the Rain Forest's destruction that was going to impact out lives as humans. Now, the Rain Forest is still endangered (have we learned nothing in 30 years), but now the Boreal Forest is also at risk, with catastrophic results.

Random Info Highlight: a mention of the Saami who were the Indigenous people involved in Frozen II.

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gorgeously illustrated, and packed with information. Almost too much information, at least for my older elementary students’ attention span, but a science-loving kid would probably love it. The book is very well-organized, divided into seasons with notes on which country it’s describing. The main portion of the book is written in a narrative, story-telling style, with sidebar boxes going into greater depth on different plants animals in the biome, natural cycles, and perspectives from various indigenous peoples that call boreal forests home. This book also has the best succinct explanation on the carbon cycle that I’ve found in my attempts this school year. (It has the water cycle as well, though my go-to for that has been A Drop Around the World.)

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although this is a picture book and intended for children, it seems more to be for adults to read to children. It gave a good view of the Boreal Forest, also known as the Taiga, which circles the full Northern Hemisphere from China to Russia, Scandinavia to Canada to Alaska. It defined clearly the types of plants, birds and animals call the forest their home as well as those birds and animals that are seasonal visitors.

I did find the book educational for me, especially the role of the forest in climate and how climate change is affecting that.

[Martha Trzepacz · Rating 5 out of 5]

The seasonal, geographical, environmental format of this book makes it the perfect starting point for understanding the regions changing climate. The inclusion of the relationship between indigenous tribes and their connection to the land is an added interesting feature. Glossary, maps, charts , resources and appealing artwork complete the picture. Enough to hold the interest of children and adults

[Dontreadlikethem · Rating 4 out of 5]

Climate change was the main topic at the end of 2019. This book gives us a view of the animals and plants that are on the front line of this crisis. Whether you are an advocate or not you can't help empathizing with the Boreal Forest as you read about the harsh changes to the biome. It may not be thousands of people in a protest but this subtle book is just as loud. Crossing several countries and continents what else could bring people together to care about the environment. Children ages 7 and up will look at the soil a little closer after enjoy this nonfiction story.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good information about the Boreal Forest. This book features a glossary of terms, author's sources, an index, and a Learn More section. The illustrations are amazing. I think this book is best suited for elementary students through perhaps early middle school.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful images, lots of information about the Boreal Forest. It will be a great addition to school libraries.