Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book

Once Upon a Forest

Rate this book
This gorgeous picture book follows a helpful marmot working to save a forest recovering after a wildfire. Perfect for teaching children to practice kindness while developing an appreciation for animals and the earth.

After a fire leaves the forest smoldering, a determined marmot and her resourceful bird friend set off on a rescue mission in this beautifully illustrated, wordless story.

They clear away fallen branches and scorched bushes. They rake and dig and plant new seedlings in the earth. With determination and ingenuity, as the seasons pass, they care for the little trees by making sure they have enough water, protect their branches from the wind and snow, and keep away hungry creatures, until the trees can thrive on their own.

With a little time, care, and hope we all can help the earth.

40 pages, Hardcover

Published February 8, 2022

3 people are currently reading
111 people want to read

About the author

Pam Fong

9 books14 followers

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
143 (42%)
4 stars
127 (37%)
3 stars
60 (17%)
2 stars
6 (1%)
1 star
0 (0%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 96 reviews
Profile Image for La Coccinelle.
2,259 reviews3,568 followers
February 18, 2022
Sometimes a wordless picture book is a nice change of pace. Just relax and let the pictures tell the story. Once Upon a Forest is the tale of a marmot who lives in a cute little log cabin (with her bird friend living in their own house just outside the front door). One day, they see smoke and witness a wildfire in the distance. So they pack up some seedling, tools, and supplies and head down there, only to discover the charred remains of a patch of forest. They plant the seedlings, then keep them safe through the seasons until they're strong enough to stand on their own. Finally they head home, having helped one little patch of the world heal.

The illustrations are cute but simple, done in black and white with only a few touches of colour (mostly green). The story is clearly conveyed, even without words.

Overall, this is a cute little book with sweet characters and a nice message. I'd recommend it to fans of wordless picture books, as well as to those looking for books with themes about conservation and the environment.
Profile Image for Alex  Baugh.
1,955 reviews128 followers
April 25, 2022
Forest fires are really scary and they seem to be happening with more and more frequency. Here is a wordless picture book that shows readers something they can do after a forest fire happens. It all begins when a little marmot, out watering his garden with his bird bestie, smells smoke in the distance. Leaving his home, the marmot goes exploring to find out where the smoke is coming from and discovers it is a forest fire.

After the fire is put out, the marmot loads up his wagon with gardening tools, and some of his own young saplings and heads into the forest with his bird friend. Saddened by the charred remains of trees and devastation he finds, the marmot quickly gets to work pulling the dead trees up,

then clearing and raking the land to prepare it for new plants. As you can see, it doesn't take long for the soot from the fire to get all over the marmot. Pulling, raking and digging are hard work, but the two manage to finally plant some saplings, then pitch a tent to keep an eye out on things..

They are there for the long haul and it's a good thing they are. As the saplings begin to take root and grow, they need water, protection from autumn wind, and later from winter's snow, and in spring, from hungry animals looking for some nice leafy greens.

But the trees grow and grown. Once they are strong and sturdy, the marmot and his bird friend return to their home, but just they are unpacking, it happens again - the smell of smoke is once more in the air. It looks like the help of our little environmental friends will once again be needed.

This is a charming story that shows young readers that they can do something to help an environment that has been laid waste through forest fires or any natural disasters. They can easily begin by planting a new tree at home in a small container for later replanting in a forest. But more than that, kids learn that they can participate in taking care of the nature world which is so important for it to thrive, especially if we want to enjoy it for years to come.

Pam Fong has managed to convey all of that to us without writing a word, and instead by using detailed, grayscale illustrations that reflect the marmots thoughts and feelings, and by using a few color exceptions where they make all the difference, highlighting the green of the saplings, the blue of the stream where water for the plants is gotten and the marmot can wash away the soot that gets on his fur, and a golden cast as the day's work is done and the sun is setting.

This is a perfect book to add to your Earth Day collection, and it is ideal for sharing as we enter another fire season with the coming summer months. There is much here for discussion and for generating ideas for caring for the earth.

Thanks you Barbara Fisch at Blue Slip Media for providing me with a copy of this book.
Profile Image for Heidi.
2,891 reviews66 followers
April 26, 2022
The adorable illustrations in Pam Fong's Once Upon a Forest won me over immediately. In a wordless book such as this one, the illustrations are especially important. The pictures must convey both meaning and emotion, including enough details to be informative while not overwhelming the reader. This book does that quite well. Marmot is working in her garden when she notices smoke rising nearby. After watching a helicopter dump water on the fire and put it out, she rushes home to gather supplies. When she gets to the burned out area, her sorrow is almost palpable. She sets to work immediately cleaning out the burned debris and planting new trees to replace the old. She even erects a tent to stay in while she watches over the new growth. She stands watch through the fall and winter until the trees are ready to stand on their own. This tender story reminds readers of the value of kindness, hard work, and watching out for the world around us.
Profile Image for Brittany.
2,656 reviews4 followers
December 27, 2023
I read this book as an adult reader for the AR Diamond Book Award. The story is completely wordless and the illustrations are very beautiful. Each page has only a small pop of color, aside from the standard grayscale, which makes it easy to read/make up along the way. I didn't love how the ending had more smoke. I wish that there had been some sort of follow up at the end or an actual blurb about forest fires and/or bringing a forest back to life after a fire.
Profile Image for Liz.
2,209 reviews25 followers
January 3, 2023
I always love a wordless picture book because it emphasizes how much illustrations can tell a story (I'm looking at the adults who don't think graphic novels are as valuable as non-graphic novels). A marmot sees a fire in a different part of the forest and goes to plant and take care of some saplings to help the forest there grow again. One small animal can help! While it's realistic, I didn't like that the story ended with another forest fire starting up...It almost negates the hard work of the little marmot.
Profile Image for Blanco Meyers.
219 reviews3 followers
May 12, 2022
I absolutely loved the illustrations.


Profile Image for Patricia N. McLaughlin.
Author 2 books34 followers
April 18, 2023
In this wordless tale, an adorable marmot teams up with a cute little bird to reclaim a fire-stricken patch of forest. Noble work, in theory. However, the grayscale illustrations would suggest that the whole forest has been charred, which makes their teamwork seem Sisyphean in scope, especially when smoke appears again on the last page. Better, perhaps, to depict a forest that is lush and green to the human eye than such a bleak environment with only small snatches of color, a ruined world that seems apocalyptic and way past saving. Endnotes might have addressed the fire cycle and how animals actually do assist with the reforestation of fire-damaged areas.
Profile Image for Lara Lleverino.
845 reviews
August 25, 2022
Cute picture book. Not particularly instructive or scientifically correct. The way the little animal cares for the newly planted trees is more emotional than actually helpful.
Profile Image for Baby Bookworm.
1,642 reviews109 followers
February 14, 2022
https://thebabybookwormblog.wordpress.com/2022/02/10/once-upon-a-forest-pam-fong/

This review was originally written for The Baby Bookworm. Visit us for new picture books reviews daily!

Hello, friends! So sorry for the technical difficulties we’ve been having this week, but I think we’ve got them cleared up – on to our next review! Today we’re looking at Once Upon A Forest by Pam Fong, a lovely meditation on the love and care that goes into helping something grow.

As a little marmot tends her small garden one day, she spies a whisp of smoke. Following it, she sees that it is the result of a small fire in her forest, one that humans have just extinguished. The marmot gathers her supplies, including a few tiny sprouts, and heads off with her bird friend to scout the situation. Finding several burned-out trees, she mourns them briefly, then gets to work: clearing the burnt roots, tilling the soil, and planting new seedlings. She camps near them through wind, heat, and snow, protecting and nourishing them as they grow. When the seedlings have grown to young sturdy trees, the marmot heads home, her job done… until the next time she is needed.

Hopeful and heartwarming. A simple tale of the kindnesses we sow in dark times told entirely through pictures, this sweet title exemplifies delicate gentleness in both its visuals and narrative. Fong beautifully captures the spirit of growth and renewal after tragedy in the soft grayscale illustrations, using color only to draw attention to the plants and the things that give them life, sunlight and water. The fluffy marmot and her faithful bird companion are expressive and endearing, and the theme is a classic one with a timeless message. Without text, the length is what you make it, but JJ really enjoyed verbalizing the story as she watched it play out. Overall, this one is absolutely worth a look, and a touching reminder of why our small kindnesses matter in times of trouble – because they can grow into big things. Baby Bookworm approved!

(Note: A copy of this book was provided to The Baby Bookworm by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.)

Be sure to check out The Baby Bookworm for more reviews!
Profile Image for Stacie.
1,895 reviews120 followers
February 18, 2022
It’s rare to have the main character in a story be a marmot. Marmots are large ground squirrels who prefer living in mountainous areas as well as plains. In ONCE UPON A FOREST we watch a marmot and her bird friend work hard to save their little area of the forest.

This wordless story shares the sadness the marmot feels as she sees her forest home begin to burn from a wildfire. But, she is determined to save it. She and her bird friend work hard to replenish the forest with trees they have rescued from the fires. This mostly black and white, softly illustrated story will well up emotion as the marmot loving cares for and waters the trees. She makes sure to protect them through the winter and hovers nearby as she worries like a mother would over the trees. When spring arrives and her trees are tall enough to offer food to the other animals in the forest, the marmot and her bird friend can finally return home.

The simple illustrations created by Fong elicit many emotions as you feel the sadness and panic from the little marmot and then the joy of watching the trees begin to grow again. The penciled illustrations are simple and yet so lovely, with hints of color added to the leaves or to the flowers in the garden or to the water in the river. With a simple eyebrow, Fong can create a change of emotions from sadness to determination to hope.

I recommend you sit with your child and let them see if they can tell you the story happening on the pages. This allows them to really look closely at the illustrations and create the story in their mind without your input. Then, as you read the story again, you can point out things they may have missed or misunderstood. This not only helps with their vocabulary (yes, even without the words on a page) but also their comprehension of a story. The skill of using pictures to help understand what they are reading is important in those early stages of reading on their own.
Profile Image for Barbara.
14.9k reviews316 followers
February 20, 2022
This wordless picture book relies on a soft grayish digital palette with spots of green, pink, and blue to tell a story of kindness. In this case, the compassionate acts are the result of a marmot who sees smoke in the woods and decides to take action. She watched the efforts of airborne firefighters to put out the fire, and then knows that help will be needed. Along with her bird friend, she visits the site with tools and pine seedlings and other saplings ready to be planted. The scene in which the marmot sees the devastation wrought by the flames, covering an entire page and half of another one, is stark and heartrending. Still, she is not deterred from her mission, and on two pages featuring 11 different small images of her labors, she removes the dead wood and readies the area for new life. Seasons pass, and she protects the young growth from the weather and from animals who want to nibble on its branches. Finally, with the trees having grown up strong and sturdy, the marmot returns home for a brief respite before heading back out into the woods to restore the forest after yet another fire, identified through the wisp of smoke that she spots. This lovely picture book's message to its readers about being good stewards toward the environment and how one person can make a difference and take responsibility for healing wounds even when they were inflicted by others is stirring and well worth sharing with youngsters. The only problematic element of the story is that the marmot and bird must have been out in those woods for several years since most trees don't grow that quickly within a year. The decision to include color only on those living things planted by the two friends is a sound one, effectively showing how much difference they made, especially when readers take note of the endpapers and can see all the greenery surrounded by the trees that were already there.
Profile Image for Laurie Hnatiuk.
388 reviews
April 24, 2022
So fitting to find this book sitting on the shelves at my local library on Earth Day - it was just too late to share yesterday.
Once Upon a Forest has it all for this reader -trees, it's wordless, and the illustrations delicately emphasize the theme of kindness and caring for Mother Earth.
Wombat is tenderly caring for some seedlings when he and his bird friend notice smoke off on the horizon and see a plane drop water. Wombat and bird investigate and see the trees lost to the fire. They return home, pack up their gear, clear away the destroyed area and plant new seedlings. The two animals tend to the seedlings over the seasons watering them, scaring off the animals looking to eat the young leaves and wrapping the young trees in the winter. Once done, they return home until another wisp of smoke appears.
The illustrations, digitally done in black and white with the exception of the young saplings, the small amount of water on various pages (splashed to put out the fire, water and care for the trees) along with the sparse flowers show how much Wombat and bird care for their forest. Also important to note are the facial expressions on Wombat that demonstrate perseverance and dedication to the tree seedlings. A true delight and one to add to your collections.
Profile Image for Susan.
578 reviews9 followers
February 17, 2022
This delightful wordless picture book is one you’ll want to share over and over again. Gentle grayscale drawings of a peaceful forest greet you as you begin the story. Then you’ll instantly fall in love with an earnest, tree loving marmot and her resourceful friend. After a nearby forest fire threatens their charming home and devastates the landscape, the two friends load up their lovingly nurtured seedlings into a wagon and set out to bring the forest back to life.

The wordless format of ONCE UPON A FOREST gives you the opportunity to model telling the story, and your little ones the chance to “read” the story to you. These retellings will offer countless opportunities to talk about friendship, stewardship, resourcefulness, climate change and hope. In fact, every time you curl up with this book, you’ll have a different conversation. This is one of those books that will become a bedtime favorite, and one that certainly deserves a place in your family library.

Finally, you’ll want to remember this story in April, because it is also a great choice for Earth Day or Arbor Day. Thank you to Blue Slip Media and the author for sharing the preview copy.
Profile Image for Bethany.
Author 22 books98 followers
February 4, 2022
ONCE UPON A FOREST is a touching story told through the power of pictures. After a wildfire tears through a forest and burns down everything in its path, a marmot and a bird team up to bring life back to it. While most of the book is black and white, the new life is represented by a vibrant green and the water a bright blue. As the reader, we witness the vibrant green grow until it replaces the black color.

With these simple pictures, Pam Fong elicits so many different emotions. They say a pictures is worth a thousand words and this story proves it. Even without words, the plot and events speak volumes. The only problem is that my five year old doesn't understand the concept so it's probably a better book for older children.


Final Verdict: Overall, this story is inspiring and thought-provoking without needing a single word. I would recommend it to older children who enjoy animals and picture books.
Profile Image for Hannah Spencer.
93 reviews
November 27, 2022
I don't normally include the picture books I read on my Goodreads because I read SO many with my kids, but I adore wordless picture books and this one became a quick favorite of mine so I had to include it!
This is a wordless picture book about a marmot who helps take care of the forest after a wildfire. The illustrations do an excellent job of showing emotion and the passage of time, making it easy to follow the storyline as the forest regrows. The illustrations are mostly grayscale, but small splashes of color are used throughout to add emphasis such as blue water being poured from a plane onto the fire and a green sapling the marmot brings from his home to replant in the forest. As the seasons pass in the story more color is added to show the regrowth of the forest, and how even the smallest creature can help.
Profile Image for Max at Completely Full Bookshelf.
74 reviews4 followers
July 15, 2022
This wordless tale of protecting one's home after a wildfire is shown from the perspective of a marmot and a bird, whose journey replanting trees is full of determination and small but meaningful details. The illustrations are stunning—against mostly white backgrounds, the textured monochrome of the forests and characters, and the small bursts of color as new plants grow, both stand out. And the ending is a bold choice—I think it will prompt readers to consider the scale both of the marmot's commitment and the problem itself. This is a surprising, beautiful story.

Click here to see the full review on my blog!
Profile Image for Read  Ribbet.
1,812 reviews16 followers
May 12, 2022
This beautiful new wordless picture book by Pam Fong presents a visual narrative about a hard-working marmot and his bird friend whose home is damaged by a forest fire. Demonstrating that individuals and individual acts can make a difference, Marmot starts the process of reforesting the area. The reader can watch as the new seedlings are planted and protected through the seasons until they become mature trees. The final page reminds us all that new threats can always loom in the future. This would be a good book to use with young children to encourage oral language in describing the scenes from the story.
Profile Image for Arefa.
107 reviews1 follower
June 21, 2022
This is a beautiful wordless picture book. In wordless picture books it becomes very important for the illustrations to clearly tell the story. And this story did just that! A little marmot and her little bird friend plant a few saplings after a small forest fire. And very carefully take care of these saplings over a period of time until they become trees. The illustrations are very detailed, but simple and inviting. Most of it is in black and white with small pops of color to highlight important parts of the story. Wonderful story of determination and showing you can make a difference no matter how small.
Profile Image for Kate.
1,025 reviews4 followers
November 1, 2022
It's a lovely story about an anthropomorphized marmot and bird who help restore the forest after a fire but feels like it needs more. Sadly, the ending shows it starting all again as a wisp of smoke floats onto the page. This may be enough for preschoolers and kindergartners to consider the fires that are regular occurrences in the Pacific Northwest. An adult will may need to link the smoldering campfire in the front endpapers to the fire, which amazingly was small enough that one helicopter dumping water puts it out.

The front papers show a smoldering campfire and a deer drinking at a stream. The back shows green trees where the campfire was and the blue stream, no animals.
Profile Image for SaraKat.
1,970 reviews38 followers
December 1, 2024
This is a wordless picture book about an animal who seems to be a caretaker of a forest. He goes to take care of a piece of the forest destroyed by a forest fire and stays until it is good and then leaves to go to another place that needs him. The fact that he has a house and garden is kind of weird since he just goes to camp out for years at the damaged spots. The book could be a good jumping off point for discussions about how animals help the forest heal, about how forest fires change forests, etc. I feel like the book makes forest fires a little demonized and sets unrealistic levels of care that is required for them to heal.
Profile Image for The Silvan Reverie | Sarah Street.
746 reviews55 followers
January 30, 2022
This is a beautiful and engaging wordless picture book that depicts a marmot and bird friend who work hard to restore a forest after a forest fire. The gray-toned illustrations with flecks of blue and green when the life is restored are just perfect. The marmot is adorable and each page includes wonderful storytelling. I really appreciate wordless picture books -- they are wonderful to explore with young children. This is a great earth-advocate book for 3-6 year olds!

***Note: I was given a review copy of this book via Blue Slip Media. Opinions are my own.
Profile Image for Mary.
3,597 reviews10 followers
July 8, 2022
A wordless picture book with gorgeous illustrations about a marmot who goes to a recent burn site in the forest to clear the area, plant new trees, and takes care of the saplings until they have grown. It is hard work but there is deep satisfaction to see the forest restored. However, the last page shows the marmot packing up again at the appearance of another ribbon of smoke. The detailed illustrations tell a heartwarming and inspiring story about forest stewardship that will appeal to readers of all ages.
Profile Image for Patti.
606 reviews5 followers
January 12, 2023
Stunning wordless picture book about a marmot and bird working together to replant a forest after a forest fire. The deceptively simple primarily black and white illustrations are heartwarming and the rare splashes of color draw the readers eye in a meaningful way to these beautiful parts of nature that we often overlook, giving this story greater depth. This amazing story would be a fantastic addition to an earth day storytime, teaching students to read wordless picture books or anyone looking for a heartwarming story. Recommended for preK-3rd grade.
Profile Image for SL.
458 reviews3 followers
June 8, 2023
This wound up being a timely read for me. I picked this up right before the fires in Canada started and started it today...sigh. ONCE UPON A FOREST is a sweet, hopeful story about how a determined little marmot (and her trusty friend, bird) work together to replant trees after a forest fire destroys a patch of her forest. She and bird work together to grow life again and the story quietly shows how the patience and steadiness of nature can be healing...and it is a subtle message that nature is fragile and it is up to us to take care of it.
Profile Image for Hannah Mason.
Author 1 book3 followers
January 18, 2025
This marvelous book without words rises nostalgia in me despite never reading it as a kid. Having grown up in California around wildfires, I love seeing these beautiful black and white (and green) depictions of this small creature taking care of his forest and protecting it from wildfire. The choice of color is incredibly creative and draws the eye to the most significant items on the page and the lack of words makes this a book easy for a child to pick up and "read" themselves. What a clever idea and a lovely book! Five stars.
Profile Image for Cathy Ogren.
193 reviews13 followers
April 13, 2022
A beautifully illustrated, wordless book about two friends, a marmot and a bird, who work diligently to bring back the forest that has been destroyed by a wildfire. Day after day, season after season, they continue digging and planting little trees. Slowly, the trees reclaim their place in the forest. This is a perfect book to elicit discussions about protecting our natural resources and taking care of our earth.


Displaying 1 - 30 of 96 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.