A Walk in the Deciduous Forest, 2nd Edition

by Rebecca L. Johnson, Phyllis V Saroff (Illustrations)

Take a walk in the deciduous forest. Sunlight filters through new green leaves. It's early summer, and squirrels are chattering in the treetops. A warbler calls out. She's building a nest in an oak tree. A fox crouches behind a stump. Will he find a fat mouse for his next meal? Or will he go searching for berries? Discover this critical forest habitat through narrative text, striking photos, and illustations.

Genres: Nature, Science, Geography, Birds, Picture Books, Childrens, Nonfiction

48 pages, ebook

First published November 1, 2000

Reviews

[Mary · Rating 2 out of 5]

If a child in grades 4 to 6 was writing a report, I would recommend this book and give it four or 5 stars. However, if you're looking for a fun read, my two star rating stands.

On the positive side, there is a glossary that explains a number of words the students might not already know. But the first sentence starts out "A pileated woodpecker hops across. . ." and "pileated is not one of the words in the glossary.

There is also an index, which is very helpful. There is a list of books and a list of websites on the same topic, which is wonderful. As I said, if you're doing research for a school report, this would be a good book.

An interesting feature is the map of North America, which delineates the different biomes (tundra, boreal forest, deciduous forest, temperate, rainforest, grassland, desert, chaparral, tropical, rainforest, tropical, scrub forest). It seems to me this map would be very useful even for adult or higher grade use.

There are photographs of the different trees and accurate drawings of their leaves.

The problem is that it's a very dry read. VERY dry. One fact after another. So if you're looking for facts, it's helpful and perhaps interesting. But like any books that are written as completely fact-based, it's a lot like reading the phone book.

Age: 8 - 12
Grades: 4 - 6

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Climate change is endangering our natural deciduous forests. Have you ever visited one? Rebecca L. Johnson's walk takes the reader through the seasons in the forest, introducing the foliage, the insects, and the animals.

Lush photography is paired with detailed drawings to give the reader a realistically imagined walk. A mindful practice I used to do with my students came to mind while reading. I felt like I was in the forest. Although it talks about predators and prey, none of the photos are violent or disturbing in any way. A simple read for 3rd grade and up.

Cross posted to http://kissthebookjr.blogspot.com

[Kimberly McCollum · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve been reading this series with my 3rd grader as part of a school project. Well-written for what it is, with nice art.

[Julie Tate · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this series.

[Christi Schrodt · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great series!

[Holly · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the tone of the book, inviting readers to use their imaginations. I wish the pictures had been more inviting.