The Secret Life of the Forest: Trees, Animals, and Fungi

Selected for The Children’s Book Council’s July 2024 “Hot Off The Press” Reading List

"The Secret Life of the Forest: Trees, Animals, and Fungi is an especially engaging and educational introduction for children ages of 6 - 9 to exploring the intricate web of relationships that sustains a thriving forest. This introduction to ecology will spark curiosity and environmental awareness, presenting fascinating facts that turn learning into an enjoyable experience. The Secret Life of the Forest: Trees, Animals, and Fungi is especially designed for inquisitive young minds and nature enthusiasts alike as it nurtures a profound love for the natural world." —Midwest Book Review-Children's Bookwatch

"The Secret Life of the Forest: Trees, Animals, and Fungi is a highly educational and fun read. Packed with so much information, there is plenty to read about! Broken down into 19 sections, readers will learn about the life cycle of a tree, different pollinators, levels of the forest, and so much more! Through-out the book, there are little "experiments" kids can partake in, and I encourage adults to as well. A lot of them are eye opening! I love the illustrations. They highly detailed and absolutely beautiful." —Cherokee Crum, YA Books Central

"This cute, informative nonfiction book is full of valuable information about forest ecosystems. The Secret Life of the Forest has nineteen sections of information that cover everything a young researcher could want to know about the forest ecosystem, from tree communication to symbiotic relationships with fungi to parasitic relationships. Even adult readers will learn something new in this fascinating book. The illustrations are colorful, fun, and very informative. Just paging through the book invites further exploration, like the page that shows a fungi plumber “re-establishing the connection” between two tree roots with a wrench and another tree paying for the service with sugar. This is a great book for early research about forest ecosystems." —Laura Gardner, Dartmouth Middle School, Youth Services Book Review

"It is always nice to have a knowledgeable guide when one begins to explore a new place. The guide for readers in this cute nature book is a little seed. How appropriate, since most plant life in the forest springs from seeds. Little Seed begins with the life cycle of a tree and a good discussion of pollination. Young readers will be surprised at the variety of pollinators and methods. Many may not think of fungi as part of a forest, but they are an important member of the ecosystem, and that is nicely explained. Animals and insects also play important roles in the health of the forest. Little Seed is a great guide through this very complex ecosystem. Each of the 19 sections is filled with several text blocks as well as many supporting illustrations and good questions to inspire readers to do more research. The illustrations are fun, but realistic enough and filled with good details to impart excellent information. The writing is conversational and accessible for young readers while imparting a great deal of good scientific facts. Youngsters will read this one over and over to glean all the great information. It is a winner." —Rosi Hollinbeck, San Francisco Book Review

"The illustrations are very attractive; they're cute, detailed cartoons with occasional little humorous word bubbles. Verdict: I really liked the illustrations and I'm strongly tempted to take the book apart and use some of the diagrams and art for activities. Forestry/habitat books are not hugely popular with my audience and this would be an additional purchase or resource, best for someone who is familiar with the subject." —Flying Off My Bookshelf

"The Secret Life of the Forest is a fascinating new resource for kids! With a creative writing style, tons of interesting facts, beautiful illustrations, experiments for kids to try, and so much more, this is a must-read! There's so much to learn about what trees eat, how they breathe, the secrets beneath their roots, and even how they make friends with one another." —Fun Reads for Kids, IG

"This nonfiction book, The Secret Life of the Forest: Trees, Animals, and Fungi has been helping us to understand more of what’s going on in our forest, as well as forests around the world. Guided by a little linden seed who will “guide you on your way through the forest realm”, 19 questions or topics about forests are discussed. Topics include “How do trees make friends with each other?”, “How wolves saved the forest”, and “Does fire belong in the forest?” Each page is packed with diagrams, charts, exposition, captions, definitions, and humorous asides. We’ve learned a ton reading this book." —Kids Read the World, IG