Salmon Forest [Hardcover]

K-Gr. 2. Katie and her dad are hiking near a river when Dad announces, "Today we're going to find a story . . . . It's called The Salmon Forest." In a dialogue between father and daughter, the facts of a salmon's spawning cycle emerge. The facts unfold at a meandering pace that may leave some children restless, and other recent titles, such as Annette LeBox's Salmon Creek [BKL Ja 1 & 15 03], offer a clearer presentation of spawning. But the text includes lovely sensory descriptions, and the book offers a wider view of the fish's ecosystem than many other books on the subject. In clear, kid-friendly language, Katie and Dad discuss how the salmon and the forest ecosystem form an intricate web of dependency that includes flesh-eating fungi, maggots, and "all the poop" from the animals that feed on salmon. Vibrant watercolors of sun-dappled forest light and shimmering fish bodies add to the sense of atmosphere. A fine demonstration of the web of life for early-elementary science units. A salmon recipe and a glossary are appended. Gillian Engberg
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" wonderfully imagined the watercolour illustrations are sensitive and beautiful a very special and timely book." Magpies Vol 18, No 5, Nov 2003.David Suzuki s love and knowledge of the environment shines through. The watercolour illustrations are bright and lively. ABR Dec 2003 --This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.

A beautifully illustrated picture book that reveals the magical relationship between the sea and the land and all of life.

One fall day, Kate goes with her father to a river in the Pacific rain forest, which Kate’s dad calls the salmon forest. Together they watch the sockeye salmon returning to the river to spawn and along the way they run into a Native boy named Brett and his family fishing at a pool in the river. They watch as Brett’s mother and sister clean the salmon that Brett and his dad have caught and find out the many ways the family prepares salmon. Kate discovers how the forest and the salmon need each other and why the forest is called the salmon forest.

David Suzuki’s and Sarah Ellis’s charming and informative text is accompanied by Sheena Lott’s exquisite watercolours, which magically evoke the spirit and mystery of the West Coast rain forest. Together, text and illustrations illuminate the interconnectedness of the forest and the sea and of all life.

David Suzuki is an internationally acclaimed scientist, environmentalist and broadcaster. He is the author or co-author of more than 30 books. He lives in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Sarah Ellis is the award-winning author of many children’s books including the Baby Project, Pick-Up Sticks and A Prairie as Wild as the Sea. She lives in North Vancouver, British Columbia.

Sheena Lott is an award-winning artist whose vibrant watercolours have graced numerous children’s books, including Jessie’s Island and Midnight in the Mountains. She lives in Victoria, British Columbia.