In Focus: Forests

What an informative book! This would be a great resource for children learning about forests in a topic at school or just for children who are keen to learn about the natural environment. Topics include the Black Forest, the Anatomy of Trees, Rainforests, National Parks, Kelp Forests, Forest Mythology, the Amazon Rainforest, Peoples of the Forest, Mangrove Forests and Produce and Preservation. Each double page opens out to uncover an even wider spread of text with extra information for each section. Included are some fantastic illustrations and diagrams to bring the information to life. As a teacher, I would really appreciate this resource for any related topic, such as rainforests, to use as an independent research resource. Younger readers can enjoy the pictures and access some of the text whereas older readers will really appreciate the depth that some of the information goes into. A really informative book which will help to educate children on the importance of our natural world, as well as how to protect it. Picture Book / Ages 7+ / Reviewed by Lucy Newton, teacher

Suggested Reading Age 7+

In Focus: Forests is part of the In Focus series, which includes the In Focus: Cities book, taking us through the different cultural, social and historical identities of ten world-famous cities. In the latest book, we step out of urban areas into the depths of our natural world and its forests, not just the Black Forest and Amazon Forest, but more surprising spreads on Kelp Forests and Mangrove Forests. These very different ecosystems are described and explored, including the kinds of creatures that you might find there and how humans are impacting on these ecosystems. There are facts dotted through the lushly-illustrated spreads (each is created by a different illustrator), such as the difference between a jungle and a rainforest (rainforests are taller with denser canopy), or that it was the Romans who named the Black Forest. There are also sections on 'The Anatomy of Trees', 'National Parks' and even 'Forest Mythology'. Within these sections are historical notes and also information on who lives in these areas. It's a fascinating and visually attractive book that would be useful in exploring ecosystems and habitats and if you're looking at where our food comes from, as well as environmental topics. The short sections of text make it lovely for dipping into, and the sturdy, fold-out pages also mean it is useful for table-top displays. 28 pages / Ages 7-9 / Reviewed by Emily Green

Suggested Reading Age 7+