Exploring the Rain Forest, One Page at a Time

“Exciting times call for exciting books.” That is not a real saying…I just made it up! My life feels very exciting right now because I’m about to leave for Costa Rica with my family for a vacation in the rain forests of Central America. I can’t wait to hang out with monkeys and sloths, eat fresh mango and pineapple, and put my own life in danger by ziplining and careening after my three fearless boys! I’m not kidding when I say I’ve been counting down the days.

So, what have I been doing to mentally prepare myself for this great adventure? Reading kidlit, of course! I’ve discovered some beautiful new rain forest-themed picture books from Candlewick Press that I want to share with you. The good folks at Candlewick were nice enough to send both books to me in exchange for my honest review of them. They are B-E-A-U-T-I-F-U-L-L-Y crafted with colorful endpapers and full-bleed page spreads that will leave you and your little ones feeling like you just visited the rain forest every single time you open them.

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One Tiny Treefrog: A Countdown to Survival

by Tony Piedra & Mackenzie Joy

Hardcover ISBN: 9781536219487

Ages 4-8

Released February 2023

Piedra and Joy are husband and wife author-illustrators who partnered on this project together, and the results are simply stunning.  This is a counting book (countdown, to be specific) which chronicles the lifecycle of ten glistening treefrog eggs laying on a leaf in the tropical rain forest of Costa Rica. Their journey is a tough one, full of predators and hijinks. We learn the common and scientific names of various predators as they make their cameos in vibrant, full-page spreads.

Ten tadpoles become nine, then eight, and so on…opening their eyes, sprouting tales, then legs, then bodies.

When you finish the book, you will have a newfound appreciation for the miracle that is the one surviving red-eyed treefrog, off to explore new adventures in the forest. Detailed backmatter teaches the young reader all about the different species featured in the book and the stages of treefrog growth and development.

You can follow both Piedra and Joy on Instagram  (@tony.piedra, @mackenziejoy_) and their author websites (http://tonypiedra.com, https://www.mackenziejoy.art).

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A Walk Through the Rain Forest

by Martin Jenkins, illustrated by Vicky White

Hardcover ISBN: 9781536211207

Ages 6-9

Released October 2022

Martin Jenkins is a conservation biologist, and the award-winning author of many plant, animal, and ecosystem-focused children’s books. His extensive knowledge of the subject matter shines through in this engrossing account of what it actually looks, sounds, and feels like to walk through the Malaysian rain forest of Taman Negara.

I can’t think of a more perfect author and illustrator pairing than this one. Natural history artist Vicky White’s photorealistic black and white images capture what appears to be a bystander’s eye-level view of the surrounding forest. She intersperses stunning full-color double page spreads at key moments of excitement in the story, making use of dramatic page turns.

Jenkins uses a conversational second-person narration for this story, so that you really feel like he is taking you on a tour with him. He points out hidden animal sounds, trees and where they are in their life cycle, and even the wonders of animal dung, which spreads tree- and plant-bearing seeds to different areas of the forest.

Though this book is written for the picture-book aged crowd, I can also see older children enjoying it because it touches on such interesting aspects of the rain forest ecosystem. The backmatter does not disappoint either, with facts, figures, and a detailed animal index that kids will pour over.

This is Jenkins and White’s third children’s book together. Their others include Ape, an ASPCA Henry Bergh Children’s Book Award winner, and Can We Save the Tiger, a Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor winner.

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These texts are beautiful and important additions to home and classroom libraries alike. As we know, rain forests are being cut down at an alarming rate, and this threatens many of the animal and plant species that live there. Encouraging children to read more about rain forests goes a long way to ensuring that future generations will be invested in protecting them. Whether you and the kids in your life are planning a trip to a rain forest at some point, or simply want to feel like you have, I highly recommend checking these out!

I received these books for free from Candlewick Press in exchange for an honest review.