Forest Has a Song: Poems

A spider is a “never-tangling dangling spinner / knitting angles, trapping dinner.” A tree frog proposes, “Marry me. Please marry me… / Pick me now. / Make me your choice. / I’m one great frog / with one strong voice.” VanDerwater lets the denizens of the forest speak for themselves in twenty-six lighthearted, easy-to-read poems. As she observes, “Silence in Forest / never lasts long. / Melody / is everywhere / mixing in / with piney air. / Forest has a song.” The graceful, appealing watercolor illustrations perfectly suit these charming poems that invite young readers into the woodland world at every season. |

"Moving gracefully through the seasons, newcomer VanDerwater shares a girl's experience of what the forest has to offer."
—Publishers Weekly

"The imagery is fresh and original; it's accessible, too. Watercolor images of each poem's subject add to the appeal."
—Kirkus

"Dip into this appealing collection for an introduction to early nature studies or poetry writing, or for generating some well-deserved enthusiasm for a stroll in the great outdoors."
—Booklist

"The verses are approachable for readers and vivid for readaloud listeners, so this is a title with a broad spread of possible use. Even if there's no nearby forest, just have the kids close their eyes, listen to the poetry, and imagine that there is."
—Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"The book is an inviting tour for those who enjoy observing the natural world through poetry."
—School Library Journal