Big World, Tiny World: Forest (Jess Racklyeft, Affirm)
Jess Racklyeft will already be a familiar name to readers of picture books, and Big World, Tiny World: Forest is just as lovely as her earlier works. The book begins with a note from the author about the importance of forests, and a few tips about choices we can all make at home to help protect these vital ecosystems. In rhyming verse, Racklyeft guides her readers around the forest—from the canopy of the trees down into the soil. Her words are friendly and positive, and contain facts about the natural world that young children will be able to relate to. The whole book is illustrated in beautifully bright watercolours—it really seems as if each image is sunlit. The animals and insects at each level of the forest are incredibly cute: the little smiling faces of the beetles, spiders and worms will delight readers of all ages. This is a fun book with a positive message about the natural world, suitable for reading aloud to children aged 0–5. Big World, Tiny World: Forest offers children an explanation about how life in the forest works, and is sure to encourage any budding passion for environmentalism.
Ellen Cregan is a bookseller and writer from Melbourne.
