Independent Reading Level: Grades 1-4
Awards: Cybils Poetry Award ( )

Grade Levels: 1-4
Awards: N/A

I really liked this poetry book. The book is about adventures through a forest. There is a poem for each new adventure encountered in the forest. The first thing that I liked about the book were the watercolor illustrations. Using watercolor for the illustrations added to the effect of being in the forest and made the poems that much more inviting and interesting to read. I liked the irony that was present in the poems. For example, on page 12, the title of the poem was, "Frog-Proposal." This is ironic because frogs turn into princes in fairy tales sometimes. On page 12, the last stanza reads, "Pick me now. Make your choice. I'm one great frog with one strong voice." This shows the frog acting like a prince and there is the wonder if the frog will turn into a prince. Next, it is ironic and funny that the poem on the next page is titled, "Lady's Slipper." This poem is about Cinderella at the forest ball and leaving behind her silky slipper. The author used a Cinderella reference but changed the idea to match the theme of adventures through the forest in this book. For example, at the end of the first stanza it says, "Did you leave your silky slipper balanced on this stem?" The part that says "balanced on this stem" is referring to the adventures in the forest theme. Also, I like the rhyme in the story. I think that the second stanza that says, "Forest Cinderella-why? You didn't even say goodbye," adds emotion to the poem. A frown can come to one's face when reading that stanza. Another thing I like is the repetition in the poem, "Puff" on page 23. The girl keeps repeating the word "Puff!" when she shows hr brother the puffball babies and is describing them. The illustrations also match the words of the poem. Lastly, I like the idea of the poem taking you through the seasons of the year as you read through the poems of the book. The girl and her dog start in the spring, then you can see that it turns to summer, then fall, and the book ends with the girl and the dog walking home in the snow, which would indicate winter time. The illustrations portray the season and the language of the book also goes well with the illustrations of the seasons.

The big idea or message of the poems is about a girl going on an adventure with her dog through the forest and encountering different adventures along the way. Creativity is shown in the illustrations and the way the words are written makes poetry become easier to read and more familiar to readers. The title, "Forest has a Song," is a big idea throughout the book because melodies and sounds in the forest arise as the girl and dog continue on their adventures in the forest. ( )

Lovely poems and illustrations celebrating the beauty of the forest in all seasons. ( )

Light and lyrical, this book is great for read-alouds. Can be used for classroom activities as well--have students write their own nature related poems and illustrate them as well.