Rainforest - Softcover

Kindergarten-Grade 2 An affecting plea for the rain forests in South America, which are increasingly being destroyed. A striking, almost stylized cover and endpapers which clearly evoke the green and watery spirit of the rain forest entice children into the fragile ecosystem. Machines, "cutting and spoiling," are ravaging the landscape, frightening the animal inhabitants who retreat to higher ground to escape the destruction. When the floods come, there are no trees left to hold the soil in place so the river bursts its banks, washing away the bulldozer, and, presumably, its large-bellied operator. The animals are temporarily safe. Surprisingly, the anthropomorphic animals, who worry and hear stories of the coming machines "with deep foreboding," do not detract from the power of this brief cautionary tale which, in the hands of a concerned adult who can provide the needed follow-up, is an effective introduction to a timely subject. Pair this with Jeannie Baker's Where the Forest Meets the Sea (Greenwillow, 1988) for a treatment of a similar ecological theme in Australia. Ellen Fader, Westport Public Library, Conn.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.

"In strikingly vivid and arresting full-color paintings, Cowcher movingly presents . . . a well-designed introduction to the fragile balance of nature," PW commented. Ages 4-8.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.