FICTION

Can You Hug a Forest? ­

by Frances Gilbert (text) & illus. by Amy Hevron
S. & S./Beach Lane. May 2023. 32p. Tr $18.99. ISBN 9781665903554.
COPY ISBN
PreS-Gr 2–In acrylic paints and pencil on wood, a child with scribbles for bangs, two puffs of hair, and skin tone that implies the wood showing through, goes for a walk in a natural setting that includes smiling leaves, benevolent creatures, wind that says “whisha, whisha,” and creepy-crawlies that are anything but creepy. Yes, this child can hug a forest, and a leaf, a stream, and experience all of nature, and whether the walk is long or short, Gilbert and Hevron provide a simple, sweet path to teaching children how to allow the sensory experience of the world to take over. For classroom simulation, educators taking group walks, or city preschoolers dipping their toes into the wild, this is a mellow introduction.
VERDICT An amiable amble, and an additional purchase.
Reviewed by ­Kimberly Olson Fakih , Jun 01, 2023

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