“Mother Aspen: A Story of How Forests Cooperate and Communicate”
By Annette LeBox, illustrated by Crystal Smith.
Groundwood Books, Toronto, 2024, 32 pages, K-3.
Scientists are beginning to learn the vast complexities and interactions of plant and animal life in forests. Forest biology is intricate and must be treated with care. Looking at forests from a purely monetary perspective can be lucrative in the short term but harmful over a longer period.
Forests are based on biodiversity, and when something is destroyed or thoughtlessly removed, many harmful consequences occur. Among these are erosion, plant disease and the displacement of vegetation. Annette LeBox describes many of these issues in this beautifully illustrated picture book entitled “Mother Aspen: A Story of How Forests Cooperate.”
A young aspen tree grows magnificently into the sky. Animals hide in her shade and her roots spread sugars into nearby plants. These sugars feed nearby trees, and fungi wrap themselves around the tree roots. The fungi carry needed nutrients to nearby trees and help them sustain themselves during droughts. If a summer drought strikes, the fungi release their water reserves for the tree’s nourishment. This causes mushrooms to grow under the growing tree.
Deer eat the rich, sugary aspen leaves during the summer months. The aspen’s shade provides hiding places for fox dens, and nesting sites. As the summer reaches its peak, catkin fruits burst forth from the tree limbs. Animals and birds eat the fruits, and sometimes bury aspen seeds in the ground.
As fall descends on the forest, the aspen loses its leaves. This beautiful layer of leaves provides cover for all sorts of wildlife during the winter. Each year the aspen grows larger and more bountiful.
How does all this help the ecology of the forest? Why is every part of the forest a component of an intricate life cycle? Have you ever walked in a beautiful forest? What did you enjoy the most? I like the shade of the trees on a hot day. If you ever wondered how nature works in unison, go to the library and check out “Mother Aspen: A Story of How Forests Cooperate and Communicate” by Annette LeBox.
This is an enchanting tale of interaction of forest ecology. Crystal Smith draws absolutely beautiful pictures of animal and plant life throughout the text. The writing and art combine to attract readers to discover the next part of the story. Primary school students will enjoy looking at the pictures and listening to the story being read out loud. This is simply a beautiful book. I hope you get a chance to go to the library and check it out. Enjoy!
