This is a beautiful picture book for young kids. I would recommend for babies - age 5. It has stunning illustrations and simplistic text that draw the reader in. It helps us understand the importance of forests and what a dynamic place it can be. There's also a great section in the back about how to support and protect forests. Definitely recommend as a read aloud, classroom library, present, or school library!

Although there are very few words in this book, readers feel a reverence for the forest and the lives of animals who live there. The story is quiet just like a walk through a lovely forest. Simple illustrations of green trees with forest animals to spot make this an important book about preserving nature. The author’s comments at the end of the story can turn this into a teaching experience.

Forest is a very sweet, quiet book that takes the reader through different things that exist in the woods, and who sees the forest as home. The storybook contains beautiful illustrations, and it was fun to identify different animals -- and find ones that were tucked away in tree cavities and other somewhat hidden nests and dens -- with my toddler.

This simple text has beautiful illustrations and would be great for primary classrooms. You could talk about each page and what role the animal listed has in the forest.

This is a beautifully illustrated picture book. The message is a simple one - that the forest is a home. That the plants, animals, insects all belong there. They belong and it is our job to protect their home. The story is very short and simple. It would be a great read aloud and allow for students to discuss their thoughts on nature. It would also allow easy science and art content connections to be made.

I will be adding this titled to my classroom when it become available in April of 2024.

Thanks you Net Galley and Princeton Architectural Press for allowing me access to the ebook ARC.

nature is beautiful and the artist manage to depict it beautifully in this illustration of FOREST. that note at the end that'll educate readers about "taking care of our forests" is nice to see. all in all, such a calm pleasant read.

thank you to Christie Matheson and the team for providing this

Thanks to Chronicle Books for this ebook!

This is such a sweet and peace-filled introduction to the vitality and depth of our forests. I especially appreciate the watercolor artwork and the notes in the back about caring for nature.

I love the mountains and forest. This book was a great depiction of the beauty in the forest. The illustrations are amazing. Simple text but does a great job showing what a forest is.

I enjoyed the watercolor illustrations of the book. The short phrases and sentences were ideal for a very young audience. I thought the addition of action items at the end, under the heading "Taking Care of Our Forests" was a nice touch, providing some jumping-off points for classroom use and activist extension activities.

This was an engaging read-aloud that invites questions and conversation, Forest offers an intriguing introduction to the natural world and encourages little ones to develop a connection with the great outdoors that can last a lifetime. Perfect for any time of year and a beautiful way to celebrate spring, Earth Day, Mother's Day, or the arrival of a new baby, this endlessly delightful children's nature book includes additional information about forests and what we can do to care for them.

A fun book for arbor day or an elementary science class edition.

Beautiful artwork and well written words that are simple for early readers to understand.

I loved this book as a tool to introduce children to the beauty and importance of nature. It doesn't really have a plot, it is just showing children what a forest is and the animals that live in it. The watercolor illustrations are simple but also beautiful. It has very few words on each page, which lets the beautiful illustrations do the work here.

There is one thing I am confused about. I am reading the ebook copy on my phone, and some pages just have a plain colored background with text. It doesn't even look like an artistic watercolor background- it's just a solid color. These pages kind of look like placeholders, like the book is unfinished. I'm not sure if this is how the finished book will look or not, but I would hope that these pages end up looking a little more pretty than they do on my phone.

I would recommend this book for a wide range of ages. It would be a fine read-aloud for kids aged 3-6, and it would even be a good teaching tool for older children to talk about forest biomes or even the importance of nature.

I really enjoyed the artwork and meaning behind this book. With a degree in Early Childhood Ed., I think this is a developmentally appropriate book for early readers! I live nesr many national forests and think this would sell well in the bookstore I work at,

Forest gracefully displays the makeup of the woods, from the trunks and branches, to the animals that call it home. Perhaps best for kids 5 and under, while attractive to readers of all ages, there is something to explore on each page. The paintings contained within present an opportunity for conversation on the forest environment and why, as humans, we should be delicate with such spaces. The book doesn't contain a narrative story, but rather bits on every few pages about the composition of the forest. Really lovely and would make a great gift for any nature lover, young and old.

Thank you NetGalley for an advanced digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This book was beautiful. The illustrations were wonderful and I loved how immersive it felt.

Although simple, it will definitely be a favorite pre-bedtime story among many, I'm sure.

This beautifully illustrated book celebrates the beauty and intricacies of forests. This is a perfect introduction to noticing many of the features of forests and invites children to observe and be in nature.

Perhaps because I don't have children, I am constantly surprised by the quality of children's books. Forest by Christie Matheson has lovely illustrations and a sweet message about the importance of the forest with suggestions for next steps at the end. It is the sort of book which sparks the imagination. Thank you to the author, Chronicle Books, and NetGalley for the eARC.

This picturebook has a whimsical feel about it as it takes you through the forest; a home for more than just plants or animals, but a home for us as humans too! The story is simple yet somehow worthy of deep pondering as the reader relaxes into the watercolor-like paintings of deer and other animals enjoying their beautiful home. It may make the reader wonder why he/she hasn't spent more time just enjoying nature, as the animals in the story do just that without even thinking too hard about it. This book is relevant for our times because we are living in a time in our planet's history when humans need reminders to be kind to natural wonders like those found in our forests. The author definitely could make this a series and follow up with other stories about the ocean, desert, island climates, etc. Worth cuddling up with your favorite little reader to enjoy introducing them to the wonders of the forest without even leaving your home.

What a great early book to show some of the diversity of the life in a forest. It was a great way to start a conversation about how important our forests are and where different animals make their homes, the drawings were perfect and my four year old loves asking questions from what we read.

The watercolors in this book are wonderfully done, detailed enough to capture attention but not too loud to distract from the writing. The word count is low enough that it would be a quick read-aloud book, but some of the words are big enough that your solo reader may need a little support.

Forest by Christie Matheson is a book for children of all ages. A nature lover's delight, the illustrations are sweet and inviting. Good for discussion in classroom setting or for a child learning to read.

I received an arc of this title from NetGalley for an honest review—a beautiful book about the forest and what you can find inside.

As someone who works in the environmental field and has a passion for nature, this book had my heart after the first illustration.

The water color pictures are gorgeous and any young child would enjoy flipping through this one. The small amount of text compliments the art and really brings out the calm and comfort of the forest.

Thank you #netgalley and #chroniclebooks for letting me read and review #Forest by #ChristieMatheson. What a lovely book. Not too loquacious, but just right with beautifully illustrated photos. Makes me feel as if I’m sitting in the forest and experiencing the pages in real life. This is a great book for children who are nature lovers and conveys a beautiful message to take care of our forests.

The forest isn't only a place that people enjoy but it is also a place the fauna shown also live and play.
'THE FOREST IS ...
HOME!"
A wonderfully encouraging story simply illustrated by the author!
Well suited for reading WITH someone of any age, great for gifting to anyone, but especially to a school or your public library!
I requested and received a temporary electronic copy on Adobe Digital Editions from Chronicle Books, Princeton Architectural Press via NetGalley. Thank you!

The watercolor illustrations are gorgeous. I want to have this book for my own child to help facilitate the discussion about protecting nature.

Delightful illustrations are joined with whimsical educational journey that draws young readers into the forest, and calls on us all to look around at all the forests provide: food, shelter, calm beauty. The additional resources are a nice addition. This book, however, if it had no words at all, would still over an encoring glimpse into to the wildlife and magic found in forests. The watercolor texture, natural details and curious sense of exploration to the art all add to the celebration of trees. This book will be a nice addition to our collection of nature and tree books.

Thank you Chronicle Books and NetGalley for allowing me to read an ARC of this book.

I am constantly looking for books my youngest can read with confidence and enjoy. She has several learning disabilities and hates reading on her own because it’s really hard for her. This book is perfect for her to see and enjoy. The words are big enough that she won’t feel embarrassed with using her “tools” and she loves the outdoors.

Such a wonderful short book. She loves everything we do in the first and I can’t wait to let her read this! I will definitely be buying it when it’s out.

Another beautiful book by the amazing Christie Matheson! The calming and inviting watercolor illustration provide just enough details to draw in little ones but not overwhelm them. I’d recommend this for babies - Kindergarten if used as a read aloud. Kindergarteners and 1st graders will have a great time with it as an early reader given the rhyming and low word count per page. The note at the end about the importance of forests and simple ways to “keep our forest healthy” is a lead in to discussions for Earth Day and awareness of ways we can take care of the Earth. A perfect book for fans of Kevin Henkes books like “In The Middle of Fall” and “Parade of Elephants”.

This was a very beautiful picture book. The watercolor illustrations are so soothing to look at and the color palette is lovely. It seems like a great way to introduce a child to some of the animals there are in forests and all of the things that they do there. It will definitely teach children new words and is also educational in that it explains the benefits forests have for people and the earth at the very end. Would definitely recommend!

I love this adorable children’s book. It’s watercolors are beautiful. It introduces new forest vocabulary to children, shows a variety of wildlife, and has a wonderful note in the back on habitat protection. I will definitely be adding this hardcover to my self - thank you netgalley for a digital advanced copy to review.

This would be a delightful book for a nature walk. It brings attention to all these small, yet important and beautiful details of the forest that a child or adult can and should look out for when they are in nature. This would also be a great book on empathy and learning about animals. Learning that the woods and the forest and other habitats provide homes, food, water, and shelter for animals can help everyone understand their value and why it is important to take care of them. The blurbs in the back about conservation are important and provide a great segue into a lesson, nature walk, or even a trip to the park.

A simple book with simple illustrations, almost flat, designed but traditionally painted with one single color of watercolor for each object. We can feel the water in the brush. It has a classic vibe of illustrators from my childhood of watercolor and collage that makes us feel the serenity and the wonder of the forest. It's not filled with text, but a good cadence of one sentence per page and we can almost hear the rustle of the leaves. It's a great book to inspire calm in overwhelming days and to remind us of the importance of our forests and to plant a tree.
Thank you, publisher, and Netgalley for this e-Arc.

This is a beautifully illustrated children's book which highlights the beauty and purpose of forests. There are very few words on each page, which allows the incredible watercolor paintings shine. I also appreciate that the author allowed the beauty of the forest to speak for itself and saved the "call to action" for the end of the book. This allows the book to feel light and airy. It would be the perfect book to read on Earth day!

Into the woods! "Forest" is a quiet introduction to the wonders of the forest for young readers. With minimalist prose and watercolor illustrations, children are introduced to some of the creatures they might see in the forest, and some of the purposes those trees serve.

The forest (broadly speaking!) is just about my favorite place, so I'm always delighted to see books encouraging young kids to explore in nature. "Forest" places an emphasis on treading softly and leaving space in nature for the animals that call it home, and I could see it either as a general book in a kindergarten library (probably not older than kindergarten; it's definitely a book for early readers) or something to read with city kids who are going to get their first exposure to real nature soon. And if it makes kids excited about the woods...I'm all for it.

Thanks to the author and publisher for providing a review copy through NetGalley.

A cute introduction for young kids to the sights of the forest. Watercolor illustrations and simple poetry.

Christie Matheson has written some of my favorite children's books, and this one did not disappoint. The illustrations are absolutely beautiful, and the story is simple enough for young kids to appreciate.

This picture book expresses the value of forest features in simple text and watercolor illustrations. The points are well-chosen (animals play, shelter from storms) and the pacing is slow and calm, allowing for exploration of the illustrations. The pictures themselves support the text but don't quite connect, and I didn't care for the inexpert style of some images. Still, a good volume for instilling an appreciation of nature through forest features for young picture-book readers.

Forest is a beautiful kids picture book. I’m no artist but I believe it’s done in watercolors and some of the picture are suitable for framing in my opinion. It’s a sweet little book meant to show kids that there’s a lot going on in the trees and that a forest is much more than just trees. It’s a great little book.

Thanks to the author and publisher for the e-arc I received via NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.