RAVEN AND THE FOREST

A child and a bear enjoy the wonders of a nature hike in this rhyming book for the very young.

A human child named Raven, wearing a cloak that looks like a raven’s head, travels through the forest with a black bear. “We won’t go far,” Raven promises before they go along a trail, over rocks, through a hedge, along a stream, and down a grassy hill. Raven eats sweet leaves and roots with a rabbit, helps a beaver build a dam, and dances to bird song. After returning home, Raven cuddles in bed with one parent as another parent reads a bedtime story. Each of Yuen Sun’s four-line stanzas includes a rhyme; some are a stretch (memories/peace), though their variations are smooth enough to make reading aloud easy. Much of the vocabulary involves short words that will be easy to sound out. However, there are some longer and unusual words (unexpected, dappled) that might encourage caregivers to read the book aloud to youngsters first. Illustrator Liz Sun uses strong linework to depict the light-skinned Raven, and the animals look realistic. Text-based pages feature background colors that draw out the illustrations’ primary hues, strengthening the book’s overall composition. Young nature lovers are likely to envy Raven’s friendship with the bear and her smooth interactions with other forest creatures.

A short, sweet ode to outdoor adventures.