Review by Booklist Review
Ages 5-7. Sloths, tapirs, anteaters and butterflies as well as toucans, macaws, and monkeys dwell in the rain forest. But the serenity of the place is marred by the news that the trees are falling. Soon, all the animals sense danger in the air, as machines cut a swath through the area. There is, however, justice in this morality tale. When the rains come, the animals move to higher ground, and without trees to hold the soil in place, the river bursts, causing a machine and its driver to be washed away in a rather violent ending. Like the Aschenbrenner, above, this message-oriented tale is suitable in discussions about conservation and the environment. Certainly, the pictures command attention. Two-page unbordered spreads feature bold type and misty watercolor backgrounds on which the brightly painted animals and the action are prominently placed. An interesting if specialized volume. IC.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
In strikingly vivid and arresting full-color paintings, Cowcher movingly presents a vision of impending ecological disaster. In the lush green rain forest, sloths, tapirs, anteaters, butterflies, toucans, macaws and monkeys live together. ``There is plenty of food and water for all the creatures, whether they make their home in the trees or on the ground.'' Then one day human beings and their machines begin to fell trees and destroy the animals' homes. With no trees to hold the soil, the rains come and wash it away. The simple tale ends on a note of chilling reality: the animals wonder ``how long the tall trees would be there to guard them.'' The spare text is never didactic, and although the ending is a bit abrupt, this is a well-designed introduction to the fragile balance of nature. Ages 3-up. (Nov.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 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. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
A pictorial plea for the South American forests that are so rapidly being destroyed. A brief text enumerates the creatures to be found in this jungle. In an impressive debut as illustrator, Cowcher depicts them (sloth, tapir, anteater, butterfly, monkey, toucan, macaw, jaguar) with a bold simplicity, almost stylization. The setting is lovely--painted in pure, bright yet misty greens without the harsh definition of line, skillfully touched by the rain-filtered light on forest floor or airy canopy. When the animals sense a menace as bulldozers defile their habitat, they retreat. In a conclusion that begs the real problem, ""the Machine"" is washed away by a river that is no longer confined by the trees once rooted in its bank, and the animals are safe--at least for a time. An excellent introduction to a serious issue, this will be most effective where someone is available to follow up with more information. Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
