The Tree — Dana Lyons

In a simple lyric paired to accomplished, atmospheric paintings, an 800-year-old Douglas fir introduces its timeless world, then hears its own demise in the sound of approaching bulldozers. This is followed by children running, circling my trunk . . . hands soft and strong / People are holding on to my branches / So the wind may always carry my song. In smoothly airbrushed scenes, newcomer Danioth captures the misty Pacific Rain Forest from high angles and low, depicting flora and fauna-and a group of young preservationists-with naturalistic precision. Sans music, the sometimes mystical text makes an overly spare accompaniment for the elaborate art, but a page of rainforest facts are appended, and additional reading from, for instance, Barbara Bash's Ancient Ones (1994), will fill in the background for budding tree huggers. (author's note, forewords) (Picture book. 6-8)