The Forgotten Forest

Opening with a sleepy and inauspicious introduction--``A long time ago, but not so far away, there was a country that was covered by trees''--this environmental fable tells how a vast, long-ago forest once filled with the sounds of children shrivels into a tiny green island surrounded by a concrete jungle After years of thoughtless cutting and building (``a leaf for every brick''), everyone, except the children, forgets about the trees. The story ends hopefully when construction workers' destructive intentions take an unexpected turn toward protecting and expanding the forest--``A tree for every child.'' In lively watercolor and ink illustrations reminiscent of Peter Spier, Anholt gently evokes a universal remorse over deforestation--the ``endless, noisy sea of the city'' blends architectural elements of many cultures and historical periods. The pictures unite with the text in a child-centered viewpoint that will woo youngsters toward quiet reflection. Ages 4-8. (Apr . )