The Forest

From its sumptuously colored vellum jacket to its final, mysterious blank white spread, this uncommonly beautiful volume invites readers to marvel over both its daring design and enigmatic messages. Bozzi's minimal text walks readers through "an enormous, ancient forest" where "explorers" travel an increasingly difficult journey. On alternating spreads, subtly embossed images, faintly visible against white pages, show the maturation of a human face from baby to elder, while die-cut eyes reveal startling glimpses of the wild, bright forest in the scenes that follow. Young children may miss some of the metaphorical links to a life's passage, extended in astonishing visual details and dramatic gatefolds. But the sheer marvel of the design, together with the inclusive, open-ended mystery of what lies beyond the forest, makes this a wondrous piece of bookmaking for all ages. Much like a poem, it will evoke new emotions and layers of meaning with repeated readings. 

Employing the forest as a metaphor for life, a narrator takes readers through a verdant, sometimes knotty landscape, acknowledging both its mystery and pleasures. The games the travelers create, the stories they share, and the notes they leave behind as they wander through the landscapes' "beauties and dangers," which grow more fascinating and more difficult to navigate, are all observed, as are the characters and personalities of those who pass through. It's a spare, quietly paced, but forward moving text. For most travelers, this is not a solitary expedition; along the way they experience friendship, rivalries, and love. Ultimately, though, there is no turning back on this journey, which ends after an arduous climb, with a fall into a ravine. "No one knows" what lies beyond, notes the narrator, who circles back to a line delivered early in the book, "some say there is a grove of young pines." Two illustrators contributed to the exquisite visual and tactile bookmaking. Spreads of lush forest scenes peopled with embossed full-length white figures, many guiding the way or carrying packs (read: burdens) are interspersed with white spreads featuring barely visible embossed faces that slowly age and scar, and die-cut holes that peek into the next scene. Gatefolds and an illustrated, translucent onion-skin cover wrap add another layer to the stunning book art. VERDICT While American readers may find this mediation on life—and death—somewhat direct, even startling, its abundant symbols and beautiful book design are sure to intrigue sophisticated readers.—Daryl Grabarek, School Library Journal