Because of an Acorn

PreS-Gr 1-This small book provides an elementary-level look at the way even an acorn plays an important role in the ecosystem. From the acorn comes a tree. The tree is a home to birds that scatter seeds. Seeds become flowers that bear appetizing fruit. The fruit attracts hungry chipmunks that entice hunter snakes. A watchful hawk, however, swoops down to catch its slithering prey. As the hawk stands guard in the oak tree, an acorn falls. And so another tree is born, and another, and soon there is a forest. Each page is laid out with only a few words or a single phrase. The pen-and-ink illustrations have an earth-tone palette and are enhanced digitally. The back matter consists of a glossary of important terms, such as ecosystem and saplings, and provides further information on how acorns nourish the forest animals. A few paragraphs explaining the importance of forests to the environment, specifically those in the Cumberland Plateau, is appended. VERDICT For the youngest readers and listeners, this is a simple but attractive introduction to nature's life cycles.-Roxanne Burg, Orange County Public Library, CA