Customer Reviews

Whisper from the Woods

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

"Whisper from the Woods" is a superb way to introduce to young children the idea that life is a cycle and although everyone and everything eventually dies, new things are also constantly coming into being. It's a comforting thought, and it's beautifully presented here.

Victoria Wirth's quiet, quiet text concerns an oak tree which drops an acorn deep in the woods. As the acorn grows into a sapling and then into a tree, we see through A. Scott Banfill's magical illustrations that the parent tree is growing older and weaker. When the parent tree eventually dies, the children trees sorrowfully cover her with leaves and await the spring--in which, of course, new acorns fall and new trees begin to grow.

Trees aside, Banfill manages to squeeze in tiny elves, butterflies, rabbit families, bears, and all manner of birds, among other animals. As if that weren't enough, each of his gorgeous illustrations is bordered with a handsome, each-one-different swath of stylized elements from nature: leaves, snowflakes, flowers, insects, and so on.

The book is a joy to read and a subtle reminder that life is an endless cycle--something every child needs to know.

I read this book to my older son hundreds of times, and I think every time I found something new in the pictures! They are fabulous. The woods shown here are full of creatures, all with such incredible details. It must have been something like my 50th reading I noticed that there were little forest people in some of the pictures! The story never scared my son, although it does deal with the life cycle including death, but it is done in a natural and beautiful way. I must admit my husband was a bit bothered by that theme in a picture book, and others might be too, but I really wasn't, as it was presented as part of life. A very unusual and special book.

Interesting full page illustrations with faces on trees and nuts, roots which look like hands and wind with a face. It's both scary and not scary. It takes only a few minutes to read. For 5 years old and up. I liked the story and the borders on the illustrations. Peter (age 8)

For those who enjoy and are ever searching for an addition to their metaphoric library - this is a treasure indeed. It is a gem of written and visually portrayed word. Inspirational for the youngest to the oldest of all generations. It promotes the beauty and wealthy of "storytelling" and the intrinsic worth of a soul and a community.

The pictures in this book are truly incredible. The images of the animals are drawn into the trees, making it magical to look at. The story is one that reminds us of the cycle of life. Beautiful book.

I love this book. I shared it with my daughter when she was 3 or 4 and with my second grade Montessori students as we study the life cycle of a tree. The pictures are absolutely beautiful, full of creatures the children like to discover. The story is wonderful too, with the mother tree moving aside her branches so that the small sapling can have room to grow, and the daughter trees catching their mother when she finally falls due to lightning and old age. Her body goes on to nurture the next generation while providing a home for the woodland creatures. There is a sense of cooperation and symbiosis throughout the text and the pictures. The hardcover book I have is clothbound in deep purple and very elegant.

I have used this book many times with children who are seeking to understand death. It can be used with very young children and older students as well. The breathtaking pictures allow the distraction needed at times of high stress and jump start conversations. The story is beautiful and simple and profound.

It is a top choice of mine and my students.

As a psychologist I often am witnessing the pain of death for those left behind. Many baby-boomers will identify with the challenge of providing support to their parents, and the difficult task of laying them to rest. This book provides a very meaningful gift for those grieving such a loss, and puts death into a meaningful perspective...part of the journey of life. I bought 10 copies!

As a psychologist I often am witnessing the pain of death for those left behind. Many baby-boomers will identify with the challenge of providing support to their parents, and the difficult task of laying them to rest. This book provides a very meaningful gift for those grieving such a loss, and puts death into a meaningful perspective...part of the journey of life. I bought 10 copies!

Beautiful picture book that tells of one generation's love and protection of the next the generation. How we become the infant, the adult, and aged generation in a life's dance.