A Forest in the City

This beautiful book of narrative non-fiction looks at the urban forest and dives into the question of how we can live in harmony with city trees.

“Imagine a city draped in a blanket of green … Is this the city you know?”

A Forest in the City looks at the urban forest, starting with a bird’s-eye view of the tree canopy, then swooping down to street level, digging deep into the ground, then moving up through a tree’s trunk, back into the leaves and branches.

Trees make our cities more beautiful and provide shade but they also fight climate change and pollution, benefit our health and connections to one another, provide food and shelter for wildlife, and much more. Yet city trees face an abundance of problems, such as the abundance of concrete, poor soil and challenging light conditions.

So how can we create a healthy environment for city trees? Urban foresters are trying to create better growing conditions, plant diverse species, and maintain trees as they age. These strategies, and more, reveal that the urban forest is a complex system—A Forest in the City shows readers we are a part of it.

Includes a list of activities to help the urban forest and a glossary.

The ThinkCities series is inspired by the urgency for new approaches to city life as a result of climate change, population growth and increased density. It highlights the challenges and risks cities face, but also offers hope for building resilience, sustainability and quality of life as young people act as advocates for themselves and their communities.

Key Text Features
diagrams
author's note
glossary
sources
definitions

Correlates to the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.4.7
Interpret information presented visually, orally, or quantitatively (e.g., in charts, graphs, diagrams, time lines, animations, or interactive elements on Web pages) and explain how the information contributes to an understanding of the text in which it appears.

ANDREA CURTIS’s children’s nonfiction includes Loop de Loop and the ThinkCities series (A Forest in the City, City of Water, City Streets are for People and City of Neighbors). She has also written the young-adult novel Big Water and other books for young readers. Andrea lives with her family in Toronto, Ontario, where she likes to doodle, cook for friends and spend as much time as possible on her bike.

PIERRE PRATT has illustrated more than eighty books for children. He has won the Golden Apple and Plaque at the Biennial of Illustrations in Bratislava, the UNICEF Prize in Bologna and a Totem at the Montreuil Salon du Livre in France. Other awards include the TD Canadian Children’s Literature Award, the Governor General’s Award (three times) and the Elizabeth Mrazik-Cleaver Award (twice). He has also been nominated for the Hans Christian Andersen Award. Pierre lives in Montreal, Quebec and Lisbon, Portugal.

• Skipping Stones Book AwardsCommended 2021
• A Bank Street College of Education Best Children's Book of the YearCommended 2021

“[A] comprehensive source for those interested in arboriculture and ecology.” — Publisher's Weekly

“A Forest in the City … by Toronto writer Andrea Curtis, tells everything you need to know about city trees … [b]eautiful (mainly green) gouache illustrations by Montreal artist Pierre Pratt help make this book for 8- to 11-year-olds an attractive choice.” — Winnipeg Free Press

“[A] well-researched resource.” — CM: Canadian Review of Materials

“[A] book for budding environmentalists” — Booklist

“The vital importance of the urban forest in relation to the welfare of city dwellers is presented with interesting information and lush illustrations. Useful for reports, projects, and classroom activities.” — School Library Journal

“[An] impressively illustrated and engaging book.” — ETFO Voice

“[A] Forest in the City clearly makes the case for the role of the next generation of stewards … Two green thumbs up.” — Our Forest