As they stroll through the forest, Anna and her grandfather come across countless plants, trees, and wild animals. The little girl is curious about the age of the things surrounding them. Her grandfather answers her questions, and explains how trees are born and grow. Anna learns the difference between a thicket, a forest, and a sapling.
The life cycle of the forest is mirrored by that of humans. The little girl tries to understand her place: “If I were born a tree, would I still be a little shoot or would I be this knotted fir? “she asks her grandfather.
As the story unfolds, this special interaction between a little girl and her grandfather becomes a precious moment of harmonious communion with nature. With delicate and poetic illustrations, Charline Collette brings to life the forest, the central character in this story. Readers will learn about the different traditional and practical relationships that humans can have with the forest, such as the gathering of fruits and mushrooms, or the harvesting of wood without clear-cutting. A superb exploration to the heart of nature and, by extension, to the heart of life itself…
