The nature of tree communication is laid out clearly, clarifying some remarkable facts. A single seedling sprouts at the base of its parent tree (backmatter reveals that the trees are all Douglas firs). As its little roots reach down, they connect with "a silky net of fungi" through which the trees of the forest are able to send messages to one another. The giant tree, towering above, is able to collect enough extra sunlight to send excess food to the seedling. It passes food and water to other trees as well until one day, during a storm, lightning strikes. Burned and battered but not dead, the giant tree is then attacked by an insect hoard. No food exits the tree, but instead, remarkably, the surrounding trees send their own excess food and water back to their ailing compatriot. Meanwhile, the seedling continues to grow. Accompanying at-times poignant text, the book's rich illustrations remain fairly realistic while using clever visual clues to explain different concepts. For example, to indicate the kind of help that passes among the trees, each type of message sent through the fungi appears as a small colored symbol. The end result drills home this complicated idea of tree communication in a way that many kids will appreciate. Additional photographic backmatter with more information on trees rounds out the book. (This book was reviewed digitally.) Smart, concise explanations of a tricky topic leave readers only wanting to learn more. (activities) (Nonfiction picture book. 6-10) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Recent research has discovered that trees communicate with each other through their roots and underground fungi networks. This picture book introduces these findings through a story about a young sapling sprouting in the shade of a giant Douglas fir. A squirrel buries a pine cone that still carries a seed, the seed begins to grow, soon the resulting sapling's roots stretch down into the forest network, and other trees (including the neighboring giant) send nutrients to help the sapling thrive. Then the towering Douglas fir is struck by lightning, loses a huge branch, and becomes infested by beetles. The big tree sends out a combined warning and distress signal, and the other trees respond by sending back healing nutrients. The detailed illustrations offer both above- and below-ground views and help emphasize how the trees support the entire forest ecosystem. There's a gold mine of information in the back matter: accessible explanations of the science, a list of what scientists know about tree communication and what still needs to be learned, and suggestions and activities that tie to social-emotional learning. There's not much out there on tree talk for young readers, and this informative and engaging book fills that void nicely.