One Day This Tree Will Fall

Taking a remarkably resilient Douglas fir as this picture book’s subject, Barnard Booth expansively tracks the conifer’s life cycle. Initial spreads tell a familiar story of transformation, from seed to sapling to weather-worn and fire-ravaged tree. “This tree’s story might have ended that day,” muses text before describing additional developments as the plant endures more damage, ages, dies, and collapses to the forest floor, where it decomposes and becomes “a perfect place...// for the next seed to settle.” Throughout the tree’s many life stages, forest creatures of myriad types both leave their mark and make their home, underscoring the central role that trees play in a larger ecosystem. Employing gouache, colored pencil, and digital techniques, Fizer Coleman’s wildlife-filled scenes transpire against fuzzy, textured backgrounds and tree trunks, allowing more realistic renderings to stand out. Notes, a glossary, and sources conclude. Ages 4–8. (Mar.)