Title: The Hidden Forest
Author: Jeannie Baker
Illustrator: Jeannie Baker
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Copyright: 2000

With the help of his friend Sophie, Ben’s mission is to untangle his fishing trap from the underwater world below. However, what he discovers is totally unexpected.

Comments:

Written with such ease and simplicity, Jeannie Baker creates this environmental tale with text that is far less interesting than her fascinating sea collages. Her collage-constructed artwork, built from natural materials and clay, is so full of color and texture that I found myself, more than once, touching the pages to try and feel the different objects. The realism throughout her illustrations is absolutely extraordinary. Included at the end of the story is a helpful description of Kelp Forests for additional information.

Genre: RF (Realistic Fiction)
Age Range: 7 – 11