Trout Are Made of Trees
A veteran science-book writer introduces the idea of the food chain in this attractive picture book. Sayre unfurls the process behind the intriguing title in a very simple text, explaining how leaves that fall from trees into a stream decompose to become food for aquatic creatures, which are eaten by trout, which eventually become a picnic meal for a man and three inquisitive children—who have observed the whole process and recorded findings in  science notebooks. Athough the time frame and Sayre’s reference to bears at the close of the book (“Trout are made of trees, / So are the bears”) are likely to require further explanation, kids will still get a sense of the interconnectedness of nature. Endle’s collages are exceptional. Her minimalist figures (each with a similar round, smooth face and tiny dot eyes) are juxtaposed very effectively against crisp yet intricate, layered backgrounds of painted-and- patterned cut-papers. Nature remains the focus of each spread, but people appear in most, investigating what’s happening—and enjoying every discovery they make. Grades K-2. --Stephanie Zvirin--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.