Title: Southcrop Forest

Author: Lorne Rothman

Publisher: iUniverse

ISBN: 978-0595-49588-7

Genre: Fiction / Children / Science / Ecology

This book is presented as a novel but is in fact a good introduction to the interdependence of various life systems in our world. The story is set in Canada and involves many trees and a colony of crawlers with a single intelligence (soul). The Colony of crawlers (caterpillars) calls itself Fur and is able to communicate with the trees, starting with Auja, a young Oak and then through her with others. Fur is persuaded by the trees to leave Southcrop, go to Riverside Farm, collect some mysterious fungal spores, cross Oak River and carry the spores to the forests of Deep Sky. The journey of Fur through the forest, the many problems faced by Fur and how Fur pushes itself against its own impulses to give up makes good reading.

Through the interesting and fairly readable medium of the story, the author presents an interesting account of the various trees, birds, animals and insects that inhabit the forests. He brings out the danger to the ecology that human greed is bringing and succeeds in his message for a more holistic approach from us towards the environment. The story ends with a startling discovery by Fur but that is best left for you, the reader to find out.

It is an interesting concept and the author has succeeded in making a readable book. The book is recommended for children in high schools and their educators, parents etc.