Trunk Goes Thunk!: A Woodland Tale of Opposites

by Heather C. Morris, Chantelle Thorne (Illustrator), Burgen Thorne (Illustrator)

Overview

Whoosh! Crash! Thunk! Follow along as the LOUD sounds of a falling tree signal the transformation of a QUIET area of the forest into a flourishing center of activity.

This lyrical nonfiction story uses word opposites such as small and large, dark and light, high and low, and fast and slow to introduce young readers to the natural recycling of fallen timber into log bridges. From bears, porcupines and raccoons to eagles, mice and deer, a host of forest animals repurpose a fallen tree, connecting two sides of a stream together throughout the seasons.

A carefully-chosen color palette of soothing natural colors and a charming collection of characters bring the playful prose to life in what is certain to become a storytime or bedtime favorite and a go-to book for early elementary science and language arts teachers.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781957655291
Publisher:	Gnome Road Publishing
Publication date:	10/08/2024
Pages:	32
Sales rank:	600,279
Product dimensions:	11.00(w) x 8.50(h) x (d)
Age Range:	3 - 7 Years

About the Author

Heather C. Morris writes books for kids full of science, wonder, and imagination from her home in Huntsville, Alabama. She is a member of SCBWI and the 12x12 picture book challenge community, and her short stories and poetry have appeared in multiple arts journals and anthologies. Connect with Heather at www.heathercmorris.com.

Chantelle Thorne works with Burgen Thorne as part of an internationally-published illustration team specializing in children's books. In the last three years they have illustrated twelve trade books - two of which have won international awards. They have a long history in creating art for the educational market and their work has been featured in over 1000 readers and text books worldwide. Most recently, their work in Kantiga finds the Perfect Name was selected for the IBBY 2022 honours list for Best Illustration in South Africa. Connect with Chantelle at www.chantelleandburgen.com.

Burgen Thorne works with Chantelle Thorne as part of an internationally-published illustration team specializing in children's books. In the last three years they have illustrated twelve trade books - two of which have won international awards. They have a long history in creating art for the educational market and their work has been featured in over 1000 readers and text books worldwide. Most recently, their work in Kantiga finds the Perfect Name was selected for the IBBY 2022 honours list for Best Illustration in South Africa. Connect with Burgen at www.chantelleandburgen.com.

Editorial Reviews

"A cozy, lushly illustrated introduction to opposites and wildlife." — Kirkus

From the Publisher

2024-05-29
Bustling forest activity at the site of a fallen tree becomes the backdrop for a few lessons for the younger set.

A tree falls in the forest, and everyone seems to hear. Different woodland animals use the trunk as a log bridge over the river, from a bear traveling to gather berries for its cubs to otters and geese basking in the summer sun. Though some animals are featured only in the artwork, others are named, such as the lynx and the porcupine. Bold type within the text identifies such basic opposites assmall andlarge (tiny mice run by on one page, while opposite, deer leap by on their way across the log),dark andlight (raccoons mosey by at night; beavers build a dam in the light of day), andsunriseandsunset. Nature takes the forefront, while the focus on opposites is more secondary. The wordsnear andfar are on two different spreads entirely; younger readers may not realize the relationship between these two ideas. With some guidance from adults, however, they’ll pick up on the opposites more readily, and those who delight in woodland creatures will enjoy discovering the different ways animals might use a fallen tree. Vibrant, earth-toned illustrations depict realistic animals with genial expressions.

A cozy, lushly illustrated introduction to opposites and wildlife.(Informational picture book. 2–5)

Kirkus Reviews