Can You Hear the Trees Talking? Discovering the Hidden Life of the Forest

Peter Wohlleben, author of the bestselling book for adults, The Hidden Life of Trees, has another hit on his hands with this made-for-children version. Wohlleben knows his subject very well for he has worked for over 20 years in the forest service in Germany and currently manages a forest academy. A strong proponent for the return of primeval forests, he shares his knowledge and reverence for trees, educating and inspiring youngsters through guided tours through the forest and, now, through this book.

Can You Hear the Trees Talking? is divided into seven chapters, each of which poses four questions, such as “Are some trees brave?” and “What do tree children learn at school?”. Besides the main body of the text, there are “Look!” sidebars with additional information, short quizzes, and “Try This!” activities which enhance learning. Some of these activities include dyeing paper with autumn leaves, making tea from the tender tips of spruce trees, and finding out how water vessels in wood work. In this latter experiment, children smear dish detergent on one end of a birch firewood log and blow air into the opposite end. If the experiment is successful, the observer should see bubbles appear on the soapy end.

Loaded with information, the book is best read in snippets so as not to overwhelm the reader with too many concepts. Wohlleben uses analogies and anthropomorphism to get his points across and to engage readers. Usually, the anthropomorphism works, but, occasionally, it is a bit of a stretch. When discussing the cottony fungal threads that grow right into a tree’s roots, for example, Wohlleben states, “It’s nice for the tree because it knows the fungi are helping it”. At times, the personification of the trees can be a bit much, but, in the latter half of the book, he dials it down a tad. Topics include the structure of a tree, parts of a tree and their functions, how trees reproduce, “communication” among trees in a forest (what Wohlleben calls the forest “internet”), helpful and harmful forest animals, tree diseases, the benefits of trees to animals and humans, and trees through the seasons. One interesting fact is that trees that grow in a city where street lights are kept on all night do not grow to be very old. The suggestion is made that, perhaps, cities should turn the lights off between certain hours when most people are sleeping, not only to conserve energy, but also to help the trees.

Can You Hear the Trees Talking? has many strengths: it is well-researched and thorough; the author explains concepts extremely well; there are plenty of excellent photographs to accompany the ideas presented; and it has an attractive layout enhanced with varying shades of leafy green (of course!). Perhaps its greatest strength, however, is the author’s unique writing style which helps readers to see trees in a different way and to gain a respect for forests and nature. One minor flaw is that the book ends abruptly. A few paragraphs to sum up the information might have been beneficial. A table of contents and an index are included.

Inventive, educational, engaging, Can You Hear the Trees Talking? is a thoroughly enjoyable and enlightening read!