Mother Aspen: A Story of How Forests Cooperate and Communicate

Using simple, yet lyrical, language to set the quiet, almost reverent, mood, author Annette LeBox tells the life story of a “mother” aspen tree. Beginning in early spring, the tree awakens and sends up sprouts from her roots. The tree provides shelter for animals and produces sugar for the fungi whose soft cottony threads wrap around the aspen’s roots. The symbiotic relationship between the tree and the fungi helps each to survive. Warm weather not only causes the catkins to burst, releasing millions of seeds, but also encourages the tree to grow. Cooler fall weather turns the leaves a brilliant orange, and, at the first hint of frost, the tree drops its leaves. This cycle repeats itself for years until, after many centuries, a violent thunderstorm bends the tree’s limbs and shatters the heartwood. Even in death, the parent tree is useful as it acts as a nurse log, feeding the seedlings with sugar as the heartwood decomposes. In time, one of the saplings might grow taller than all of the others and become the new “Mother Aspen”.

The story is based on the work of Dr. Suzanne Simard who proved that forest ecosystems are cooperative, even among different species. LeBox effectively employs personification to draw the reader into the story. Phrases such as “the sprouts are her children” and “As the Mother Tree takes her last breath, she passes on her wisdom to the next generation” reinforce the concept of a family of trees “led” by a matriarch. An author’s note highlights the work of Dr. Simard as well as the importance of aspens and threats to their survival. Readers will be surprised to learn that the largest quaking aspen, found in Utah, has 40,000 trunks but is a single tree. It is several thousand years old and covers an area of 106 acres. A list of books and online videos is included for additional information.

The illustrations, described as having been created with “digital paint and layered textures”, are nothing short of gorgeous. Readers will first be attracted to the beautiful cover which depicts aspen trees in glorious fall colour. End papers hint at one of the concepts explained in the book, while the main illustrations are rendered from various vantage points. These not only enhance the text but also deserve equal billing.

Poetic and visually stunning, Mother Aspen: A Story of How Forests Cooperate and Communicate is an absolute delight from start to finish.