It’s I Read Canadian Day! With the launch of our Million Tree Project this year, we’re releasing our list of great Canadian reads about trees!

The Boreal Forest: A Year in the World’s Largest Land Biome

The vast boreal forest spans a dozen countries in the northern regions like “a scarf around the neck of the world,” making it the planet’s largest land biome. Besides providing homes for a diversity of species, this spectacular forest is also vitally important to the planet: its trees clean our air, its wetlands clean our water and its existence plays an important role in slowing global climate change. In this beautifully written book, award-winning author L. E. Carmichael explores this special wilderness on a tour of the forest throughout the four seasons, from one country to another. Evocative watercolour and collage artwork by award-winning illustrator Josée Bisaillon provides a rare glimpse of one of the world’s most magnificent places.

With excellent STEM applications in earth science and life science, this enjoyable book aims to foster environmental awareness of and appreciation for this crucial forest and its interconnections with the entire planet. In a unique approach, the text features a lyrical fictional narrative describing the wildlife in a specific part of the forest, paired with informational sidebars to provide further understanding and context. Also included are a world map of the forest, infographics on the water cycle and the carbon cycle, a glossary, resources for further reading, author’s sources and an index. This book has been reviewed by experts and was written in consultation with Indigenous peoples who live in the boreal forest region.

For a chance to win an autographed copy of “The Boreal Forest: A Year in the World’s Largest Land Biome” by L. E. Carmichael, check out our Spot the Trees activity and submit a drawing of a leaf, tree or cone through social media by tagging us and using the hashtag #MillionTreeProject!

For Kids and Teens

• Galat, Joan Marie (2014) Branching Out: How Trees Are Part of Our World. Toronto: OwlKids Books.
• Hickman, Pamela (2019) Nature All Around: Trees. Toronto: Kids Can Press.
• Hodge, Deborah (2009) Who Lives Here? Forest Animals. Toronto: Kids Can Press.
• Oliver, Carmen (2019) A Voice for the Spirit Bears. Toronto: Kids Can Press.
• Serafini, Frank (2014) Looking Closely Through the Forest. Toronto: Kids Can Press.
• Singh, Rina (2020) 111 Trees. Toronto: Kids Can Press.
• Wohlleben, Peter (2019) Can You Hear the Trees Talking? Discovering the Hidden Life of the Forest. Vancouver: Greystone Books.

For Adults

• Brandt JP, Flannigan MD, Maynard DG, Thompson ID, Volney WJA (2013) An Introduction to Canada’s Boreal Zone: Ecosystem Processes, Health, Sustainability, and Environmental Issues. Environmental Reviews 21, 207-26.
• Farrar, John Laird (1995) Trees in Canada. Markham: Natural Resources Canada Canadian Forest Service and Fitzhenry and
  Whiteside.
• Gawthrop, Daniel (1999) Vanishing Halo: Saving the Boreal Forest. Vancouver: Greystone Books.
• Lynch, Wayne (2001) The Great Northern Kingdom: Life in the Boreal Forest. Markham: Fitzhenry & Whiteside.
• Rustad, Harley (2018) Big Lonely Doug: The Story of Canada’s Last Great Trees. Toronto: House of Anansi Press.