Into a world "silent, enormous and full of secrest" - a stunning foray into the intricate web of forest life. If the members of Congress would but open these pages the survival of these woodlands would ba assured.

I have always known Douglas Fir’s to be a kind Christmas Tree. Never going deeper into the type of trees they are, I ran across this book. Bash fills this book with several facts about Douglas Fir’s and their life spans. It is said that these trees can live for a thousand years! The author also goes into great detail about the animals that inhabit these trees. I do feel that she tells more about the animals than the trees. The reader also learns how a Douglas Fir comes to sprout from the ground, by “a dramatic event” Bash says. The illustrations help tell the story as Bash does give descriptive language about the trees and animals in the forest.

"Ancient Ones" is about ancient trees aka the Douglas Fir and what they experience in their lifetime. It shows the different animals that make the trees their home. It shows what they go through as far as fires burning them down and falling over into the rivers. It also shows how the seeds fly away and grow into more trees. ( )

This book is about ancient trees and about what they experience during their life. Animals find the trees as their home, as their life goes on termites and bugs start to take over. Sometimes the ancient ones even burn and their seeds break loose to grow more trees. Some even fall down into rivers or streams.

The book has an author’s note about what inspired her to write this. The style of the writing is unique and makes the reader realize what really happens to trees.

Reading Level: Intermediate
Genre: Nonfiction - Informational, Narrative

Barbara Bash returns once again to the arboreal world in this third entry in her Tree Tales series - other titles include: Desert Giant: The World of the Saguaro Cactus, Tree of Life: The World of the African Baobab and In the Heart of the Village: The World of the Indian Banyan Tree - this time examining the life-cycle of the Douglas Fir. Detailing the wealth of wildlife that rely on them - for their homes, for their food - she demonstrates that these massive trees are, in addition to being an important part of the Pacific Northwest ecosystem, entire ecosystems in their own right. Some animal species, such as the Red Tree Vole, live their entire lives in the branches of the Douglas Fir. Bash concludes with a discussion of the tree as it slowly dies and disintegrates: the home and sustenance its downed trunk provides to many species, and the nutrients it provides to the soil itself, after it is finally broken down.

I found Ancient Ones: The World of the Old-Growth Douglas Fir just as engaging as its two predecessors, and think it would make an excellent title for use in a primary-school-level nature study. I learnt quite a bit from reading it, came away with a desire to know more, and found the artwork, with its lovely color palette and accurate depiction of flora and fauna, immensely appealing. I have only ever been in an old-growth forest once, but it was truly an awe-inspiring experience! I'm glad to see such an engaging work of natural history devoted to the topic, for the picture-book set. ( )