When a Tree Falls Kids Book

This is the perfect book if you want to explore nature with children. It's a beautiful, lyrical, nonfiction picture book that offers an inspiring look at the forest's life cycle.

A tree suns and sways in the forest. She is a place to grow, to rest, and to shelter. But what happens when a tree falls? The answer is heart warming.

Young readers will follow the transformation of a fallen tree into an extraordinary nurse log - a nutrient-rich cradle that supports new seedlings, shelters small animals, hosts an array of plant species, and ultimately nurtures the growth of a brand-new tree. This book reveals how a single fallen tree becomes a vital link between the forest’s past, present, and future.

Author: Kirsten Pendreigh
Illustrator: Elke Boschinger
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Publication Year: 2025
Reading Level: Grades 1-4 
Ages: 6-9 years 
Hardcover Picture Book
44 pages
Product Dimensions: 8.35" x 0.34" x 11.25"

About the author: Kirsten Pendreigh is a children’s author and poet from Canada's West Coast. Her recent nonfiction books include When a Tree Falls: Nurse Logs and Their Incredible Forest Power, (a PW starred review, Best Book 2025 Selection Canadian Children's Book Centre, and other accolades) and What Fish Are Saying, (a School Library Journal starred review, Best Book 2025 Canadian Children's Book Centre and recommended Kirkus title). She has also published many fiction books and her poems are found in Canadian literary magazines and in Best Canadian Poetry.