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Trout Are Made of Trees
"Leaves and bacteria, insects and fish, bears and people, too--we're all part of one big circle of growing and eating and living"--Inside front flap.
32 pages, Library Binding
First published January 1, 2008
3 people are currently reading
68 people want to read
About the author
April Pulley Sayre
107 books105 followersApril Pulley Sayre was an award-winning children’s book author of over 55 natural history books for children and adults. Her read-aloud nonfiction books, known for their lyricism and scientific precision, have been translated into French, Dutch, Japanese, and Korean. She is best known for pioneering literary ways to immerse young readers in natural events via creative storytelling and unusual perspectives.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
March 31, 2017
This book is very informational. It talks about how plants and animals are all connected in the food web and to each other. This book shares information about the trout life cycle.
February 26, 2008
“Trout are made of trees.”
“Wait, trout are made of trees?”
That was my approximate reaction to reading the title of this book for the first time. Then I considered the statement. Hmm, sounds kind of “circle of lifey”. Well let it be known: this book has no problem at all with Elton John’s soundtrack work. A great non-fiction picture book that combines the food chain, life cycles, and ecology into a package that works for students in the “Lower Elementary” grades.
The story uses basic yet expressive text to describe the action while we follow friends on a camping trip observing the food web firsthand. As the title suggests, it all starts with the trees:
“In fall, trees let go of leaves, which swirl and twirl, and slip into streams.”
From there, the process goes a little something like this: leaves get eaten up by bacteria; bacteria gets eaten by “shredders”(which are small insects); shredders are devoured by “predators” (larger insects like dragonflies); and finally we come to the aforementioned trout. The trout snap up the predators and are on their merry way. Each turn of the page reveals the next step in the food chain. But it doesn’t end there. The last page of the book shows how humans are involved, allowing the reader to consider the big picture.
Mixed media collage is used for the book’s illustrations, with stunning results. The illustrator even manages to pull off the hatching of trout eggs with flying colors. Add some back of the book information on the life cycle of the trout and tips on how to be an earth-saving “stream hero”, and you’ve got yourself one solid entry into the non-fiction picture book arena.
“Wait, trout are made of trees?”
That was my approximate reaction to reading the title of this book for the first time. Then I considered the statement. Hmm, sounds kind of “circle of lifey”. Well let it be known: this book has no problem at all with Elton John’s soundtrack work. A great non-fiction picture book that combines the food chain, life cycles, and ecology into a package that works for students in the “Lower Elementary” grades.
The story uses basic yet expressive text to describe the action while we follow friends on a camping trip observing the food web firsthand. As the title suggests, it all starts with the trees:
“In fall, trees let go of leaves, which swirl and twirl, and slip into streams.”
From there, the process goes a little something like this: leaves get eaten up by bacteria; bacteria gets eaten by “shredders”(which are small insects); shredders are devoured by “predators” (larger insects like dragonflies); and finally we come to the aforementioned trout. The trout snap up the predators and are on their merry way. Each turn of the page reveals the next step in the food chain. But it doesn’t end there. The last page of the book shows how humans are involved, allowing the reader to consider the big picture.
Mixed media collage is used for the book’s illustrations, with stunning results. The illustrator even manages to pull off the hatching of trout eggs with flying colors. Add some back of the book information on the life cycle of the trout and tips on how to be an earth-saving “stream hero”, and you’ve got yourself one solid entry into the non-fiction picture book arena.
August 11, 2022
A picture book about the cycle of life.
November 17, 2009
Trout Are Made of Trees is a work of nonfiction that expresses the interconnectedness of living things. The author, April Pulley Sayre, and the illustrator, Kate Endle, work seamlessly together to explain how tree leaves affect the lives of every part of the food chain. In the fall, the author says that the leaves fall into the stream where they become food for bacteria and allow algae to grow. On the same page the illustrator shows pictures of children looking at leaves through a magnifying glass and studying water samples in a jar. Next they describe and show the insects or “shredders” that eat the algae-covered leaves. The cycle continues until the end of the book where people and bears are eating the trout.
This book would be great for students in grades k-3 to learn about food webs. The pictures and the words beautifully describe the living organisms that affect each other. On one page Sayre and Endle show the importance of trees at the edge of the stream to provide shade for spawning. After the story the author describes the trout life cycle, offers tips for being a stream hero, and provides resources for further information. Teachers could use this book as a starting point for a unit on food webs or to inspire students to create questions for project-based learning.
This book would be great for students in grades k-3 to learn about food webs. The pictures and the words beautifully describe the living organisms that affect each other. On one page Sayre and Endle show the importance of trees at the edge of the stream to provide shade for spawning. After the story the author describes the trout life cycle, offers tips for being a stream hero, and provides resources for further information. Teachers could use this book as a starting point for a unit on food webs or to inspire students to create questions for project-based learning.
June 14, 2017
Appealing, papercut illustrations depict the life-cycle of trout. The interconnectedness of a variety of plants and animals in a pond's food web is emphasized, imparting the idea that if even one part of the web is disrupted, it will affect the entire ecosystem. The book concludes with tips on helping to preserve lakes and streams.
Veg*n parents note: Reading this book, I was kind of expecting where the text was going, and I was unfortunately correct. The final page shows a family sitting around a campfire, cooking whole fish and holding their plates in anticipation. In the background we see a bear catching a fish as well, and the text informs us that "bears and people" eat trout, echoing the old "food chain" argument we've heard over and over. Yet unlike insects, fish, or bears, humans are the only players in this ecosystem who have a choice about what they eat and are able to make moral choices that don't harm others. This is a small part of the book, so you'll have to judge how you'll want to discuss this content if you decide to read it with your family.
Veg*n parents note: Reading this book, I was kind of expecting where the text was going, and I was unfortunately correct. The final page shows a family sitting around a campfire, cooking whole fish and holding their plates in anticipation. In the background we see a bear catching a fish as well, and the text informs us that "bears and people" eat trout, echoing the old "food chain" argument we've heard over and over. Yet unlike insects, fish, or bears, humans are the only players in this ecosystem who have a choice about what they eat and are able to make moral choices that don't harm others. This is a small part of the book, so you'll have to judge how you'll want to discuss this content if you decide to read it with your family.
April 7, 2016
We picked this book up from K's school library.
Reading the title I was kind of like hmmm what exactly is this book about.
When I started reading it, it just didn't seem like a book I probably would have started reading to K. As he didn't seem too interested in the story. The only thing he liked was the transformation of the trout from eggs to adults. With this book you follow the circle of life pretty much of how leafs are eaten (which was pretty cool) since I didn't know what animals ate the leaves.
A good book maybe for the older children as they may get more interested in it being as it seems kind of like science.
Reading the title I was kind of like hmmm what exactly is this book about.
When I started reading it, it just didn't seem like a book I probably would have started reading to K. As he didn't seem too interested in the story. The only thing he liked was the transformation of the trout from eggs to adults. With this book you follow the circle of life pretty much of how leafs are eaten (which was pretty cool) since I didn't know what animals ate the leaves.
A good book maybe for the older children as they may get more interested in it being as it seems kind of like science.
April 2, 2011
One way I would recommend to use this book would be in a way to introduce some sort of science experiment. Leaves changing, animals eating, and resarching is done in this story and while reading it the listeners or readers will most likely be filled with quetsions. I really liked this story and the illustrations to go along with the text were beautiful. There were also some rhyming words, but the title and story line was a little confusing, therefore I would recommend to read this story to older elementary aged children.
October 28, 2009
"No they're not!" chorus the children as soon as I read the title of this book aloud. But Sayre convinces them by leading us through the food chain. She also shows the trout life cycle.
This is a very simple book, about a first-grade reading level, and definitely one with a scientific lesson rather than a story. The collage-like illustrations are bright and clear. I bought a copy at Muir Woods and have been using it in teaching first grade about food chains.
This is a very simple book, about a first-grade reading level, and definitely one with a scientific lesson rather than a story. The collage-like illustrations are bright and clear. I bought a copy at Muir Woods and have been using it in teaching first grade about food chains.
April 17, 2012
Reading Rainbow: Louis the Fish
The title says it all, really. By the time we read this, the content of the book was nothing new to my daughter, but the graphic title of the book, referred back to in the story, became a jumping off point for stories/photos from my travels to the Pacific Northwest where the salmon spawned, died/were eaten/ and fed the streams and trees. We are glad we read it.
The title says it all, really. By the time we read this, the content of the book was nothing new to my daughter, but the graphic title of the book, referred back to in the story, became a jumping off point for stories/photos from my travels to the Pacific Northwest where the salmon spawned, died/were eaten/ and fed the streams and trees. We are glad we read it.
January 4, 2012
It explains the circle of life for trout by two children who discover why "trout are made of trees". great colorful illustrations (Kate Endle)
"Leaves and bacteria, insects and fish, bears and people, too--we're all part of one big circle of growing and eating and living"--Inside front flap.
"Leaves and bacteria, insects and fish, bears and people, too--we're all part of one big circle of growing and eating and living"--Inside front flap.
May 6, 2008
Very basic explanation of the cycle of life.
July 3, 2008
My daughter made me read this every day for a week.
Read
June 27, 2009Explains the food chain concept in a kid-friendly way.
Read
April 13, 2010gr 2- 4
food chain
food chain
December 2, 2014
Cause and effect
June 21, 2011
This book illustrates the life cycle of a trout. It's a great, simple introduction. As usual, Kate Endle's paper cut illustrations rock.
June 21, 2011
Great easy reader on the circle of life. Illustrations were great! I plan to order this for my school library.
July 15, 2011
Perfect for introducing ecology to the kindergarten scientist.
May 5, 2013
COMMON CORE, NONFICTION, NON-FICTION, NARRATIVE TEXT, INFORMATIONAL TEXT, SCIENCE
- Pre-K - Second Grade
- Life Cycles
- Trout (Fish)
- Science
- Plants
- Pre-K - Second Grade
- Life Cycles
- Trout (Fish)
- Science
- Plants
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 7, 2013
good science content about trout and the connections between plants, water, animals.
December 16, 2014
Great easy non-fiction choice about ecology and life cycles.
November 25, 2017
An excellent introduction to the lifecycle and intricate interconnections of #Trees and #Trout.
November 11, 2020
This book discusses energy transfer and nutrient cycling in a river ecosystem. It shows how plants, insects, fish, and people are connected through discussing the food web. This is a book I have used to teach about food chains and food webs for young learners (K-2nd grade). This is a wonderful book to integrate science into the classroom and assisting with some 1st grade standards.
January 29, 2020
This is one of my favorite children’s books I’ve read recently! I like that it’s informational, but also fun to read. The book also has a bit more in-depth information in the back for kids who are interested in more detail about the life cycles covered in the book.
March 29, 2020
A nice book for kids to share about the cycle of energy in the specific ecosystem that trout live in. Great scientific facts and big names included too
May 15, 2021
I really missed the point of this book.
April 16, 2023
A lyrical description of the life cycle and the interconnectedness of nature.
February 20, 2024
I'm not made of trees because I don't eat trout.
October 1, 2024
A surprisingly interesting and informative picture book about food chains and life cycles!
March 11, 2020
Great for K and 1 read aloud
Excellent for 2/3 followed by activity
Excellent for 2/3 followed by activity
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews