Once upon a time…

in a forest far, far away, there lived a thoughtful girl named Amy Ludwig VanDerwater. 

Now, the forest that the girl lived in was not an enchanted forest as you might expect. It was a regular forest, the kind of forest other fairy tales would snub.

But that didn’t matter. Because, you see, the girl herself was enchanted. She danced through the forest every day, and everything she touched danced with her. Ferns unfurled to say hello. Leaves leapt from trees to carpet her step. Birds twittered ditties more sweetly. Bunnies twitched their tails with delight.

Amy was not blind to the gifts of her forest. She greeted each leaf and nut and creature with admiration and interest.

“Hello, acorn,” she’d say. “That is a particularly spiffy cap you have on today.”

“Good morning, oak,” she’d say. “What stories do you have to tell me today?”

And Amy listened. She knew all the wind’s troubles. She knew all the bluejay’s songs. She knew where each squeak and scuffle in the underbrush led.

Amy decided it was time to share the gifts of the forest with the rest of the world. She snuggled into her enchanted blankie with her enchanted pencil and…

POOF!

Out popped a book.

Naturally, this book was full of enchantment. The maiden Robbin Gourley even drew pictures for it, and  those were enchanted, too. Amy gave us fossils and ferns — yes, the same ferns that unfurled a hello each morning.

Amy gave us critters and critter songs.

Amy gave us magical puffing mushrooms. Shh. Listen…

Amy loved sharing these gifts, but she missed her forest. She knew it was time to go back home to her trees and birds and ferns. After all, she had to give them a gift, too.

There was great rejoicing in that forest far, far away when Amy returned. The trees spread their branches to welcome her. The brook burbled its pleasure. Critters chattered and circled her in a wreath of berries. Amy was enchanted.

“Thank you, forest,” she said. “Now look at what I’ve done. I’ve put you, fern, on this page here. And you, squirrel, are over here. And trees, don’t think I’ve forgotten you. Don’t think I’ve forgotten any of you. In this book, I’ve captured all your songs.”

Then Amy and the forest sang those songs together, and the rest of the world joined in. Because Forest Has a Song.

THE END

[heading style=”1″]Extension Activities for Forest Has a Song[/heading]

• Writing
  • Download this free Poetry Activity Kit and Reading Guide from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, which includes activities for Forest Has a Song.
• Reading
  • Expand your reading of nature poems with these wonderful books:
    • The Tree That Time Built: A Celebration of Nature, Science, and Imagination selected by Mary Ann Hoberman
    • Song of the Water Boatman and Other Pond Poems by Joyce Sidman
    • National Geographic Book of Animal Poetry: 200 Poems with Photographs That Squeak, Soar, and Roar! selected by J. Patrick Lewis
    • Step Gently Out by Helen Frost
• Eating
  • Make enchanted mushroom cupcakes.

  

  
  
  The fair damsel Liz is hosting Poetry Friday today. Go throw some enchanted sparklies on her.
  

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  Video Location: Sister forests in New York and Italy.

  See more poems in my poetry video library.

  “Puff” and all other poems © Amy Ludwig VanDerwater. All illustrations © Robbin Gourley. All rights reserved.