It Takes a Forest

by

Jessie Todd Mayfield

Illustrated by Amanda Ravensdale

Warm and comforting tale of a community bolstering a mom’s sacrifice.

It Takes a Forest is a warm and comforting children’s picture book by Jessie Todd Mayfield that tells the story of a mother’s sacrifice to ensure her baby’s safety and how the larger community steps up to help while she’s away doing what needs to be done. Told from the perspectives of a mother wolf and her cub, the story has clear parallels in the human world. 

When a strong winter storm proves more than what the wolf den can endure, Mama Wolf seeks safety for her young cub with other residents of their forest. Finding room with the badger family, Mama temporarily leaves her baby in their loving and capable hands while she goes back into the winter landscape to improve the den, promising to return when all is well. 

Each page of the book, each step of the story is beautifully illustrated by Amanda Ravensdale, emphasizing the details of Mama’s decision, the young cub’s time with the badger, and how other creatures bring food or materials to make the badger den more comfortable as they accommodate their surprise but welcome guest. While the young cub yearns for his mother to return, the experience is made palatable by the badgers’ complete acceptance and inclusion of the young one, who is different from their own. 

Parents and foster parents will easily pick up on the parallels in the sacrifices that a parent may have to make on behalf of their children, while children will see the mother wolf fulfilling her promise to return after having reinforced the wolf den. Even taken at surface value, the story is a lovely one of everyone coming together when someone needs help. 

I recommend IT TAKES A FOREST for children, young and old, for one-on-one sharing or reading aloud to a group. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advance Review Copy through RABT Book Tours and PR.