Lost in the Woods

Poor little fawn, did he lose his mother? That was the first thought I had in mind when I read the book, Lost in the Woods, by Carl R. Sams and Jean Stoick published in 2004. This book is full of beautiful photographs that tell the story of a lonely little fawn in the woods and all the baby animals that are curious about his being there. The different animals are trying to figure out if he is lost but the fawn reassures them all that his mother will be back soon. The mother does indeed come back and the fawn is now allowed to go along and explore the world around him. He gets stronger and is able to frolic through the grassy hills with his mother. There is a curiosity that only children have and I think these baby animals represented exactly that. They all are very interested in who this fawn is and where his mother is and try to give the fawn advice. I am sure that children reading the book will be curious about it as well. The photographs are wonderful and really capture the emotion in every page. There is a photo of a red-winged blackbird with its wings spread out so beautifully and a photo of the doe licking her fawn with such love. At the end of the book there are pictures of other animals that are hidden in the photos throughout the book. This gives the children a chance to take a second look to see new things on the same pages they have already read. This is a good way to add a fun game to reading. Overall, I really enjoyed this book.

A semi-finalists in the 2005 Independent Publisher Book Awards! A newborn fawn lies by itself in the forest. Is it lost? Where is its mother? As the other woodland creatures ponder this mystery, they offer the newcomer many suggestions. But the fawn rejects them all, insisting that its mother will return. Things are not always what they seem, the tale tells us. Mother deer leave their newborns for days at a time to protect their young. Children are introduced to concepts such as camouflage, not to mention a broad range of young animals, from goslings to a hilarious young raccoon. Close-up photography of each animal is superb, and shots of the fawn make you want to reach out and touch its shining coat. The husband and wife team who created this book have been photographing wildlife together for years, and wanted to help others appreciate outdoor wonders. How fortunate for all readers who discover this remarkable offering! [...]

Why would a small fawn be alone in the woods? Is he lost? Where is his mother? A short children's story, Lost in the Woods combines nice, detailed photography with a story line that points out one of the reasons why a fawn might be alone in the woods. With a frog, chipmunk, goose, squirrel, meadowlark, and other animals the fawn learns about them while waiting for his mother to return. With a handful of hidden animals to look for in the text it is also a fun challenge to find them all. Lost in the Woods is highly recommended for young children.

This book is an outstanding one for all ages, illustrated with incredibly beautiful wildlife photographs. It also has an important message about how young fawns hide in the woods until they are big and strong enough to follow their mothers. Many fawns brought to wildlife rehabilitation centers are "kidnapped" by well-meaning people who believe they are abandoned. This story gently reinforces the message that in most cases "Mama will come back".

Lost in the Woods is beautifully worded and includes lovely, realistic professional photographs of woodland animals. It's gentle story teaches facts about the woodland animals. If you have read Stranger in the Woods and like it, you will have to add Lost in the Woods to your collection. The husband/wife team of Sams and Stoick pair up to create almost 'being there' books for children, but also enjoyed and treasured by adults.