Trout Are Made of Trees, written by April Pulley Sayre and illustrated by Kate Endle, is the story of how a river’s ecosystem works together for the benefit of the trout. From leaves falling from the trees to trout hatchlings growing up in a stream, this book emphasizes the natural cycle of a trout.

In fall, trees let go of leaves,

which swirl and twirl

and slip into streams.

They ride in a rush

above rocks

and over rapids.

They snag and settle soggily down.

Bacteria feed on the leaves.

Geared for ages 4-8, some of the detailed information in Trout Are Made of Trees would be difficult for younger children to understand. At times the cadence of the story feels awkward when read aloud, perhaps due to the many rare words for children to learn in the text. However, it is important to provide children with non-fiction books in addition to their stories, and this book presents the information in fun manner, such as using onomatopoeia. Crack! Kersplash! The book ends with information on the trout’s life cycle and ways children can be stream heroes.