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Author
Lorne Rothman, PhD
Publisher
IUniverse

2 Review Copies Left

Southcrop Forest is a children's book—and more. It is steeped in the natural sciences and history, made accessible through an engaging, Tolkienesque narrative. A menagerie of plants and animals parades across its pages. Threats from urban sprawl, deforestation and climate change are central to the plot.

Southcrop Forest is an animal fantasy, with a young protagonist who faces terrible dangers, daunting tasks, impossible odds and his own fears. But what a strange protagonist. He is Fur, a colony of caterpillars—a single creature, with one voice and one mind made from a collective. And his companion in this story is Auja, a young oak tree.

Auja lives in Southcrop Forest and Southcrop is in danger. Tree civilization is built upon a subterranean communication network—like a worldwide web for trees. The hubs of this web are the trees' special farms that hold the source of all power. And the last farms in Southcrop are about to be destroyed.

The farms of Southcrop are unlike any other. They hold a secret treasure, only just discovered—a treasure so great it could change the world for trees everywhere. But Southcrop Forest is a fragment, bounded by highways and sprawl. Since trees can't walk and their communication lines have been cut, they cannot spread their new-found gift across the land.

The adventure begins when Auja discovers little Fur amongst her branches. Though small and meek, Fur can travel through the forest and communicate with trees. Fur embarks on a desperate quest to gather the trees' great treasure and carry it across Oak River to the forests of Deep Sky. Ghoulish enemies hunt him on his journey of enlightenment as he learns about the ecology of his world, the threat of humans, and finally, the eerie secret of his existence.

Part fantasy-quest, part natural history, Lorne Rothman's Southcrop Forest has been honoured with the following awards:

Best Book—Nature & Environment, and Finalist—Fantasy, 2009 Indie Book Awards,

Best Book—Eastern Canada, and Honorable Mention—Fantasy, Reader Views 2008 Literary Awards,

Finalist—Nature Writing, National Best Books 2008 Awards, USA Book News.

To learn more, please visit www.southcropforest.ca.

Reviews

Southcrop Forest by Lorne Rothman

A delightful tale with a strong message. Cycles of life in the forest told in a friendly way. How every species on earth depends on another and what that means. Lorne Rothman has produced an ecological and timely tale for all ages.

The characters draw the reader in immediately. Little Fur, a colony of tent caterpillars hatched in an oak tree in Southcrop Forest, becomes the lifesaving hero of the plot, under the guidance of Auja, the oak tree. As Fur says, "I'm we" and "we're me", the colony thinks and moves as one. The forest is dying of disease and deforestation, eradicated by the "hewmen" with their giant machinery to make way for development. A lot of information is in this book and told in a form that allows us to learn about the non-human world around us through this entertaining fable.

These particular tent caterpillars are from very ancient stock called "Runes", which have not put in an appearance for 1,000 years. They have helped the forest in the past and must do so again. Replenish the soil and bring it back to its previous health so the trees can flourish again. The extent to which environment and habitat are dependent on each other to survive the toxins in the air, the changes in the weather patterns, as well as the lack of coordination with human life is demonstrated so well. There are also a number of endnotes that are very helpful.

The trees of Southrop Forest have developed a form of communication with the Runes and with each other, a network through leaves and roots. Through this process they are able to direct the Runes to the "Southcrop Farm" where they will be given what is needed to take to the most important Forest at Dark Sky, giving the Runes the necessary information to bring back the balance and future of the devastated forests around them. The concept of the story and the flow of information through dialogue is wonderful and at the same time very insightful. 5 stars

Reviewed on 04/05/2010 by ReviewTheBook.com Member Betty Gelean

Plants and animals have means of communicating with each other. Animals express themselves through a form of language within their own species. They can also communicate within and to other animals via their behaviors and movements. Plants and animals both can communicate through the release of chemicals especially in time of stress. In the book Southcrop Forest trees have developed Southcrop vision. Through this vision trees are connected they can “talk” to each other and “see” their surroundings. They record live around them and use that information to make predictions about the environment. Slowly the vision is beginning to fade as trees are being cut down. The lines of communication are lessening as trees are being cut down leaving areas in complete isolation. The trees’ only help to re-establish communication with the isolated areas is a colony of Tent caterpillars collectively known as Fur. The colony has a single consciousness and voice. Through a special process known as Rune Fur and the Trees can communicate. Since the trees cannot move they have asked Fur to complete a mission for them. He must make a dangerous voyage to carry a special gift to isolated stands of trees. During this voyage we would lose many of his crawlers (individual cataplillers) to birds, parasitic insects, a crawler virus and man made devices. In the beginning Fur doesn’t want to go on the mission. His mission in life is to hatch, eat, molt and eventually become a moth. He is convinced to go by Wandering Oak once she explains the seriousness of the problem and how he can be affected. The virus is coming on its way to Southcrop if Fur stays he will eventually become infected. Fur is given Southcrop vision and is guided by the trees along with mission.

This novel was fantastic not only was I entertained I learned quite a bit about Tent caterpillars. I did not realize how many different enemies caterpillars had. I knew that they were a treat for birds but I had no idea about the other problems. It is amazing that any caterpillar survives especially with three different parasitic insects after them. The author described them so well I could visualize each attack. I was well aware of the highs and lows a species goes through in nature. The higher the population the lower resources are available to that species. Eventually the population crashes giving the environment a chance to replenish. Then the population grows again and falls again. I had no idea that Tent caterpillars were prone to a virus that basically turns them to goo! I would highly recommend this book anyone both young and adult alike!

Reviewed on 02/25/2010 by ReviewTheBook.com Member Jenifer O'Neill

In “Southcrop Forest”, we enter into a magical mythical place in which the trees can feel, see, sense, and talk. In this amazing place we meet the lovable, adorable young oak tree by the name of Auja. Like her other friends of the forest, she is worried that the Hewmen will destroy their home in Southcrop. Then one spring day as she was taking the yearly census of the many animals that call her branches home she happened upon a remarkable sight. Auja discovered that the colony of caterpillars were no ordinary colony but the long forgotten legendary Runes. The trees of Southcrop decide that they must enlist Furs help to save their home. Auja then has to convince Fur to leave the safety of her branches and carry the gems of the forest to the far away Riverside Farm. Starting out with a colony of over 250 crawlers Fur must engage in the fight of his life. Connected to Auja and the other trees of Southcrop by what is known as Southcrop vision, Fur embarks on the long and dangerous journey. Losing crawlers along the way to the elements, predators, and Hewmen Fur finally crosses the Hewmens bridge. Now with only a colony of 18 he has finally completed his promise to Auja. Fur and his colony can now finally spin their cocoons.

Lorne Rothman has created a brilliant novel that sheds a new light on the plight of forest devestation. Writing “Southcrop Forest” for a young set of readers Rothman is sure to entertain and educate. “Southcrop Forest” is a book that should be read by all school age children and adults alike. With lyrical content and an in-depth conclusion of notes by the author one cannot go wrong with reading “Southcrop Forest”.

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Southcrop Forest

Reviews

Reviewed on 04/05/2010 by ReviewTheBook.com Member Betty Gelean

Reviewed on 02/25/2010 by ReviewTheBook.com Member Jenifer O'Neill

Reviewed on 08/27/2009 by ReviewTheBook.com Member Angela Simmons

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