The Everything Trail

Two children head into the redwood forest for a hike. Along the way, they collect a few more friends and together discover the marvels of fallen logs, banana slugs, ferns, and towering trees. Inviting her readers in with the almost familiar phrase—“This is the forest. / This is the steeple”—Fleming goes on to describe the plants and animals of this sensory-rich adventure in lilting rhyming text. Groenink’s cheerful, expansive digital illustrations convey both the wonder of the forest itself, with rich greens and shafts of sunlight, and the joy of the wide-eyed multiracial cast of children as they explore and play. This forest is a holy place, and children and their families should be inspired to go outside and look for themselves. -- Horn Book * September/October 2025 Issue *
*Frolicking text and a soaring, horizontal design beckon readers along a high-spirited adventure where curious children explore a towering redwood forest and many of the wonders that impressive ecosystem has to offer. Delightful shifts in perspective and panoramic scenes . . . should captivate story time audiences and immerse lap listeners. The sort of read-aloud one closes with a smile; readers will long to revisit these woods. -- Booklist STARRED REVIEW * August 2025 *
*Twining the fantasy of an unfettered childhood adventure with the majestic reality of an ancient redwood forest, Fleming and Groenink offer an outdoors variation on a classic children’s rhyme: “This is the forest./ This is the steeple./ Giants and saplings/ and just a few people.” An expression of hope that curiosity and wonder can transform into stewardship and care. -- Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW * 5/19/2025 *
On their first reads, kids will likely focus on the young adventurers, but repeat readers will enjoy spying forest animals around, above, and below. Will surely whet children’s appetites to get out and walk amid nature’s steeples. -- Kirkus * 06/01/2025 *