The Forest Revealed by Jada Fitch, with text by Kateri Kosek, is a beautifully illustrated nonfiction picture book that takes readers on a month-by-month journey through the forest. With detailed search-and-find artwork and fascinating natural history facts, it’s an engaging way for kids to explore seasonal changes in nature—I loved following the forest’s transformation throughout the year.

This book follows a wood through 12 months of the year. Looking at the changes and also what animals, birds, flora and for a can be found. The best bit are the illustrations. Hands down one of the most beautifully illustrated books I have ever seen. I am so greatful to have received a digital arc and I will now be purchasing my own copy to paw over the drawings whilst snuggled under a blanket with a cup of tea. Highly recommend
#TheForestRevealed #NetGalley

Thanks for the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.

🌲 The Forest Revealed: An Illustrated Year by Jada Fitch & Kateri Kosek

If a forest could keep a journal, The Forest Revealed would be its most intimate diary—twelve chapters of seasonal transformation, each painted with reverence and narrated with poetic insight. Illustrator Jada Fitch and naturalist-writer Kateri Kosek have created a luminous ode to the northern woods, where every leaf, lichen, and luna moth has a story to tell.

🖼️ Visual Storytelling at Its Finest

Each month is anchored by a breathtaking full-page painting, a visual symphony of flora and fauna rendered with astonishing detail. Fitch’s art invites readers to linger, to search, to marvel. It’s not just illustration—it’s immersion. Opposite each painting is a numbered key, turning every spread into a gentle scavenger hunt. Then, like stepping closer to a clearing, the following pages zoom in on select species, offering natural history tidbits that feel both educational and enchanting.

📚 Kosek’s prose is quietly lyrical, weaving scientific facts with a sense of wonder. Her writing doesn’t just inform—it evokes. Whether describing the insulating magic of snow or the secret lives of fungi, she invites readers to see the forest not as scenery, but as a living, breathing community.

🌿 Themes That Bloom

- Interconnectedness: The book subtly underscores how each organism—be it moss or moose—plays a role in the forest’s rhythm.

- Seasonal Awareness: By organizing the book month-by-month, Fitch and Kosek encourage readers to observe nature’s calendar, not just their own.

- Mindful Observation: The final section offers prompts for readers to engage with their own surroundings, transforming passive reading into active noticing.

🍄 The Forest Revealed is more than a nature book—it’s a seasonal meditation, a visual feast, and a quiet call to curiosity. It belongs on the shelf of every budding naturalist, every forest wanderer, and anyone who’s ever paused to admire a mushroom after rain. It’s a book to return to month after month, like a favorite trail that always reveals something new.

"The Forest Revealed" takes the reader on a journey through the forest month by month with a brief description of the months highlights followed by a stunning collection of animals and plants drawn and labelled by Jada Fitch. The next pages after go through the creatures and explain their habits, behaviours and even roles in the ecosystem. I especially loved the Great Horned Owl and the depiction of its pellets!

The best part of this book is that it is intended to be a nature book for young ones and there are so many interactive elements. The organized list of mammals, insects, birds etc., alongside the month's portrait means children can play a game and learn in bite size pieces as the month goes along. It also makes for a great addition to take on a walk or hike, so that children use their nature journal to learn as they go. There are countless ways the book can be used but the main highlight is that it can be used in so many different ways for young ones to enjoy and parents can really utilize the list of activites at the end to get the most out of this experience!

On a personal note as an adult reader, I absolutely loved the whimsical art style that felt like I was going through a botanist's sketches and drawings. Jada's personal essay at the end was a lovely bonus that was unexpected but so welcomed.

This book is magical. The illustrations, the details, the descriptions, absolutely perfect!
I felt like I was tearing up every time I turned the page because it was so beautiful.
To read this book in advance of its release humbled me because this book is a masterpiece. Educational yet eye-pleasing. Perfection.
I read it with my son, and even he found this book satisfying. He loved to find the small details in each illustration. He also discovered new animals and plants through this book. Even though we currently live in Indonesia and everything in this book is in the US, it was fun to learn and see what the nature there is and compare it to what we have here. I can't sketch or draw like this book, but this book inspired us (my son and I) to go outside and discover by taking pictures of nature.

Thank you to Jada Fitch, Kateri Kosek, Storey Publishing, and NetGalley for the ARC.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5/5 stars)
WOW!!! Just wow! What an absolutely stunning and beautifully presented book. The Forest Revealed is a delightful month-by-month snapshot of forest life across the seasons, filled with lush illustrations and fascinating details that invite readers, young and old, to pause, observe, and explore.

This book would be the perfect bedtime read to share with little ones. Each page is rich with visual treasures, making it feel like a gentle game of “I Spy” set in the heart of nature. Jada Fitch’s illustrations are gorgeous, and Kateri Kosek provides just the right touch of informative yet accessible writing to accompany the artwork.

Though the Forest depicted is based in the U.S., this book would make an excellent reference and learning tool for children (and adults!) around the world. The blend of art and science is so well balanced that it sparks curiosity while maintaining a soothing, cozy tone.

I gave this book a solid five stars, and I already can’t wait to get a physical copy for my granddaughter. I know she’ll love learning about the animals, plants, and rhythms of forest life, and The Forest Revealed is the perfect introduction to nature’s quiet magic.

Thank you to NetGalley and Storey Publishing for supplying me with an e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.