As Kate and her dad talk a walk through the Pacific Northwest rain forest, he explains to her how all life in the forest is connected—each living thing dependent on another, or many others. The back-and-forth dialogue between Kate and her dad feels natural rather than forced. This prevents the narrative from straying to didacticism, despite its strong environmental message and the bounty of information about the life cycle of the salmon and other aspects of the forest ecosystem that’s packed in. A subtle aspect of the story references Native fishing practices. Kate and her dad come upon friends spearfishing in the river and stay to share some of the catch that they prepare. The family is clearly Native, although this is ‑never explicitly stated in the story. Sheena Lott’s light-filled watercolors form an exquisite backdrop on every page. (Ages 5–9)