Pia in the Forest
by David Bruggink

1 out of 5 stars

Pia has trouble listening and obeying what she is told. She gets distracted and does whatever she wants. When her father tells her “no candy”, Pia goes in the kitchen and sneakily eats some sprinkles. When her father finds her with sprinkles on her face, there are no consequences and no reprimand. The father just ignores her disobedience.

Pia and her father go exploring in the forest. At first they have a lovely time together, but when they stop for a snack, the father discovers that Pia has replaced his granola bar with a lemon. Pia laughs at the trick, but her father is understandably annoyed and hurt because he is very hungry. He asks Pia, “Are you actually listening to anything I say?” Pia is frustrated and refuses to listen to the reprimand, saying that she wants to be on her own. Her father tells her to wait for him, but she says that she is “sick of listening” so she runs off into the forest by herself.

She meets a new friend and they play together for a while, then Pia goes back looking for her father. When they are reunited, the father actually apologizes to his child for “getting mad before”, instead of the child apologizing to the parent for her outrageous disobedience. Again there are no consequences for her running off alone or for playing a trick on her father. This is the worst parenting I have ever seen, and Pia continues to be a selfish brat.

The story tries to frame a solution to Pia’s “listening problem” when she uses a sound recording device to listen to the sounds of the forest. She hears birdsong and flowing water, and she learns to respect nature. At the end of the story, Pia’s father is impressed that she has learned such good listening skills. But listening and obeying are two different things. Respecting nature does not necessarily translate into respecting your parents. This story really missed the mark when it comes to character development or any kind of moral message.

The artwork is the best part of this book. I loved the soft art style and the beautiful colors of the forest.

This book has been screened on the Screen It First website. https://screenitfirst.com/book/pia-in-the-forest-2595477

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review.