Let's Go to the Rainforest

Do you know what a rainforest is like?  This is a rainforest.  The weather here is hot all year.  It's called a rainforest because it is always wet.  It rains every day.  Can you see the tops of the trees?  They are in the clouds.  It feels hot and sticky.  There is so much to see in the rainforest. (p.2)

Let's go to the rainforest and see some of the amazing things that live there.  It's not easy to get to the rainforest.  First you fly in an airplane.  Then you ride in a truck.  Then you go in a boat.  Finally you walk.  Here is a boat on a river in the rainforest.  (p.4)

In the rainforest, there are lots and lots of trees.  Trees in the rainforest grow very tall.  The tops of the trees can reach the clouds.  The clouds bring lots of rain.  The rain helps the trees to grow.  The trees also need sunlight.  The tall trees get lots of light.  The trees live a long time.  They can live a thousand years. (p.6)

Many birds and animals live in the rainforest.  The birds build their nests in the tall trees.  Sometimes you cannot see them because it is dark under the trees.  But you can often hear them.  The birds eat the fruit and insects on the trees.  The birds in this picture are called parrots.  Parrots are colorful birds. (p.8)

What are these strange-looking animals?  They have white faces, black noses, and yellow eyes.  They also have stripes on their tails.  They are a family of lemurs.  Lemurs come out at night and they use their big eyes to look for fruit.  They also eat leaves, bark, and flowers.  Lemurs are very good at climbing trees.  How many lemurs can you see? (p.10)

This little animal is a tree frog.  Tree frogs are very small, so you must look carefully to see them.  This tree frog lives in a flower, in the rainforest.  Tree frogs are bright and colorful.  How many colors can you see on this frog?  This frog has big eyes and a big mouth.  Its big eyes help it to see at night, and it uses its big mouth to catch and eat insects. (p.12)

The rainforest is home to millions of ants.  Ants are very interesting insects.  They are always very busy.  Although they are small, they are very strong when they work together as a group.  Ants live and work in a big group, like an army.  An army of ants can cross a stream and move big things. (p.14)

Insects, insects, they are everywhere.  There are more insects in the rainforest than any other animal.  Insects are small , but they are very important to the rainforest.  They come in all shapes, colors, and sizes.  Their colors help to hide them and protect them from bigger animals.  Each insect is different, but they all have six legs.  Some insects crawl, others jump, and others fly. (p.16)

This big cat is a jaguar.  It's the king of the rainforest.  The jaguar has circles on its fur.  It's not easy to see it in the rainforest.  It hunts through the trees, using its ears, eyes, and nose to find an animal to eat.  It walks very carefully and quietly, and then jumps on the animal.  The jaguar has big sharp teeth.  It's strong and fast - and very dangerous. (p.18)

It's night-time in the rainforest.  The moon is shining.  Many animals in the rainforest come out at night.  Night-time is a good time to see rainforest animals.  What's that?  It's a bat!  Bat's live in the rainforest, too.  Bats sleep in the day and fly around at night.  They fly around and look for insects and fruit. (p.20)

There are rainforests in many countries of the world.  Is there a rainforest in your country?  The rainforest is very important to all of us.  It cleans the air, and is home to many animals and plants.  If we protect the rainforest, we can help save the world. (p.22)