A Walk in the Forest with Cathy Goldberg Fishman

A Walk in the Forest with Cathy Goldberg Fishman Host Christopher Robbins welcomes children's book author Cathy Goldberg Fishman to discuss her new book, A Walk in the Forest, which celebrates trees from around the world and their cultural significance. Fishman, a former teacher and bookstore owner, shares her thoughtful selection of representative trees for ten countries—including the sequoia for the United States, the banyan tree for India, the olive tree for Israel, the ginkgo for China, and the beech tree for the United Kingdom. Each tree was chosen to highlight both ecological importance and cultural meaning, while the book also teaches children to count from one to ten through beautiful illustrations by Melanie Hall. The conversation emphasizes that tree celebrations exist worldwide, demonstrating our shared global commitment to preserving forests and recognizing their vital role as planetary lungs and sources of cultural identity. Episode Highlights 00:02:15: Introduction of Cathy Goldberg Fishman and her background as a children's book author, former teacher, and owner of Eeyore's Tale bookstore. 00:04:30: Fishman explains her choice of the sequoia for the United States, influenced by her son's work on environmental issues at the Bipartisan Policy Center. 00:06:45: Discussion of the banyan tree for India, which uniquely grows roots down from branches to form new trunks, creating an upside-down appearance. 00:09:20: Exploration of the olive tree's significance for Israel, its role in Hanukkah traditions, and its symbolism of peace. 00:12:50: Detailed discussion of the ginkgo tree from China, called the "living fossil," with fan-shaped leaves that turn gold in fall. 00:15:30: Fishman's selection of the rubber tree for Brazil and its connection to rainforest preservation and the planet's ecological health. 00:18:45: Favorite illustration featuring the beech tree from the United Kingdom with children at a picnic, symbolizing friendship and inclusion. 00:21:00: Revelation that every country featured has its own tree celebration day, demonstrating universal recognition of trees' importance across cultures. Key Takeaways Trees serve as powerful cultural symbols and are celebrated worldwide through designated tree celebration days, showing shared global values across diverse nations. Children's literature can simultaneously educate on multiple levels—teaching about environmental conservation, cultural diversity, counting skills, and the importance of friendship and inclusion. Preserving forests, particularly rainforests like those in Brazil, is critical because they function as the planet's lungs and support biodiversity and human survival. Individual trees possess unique characteristics worth celebrating: the sequoia's size, the ginkgo's ancient lineage, the banyan's architectural uniqueness, and the beech's sheltering capacity. One person's awareness and action—whether planting a tree on Arbor Day or choosing to feature endangered species in literature—can inspire global consciousness about environmental stewardship. Quotable Moments "I chose the sequoia. I was going to go with another one, but then I talked with my son, who is very involved in environmental issues through the Bipartisan Policy Center in Washington, D.C. And he said, Mom, we just talked about the sequoia and how endangered it is." "The ginkgo tree is sometimes called the living fossil, and it's one of the oldest tree species in the whole world." "Every country I've chosen has their own tree celebration, whether it's in July or January or October or November, the countries have tree celebrations. And the reason I think this is important is because it shows us that we all have things in common, that all over the world, trees are important and all over the world, they should be celebrated."