Wendy Pfeffer's A Log's Life is a really, really lovely book. Her illustrations blend three-dimensional papercraft with natural textures that reach towards the hyper-real, and assist in evoking a never-explicit ecological/philosophical point from a "long view" of the myriad purposes to be found in the life, death, and decay of a tree. It's lyrical, epic, and naturalistic, all in the same breath, and is a pleasure to read to young children, who will be captivated both by the many uses nature finds for a single plant and the long-tail fecundity of a thing that has died.

Wood-boring beetles burrow under the bark,
chewing wood and
leaving tunnels.
Water and air seep into the tunnels.

Toadstools and other fungi
such as mildew, molds,
and mushrooms
sprout in these damp places.

Slugs and snails crawl
up the tree trunk
into the tunnels
and eat the fungi

There really isn't a more beautiful introduction to life cycles, food webs, and ecological niches than this lovely book. At under $7, it's a ridiculous bargain, and one of those books we're likely to keep on hand in multiples for last-minute gifts. - Jeremiah