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Summary
Summary
A lyrical, gorgeously illustrated look at the majesty of trees-and what humans can learn from them
Stand tall.
Stretch your branches to the sun.
Be a tree!
We are all like trees: our spines, trunks; our skin, bark; our hearts giving us strength and support, like heartwood. We are fueled by air and sun.
And, like humans, trees are social. They "talk" to spread information; they share food and resources. They shelter and take care of one another. They are stronger together.
In this gorgeous and poetic celebration of one of nature's greatest creations, acclaimed author Maria Gianferrari and illustrator Felicita Sala both compare us to the beauty and majesty of trees-and gently share the ways in which trees can inspire us to be better people.
Author Notes
Maria Gianferrari has always loved trees. She has climbed fig trees in Italy, stood under stately coastal redwoods and twisted Torrey pines, and marveled at mitten-shaped sassafras leaves, colorful coral trees, and sawtooth oak acorn nests. She lives with her family in a house encircled by trees, one of which is a spruce planted in memory of her beloved dog, Becca. Be a Tree! is her first book with Abrams.
Felicita Sala is a self-taught illustrator. She has illustrated several picture books, including the award-winning She Made a Monster: How Mary Shelley Created Frankenstein by Lynn Fulton, and The Hideout by Susanna Mattiangeli, as well as her own book of recipes for children, What's Cooking at 10 Garden Street? She grew up between Italy and Australia and now lives in Rome with her family.
Reviews (3)
Publisher's Weekly Review
"Stand tall. Stretch your branches to the sun." Gianferrari writes a hymn to attributes shared by humans and trees, guiding readers through lessons to be learned from their arboreal brethren. The bodies of trees and humans are not so different ("Your skin is bark,/ protecting what's within"), and both species live in communities, sharing information. Trees signal each other through underground networks of roots and fungi: they "alert each other to danger. A wood wide web of information." In strong, sweeping lines, Sala draws massive trees with trunks of green and brown, but also lilac, rust, and deep blue, that often dwarf the children playing underneath them; visitors of many ages and ethnicities stroll under the trees in a park. Diversity enhances both communities; "Immigrant trees, away from their native habitats, are vulnerable. But together, a forest of trees is strong." By foregrounding living beings that exemplify grace, strength, and endurance, Gianferrari gives readers a new way to think about their individual and collective existences. Back matter includes information about trees, community-building, and more. Ages 4--8. (Mar.)
Horn Book Review
A series of compelling arguments for readers to "be a tree" find root in a lyrical text told from a tree's perspective. Metaphors and analogies abound from the start, comparing the physiology of trees and humans ("Your skin is bark: dead on the outside, protecting what's within"). The narrator's focus then shifts away from human comparisons and toward trees' collective nature (regarding the fungal networks known to connect trees within a forest: "We talk, share food, store water, divide resources, alert each other to danger. A wood wide web of information"). Multiple examples of trees working together to benefit the entire ecosystem further highlight the species' collectivism. An impressive gatefold illustrates what this behavior looks like on a human level, featuring a large multiracial cast of people joyfully interacting in an idyllic park setting. From page to page, the richly colored watercolor, gouache, and colored-pencil illustrations primarily feature various tree species within their native environments; however, a few spreads brilliantly show semi-abstract interpretations of complex networks of various proportions (fungi/roots; interlocking crowns). An encouraging nudge to look toward nature for guidance, and a valuable message that "together, we are a forest." Back matter includes an author's note, tree-conservation and community-building ideas, a diagram of tree anatomy, and further resources. Patrick Gall May/June 2021 p.151(c) Copyright 2021. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
The titular exhortation is explained and expounded upon in spare free verse that teaches both well-established facts about trees and new revelations about their interlinked, supportive communities. Peter Wohlleben's The Hidden Life of Trees (2016) has claimed yet another enthusiast among picture-book creators. This book has the advantage of lyrical, accessible poetry and vibrant watercolors from an ever changing palette. The book consists almost entirely of double-page spreads, and each page turn but one yields images of trees or parts of trees--and many show gloriously diverse children and adults enjoying their time with, under, and among equally varied kinds of trees. The initial spread repeats the book's title on the verso as it adds on the recto: "Stand tall. / Stretch your branches to the sun." The baobab trees that span the book's gutter shade a small child of color, happily reaching out to the sky. The text continues to advise its readers to be trees as its metaphors become increasingly complex. One imaginative spread shows an abstraction of a tree's pith, contrasted with a simple, representational illustration of the human circulatory system. After basic anatomy has been covered, spreads on the wonders of the sustaining "wood wide web" and the urgency of biodiversity segue cleverly into the necessity of humans gathering in community. The ending exhortation would seem sappy under less professional handling, but instead it is a proper conclusion to an argument grounded in facts and heartfelt artwork. The backmatter, including tips on saving trees and engaging in community, is excellent, too. (This book was reviewed digitally with 11.3-by-17-inch double-page spreads viewed at 55.3% of actual size.) Strong heartwood. (author's note, anatomy of a tree, resources) (Informational picture book. 7-12) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
