Review by 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.)
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Review by 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.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book 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.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
