A Tree Is a Community [Books for a Better Earth]
by David L. Harrison; illus. by Kate Cosgrove
Primary    Holiday    40 pp.
10/24    9780823455584    $18.99
e-book ed.  9780823461325    $11.99

This beautifully crafted ode to trees and their vital role in the ecosystem is composed of a free-verse text that lends itself well to reading aloud, accompanied by mixed-media illustrations in a muted palette but with plenty of vibrancy and movement. The story begins with two children playing beneath a large tree in the springtime as “the rain / ROARS! / GUSHES! / POURS / down through that / rich, / dark / soil.” The rain nourishes the tree, which in turn drops seeds, continuing the natural cycle as animals find shelter and sustenance in and around it. The book explores the seasons, culminating in the return of spring, which brings “RAIN, / and rain brings / BUDS. /Buds bring / FLOWERS, / and flowers bring / BUZZ.” Though the focus in the middle of the book is purely on the tree and the animals, we eventually return to the two children, blowing bubbles as the text reminds us of the role trees play in our breathing. Facts about how trees filter air and produce oxygen are supported by sources cited in the bibliography and expanded upon in the back matter. This poetic and educational book serves as an engaging introduction to the significance of trees in the environment and the importance of conservation efforts.

From the ">January/February 2025 issue of The Horn Book Magazine.