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Gianferrari, Maria

Be a Tree!

40 pp. | Abrams | March, 2021 | Trade ISBN 978-1-4197-4422-8 $19.99 | Ebook ISBN 978-1-64700-307-4 $15.54
(2) PS Illustrated by Felicita Sala. 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.
Reviewer: Patrick Gall | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2021

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