Some Questions about Trees by Toni Yuly

Do tiny trees dream of being big?

Do the tallest trees get lonely?

What part is the heart of a tree?

Who tells the trees when spring is here?

I recently talked about Ask Me by Bernard Waber illustrated by Suzy Lee. Asking questions can be a great way to foster conversations. Some Questions about Trees is another perfect picture book. The questions are open ended, the illustrations look simple but are packed with impact and every page in this book has been beautifully crafted. Reading this book I had a deeply emotional reaction. 

The mixed-media art is spare, utilising white space and innocent character designs to fit the theme well. ... This is a very simple book, yet manages to inspire some deeper considerations – and appreciations – for trees. The Baby Bookworm

Our narrator is often just a smudge of teal (red in the winter thanks to her puffy coat) with dotted eyes and lines of messy hair, and the trees are simple but evocative, solid in trunks and branches with dashes of color for leaves and animals. Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

See inside Some Questions about Trees here.

I have been thinking about who should buy this book. I would most certainly add it to a school library collection and perhaps even a preschool book shelf (if funds permit) but I also think this book could be a very special gift for a new arrival in a family or even at a time of sadness. You could gift the book with a small tree for their garden - that would be a truly special way to enjoy this book. 

Here is the web site for Toni Yuly. Her newest book will be Slowly Slowly due for publication in September 2023. Here is an interview with Seven Impossible Things before Breakfast. 

Companion books: