At the end of this April, Americans will celebrate the 150th anniversary of Arbor Day. The following books are great options to mark the day. For even more seasonal options, check out these delightful spring books, Easter books, and Earth Day options that would also brighten everyone’s day. All synopsizes are italicized in blue and provided by respective publishers. Reviews are by Jessica.
MEMORIES OF A BIRCH TREE, by Daniel Cañas, Blanca Millán, Cuento de Luz; 1st edition, April 1, 2022, Hardcover, $18.95 (ages 4-8)
The day they took me out of my home and loaded me onto a truck changed everything. I went from living surrounded by nature, with my brothers, to ending up girdled by towering buildings in a polluted, noisy city. I was homesick. Accepting that change was extremely difficult, but then I started to realize that the city was not that bad after all. A friendly gardener took care of me. He watered my soil, gave me fertilizer, and trimmed my dry branches so that a pair of finches could nest in them. I began to feel very useful, as I gave people my shade, my oxygen, and my gently-flavored seeds. I soon understood that hope and love could manifest anywhere in the world, so I decided to put down roots. —Synopsis provided by Cuento de Luz
This tender book is told from the point of view of a birch tree. Expressive illustrations accompany gentle text to create a lovely reading experience.
BE THANKFUL FOR TREES: A TRIBUTE TO THE MANY & SURPRISING WAYS TREES RELATE TO OUR LIVES, by Harriet Ziefert and Brian Fitzgerald, Red Comet Press, March 29, 2022, Hardcover, $19.99 (ages 4-8)
What gives you a seat, a floor for your feet?
A place you can sit with your family to eat?
The pum-pum of a drum, a guitar’s twangy strum . . .
Tree wood makes music zing, ping, and hum.
Using lilting, rhyming couplets, this book explores the many items that are made from trees. But it doesn’t stop there! Kids will also learn about the many uses of live trees – and the environmental danger to trees posed by forest fires, floods, and deforestation. Kids are encouraged to be kind, not only to one another, but to the environment as well. —Synopsis provided by Red Comet Press
Simple text paired with fun illustrations give children an idea of all the things a tree can be.
SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT TREES, by Toni Yuly, Atheneum Books for Young Readers, March 22, 2022, Hardcover, $17.99 (ages 4-8)
Do tiny trees dream of being big?
Do the tallest trees get lonely?
What part is the heart of a tree?
Follow along as a lively little girl explores the natural world, asking questions big and small. Filled with wonder and joy, Some Questions About Trees is a celebration of how children see the world. —Synopsis provided by Atheneum Books for Young Readers
Simple, yet tender, illustrations are paired with profound questions in this lovely picture book.
ACORN WAS A LITTLE WILD, by Jen Arena and Jessica Gibson, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, March 15, 2022, Hardcover, $17.99 (ages 4-8)
Acorn is a little wild, and from his oak tree perch, he longs for adventure. When he’s the first of his friends to jump off the oak tree, he’s on his way into the wide world, full of new experiences that fill his little heart with excitement!
But when a squirrel buries Acorn deep underground, the thrill-seeking Acorn finds himself forced to stay still, in the darkness, for a long time. To turn this biggest setback into a wild adventure, Acorn may have to change from the inside out. —Synopsis provided by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Acorn is a charming character that grabs your attention from the start. This is a humorous story full of laughs and adventure.
ONE MILLION TREES: A TRUE STORY, by Kristen Balouch, Margaret Ferguson Books, March 1, 2022, Hardcover, $18.99 (ages 4-8)
When Kristen Balouch was 10 years old, her parents made a surprising announcement: their whole family was going on a trip to plant trees! Kristen, her sisters, and her mom and dad — and their pet, Wonder Dog! — flew from their California home to a logging site in British Columbia. There, they joined a crew working to replant the trees that had been cut down.
In One Million Trees, Kristen reflects on the forty days they spent living in a tent, covered in mud and bug bites, working hard every day to plant a new forest. Young readers will learn a little French, practice some math skills, and learn all about how to plant a tree the right way!
The kid-friendly, engaging text is paired with bold illustrations, full of fun details and bright colors. The story ends with a modern-day look at what Kristen’s family helped accomplish: a stand of huge trees growing on what used to be an empty, muddy patch of bare stumps.
An author’s note shares more information on deforestation, sustainable logging practices, and the irreplaceable environmental benefit of old growth forests… Plus, the amazing things even a small group of people can do when they work together.
A fun story with an important environmental message, One Million Trees is bound to inspire kids to get their hands dirty to make our planet healthy! —Synopsis provided by Margaret Ferguson Books
Copyright © 2022 Cracking the Cover. Unless otherwise noted, all books — digital and physical — have been provided by publishers in exchange for honest and unbiased reviews. All thoughts and opinions are those of the reviewer.
