Be Thankful for Trees: A Tribute to the Many & Surprising Ways Trees Relate to Our Lives
by Harriet Ziefert (Author) Brian Fitzgerald (Illustrator)
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Kirkus
Publishers Weekly
Via jaunty rhyming tributes, Ziefert offers up plentiful reasons to be grateful for trees. Seven chapters each open with a statement and question ("A tree is home./ Would life be comfy without trees?"), highlighting plants of many varieties for their roles as food, comfort, music, art, recreation, home, and life. The rhymes sometimes result in repetitious examples and unusual pairings, but they make for an upbeat readaloud ("Paper kites swirling...// Boats floating by...// Tall trees reaching up/ help us see sky"), and Fitzgerald's confident digital illustrations--stylized with the look of spongy paint and etched lines, and featuring individuals of varying skin tones--embrace Ziefert's vision simply. Final pages offer a pointed warning about "man-made destruction," but the book's overall focus is more squarely on the essential, overlooked roles that trees play. Ages 4-8. (Mar.)
Copyright 2022 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.School Library Journal
K-Gr 3--In this rhyming tribute, divided into seven sections, readers learn about the invaluable role trees play in nature and daily life. Each segment describes individual characteristics of trees and how they relate to the lives of humans, animals, and the environment. Cheerful couplets and repetitive phrases, excellent for reading aloud, explain how trees serve as food, comfort, music, and more. Two spreads that can be found toward the end of the book allude to climate change by way of "man-made destruction," but the text otherwise focuses on celebrating trees and forests and does not include specific ways to protect them. Fitzgerald's colorful illustrations depict diverse humans of varying skin tones enjoying a range of activities, as well as numerous animals and ecosystems thriving, all made possible by trees. Pair with Peter Wohlleben's Can You Hear the Trees Talking?" or Lita Judge's The Wisdom of Trees for STEM and nature units. VERDICT Despite the lack of supplemental back matter, this celebratory ode that encourages readers to explore and appreciate nature is a welcome addition to most collections.--Olivia Gorecke
Copyright 2022 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.Review quotes
"Narrated in rhyming couplets that scan well, this book manages to pack a lot of thought-provoking concepts into a short format in a cohesive, engaging way. Fitzgerald's colorful, stylized digital illustrations brim with outdoorsy charm and highlight the many beautiful textures and grain patterns of trees barks and cut wood. Arboreal adoration that will indeed leave readers feeling thankful for our wooded world." - Kirkus Reviews
Ziefert's informative, rhyming text is sure to keep readers engaged throughout as well as prompt fruitful discussions and STEM lessons after the book is complete. Fitzgerald's colorful, digital illustrations portray diverse individuals reveling in nature and joyfully captures the beauty of nature. . . . A spectacular story for budding scientists, environmentalists, and nature lovers." - Olivia the Librarian
HARRIET ZIEFERT wears many hats. A graduate of Smith College, she also holds an MA in Education from NYU. She is the bestselling author of more than 250 children's books and has developed easy-to-read series for several major publishing houses. As founder of Blue Apple Books, she has published over 500 titles, many of which have become best-selling modern classics. Since childhood Ziefert has always loved to swing, but now, as the mother of two and grandmother of five, she must wait her turn. Harriet Ziefert lives in the Berkshires, Massachusetts, where she is thankful streams, lakes, rain and snow in the winter.
BRIAN FITZGERALD is an internationally recognized, award-winning illustrator of children's books. He is a graduate of Ireland's National College of Art and Design and has also worked on publishing, editorial, and design projects. Brian Fitzgerald lives near Dublin, a port town on the banks of the river Liffy which flows into the Irish Sea and sometimes, quite often actually, it rains, for which he is thankful.
JNF037040 - Juvenile Nonfiction | Science & Nature | Trees & Forests
Trees
