Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc

This is a book that takes trees and uses them as a metaphor for confidence. When the trees stand tall, the children stand tall. Therefore, this book is an important book that teaches children how to be confident!

I loved the message of this book, and the artwork was gorgeous and very engaging! A very sweet and important book for kids! I will note, the font for the words was a little distracting and did not seem to align with the rest of the look of the book!

Beautiful illustrations speak louder than words in this light, fun board book. Informative and concise, it teaches kids the importance and lifecycle of trees.

It would have been nice if the book had shown more benefits, like how trees help us breathe and how wood is used to make everyday items and how we can protect them.

The diverse characters were wonderfully drawn they were so adorable, such a sweet book!

Thank you Free Spirit Publishing & NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for the honest review!

This book leaves a pleasant impression, even though it’s not very content-heavy. In fact, the illustrations speak louder than the text—they beautifully depict children interacting with trees, hugging them, dancing with the branches in the wind, and watching the falling leaves. It makes you reflect on how, as adults, we often stop noticing these small wonders (though just today, I looked up while walking and literally caught falling petals on my eyelashes).
I also liked how the author compares people to trees at the end—it would have been great to explore more about how we grow, who we become, and how important it is to know our roots.

I really loved the artwork in this book. I loved the note in the back of the book and how it made a connection between the subject matter and our own everyday life and ideas on how to bridge the two. I especially loved the specific notes for caregivers: “Use as many details as you can when describing the trees.” This is such a great way to encourage our kids to use descriptive language and to be expressive when speaking and creating and thinking!

I didn’t love the font used throughout the book. I’m not sure if it’s very basic for the ARC readers or if it’ll be that way for the final product but I didn’t love it. I also just think the story itself could have been a whole lot better. The story was split between being observant and also fact telling and I just don’t think it nailed any of it. Almost that the storyteller couldn’t decide what they wanted to accomplish with this book.

The best part of the book for me was the note for caregivers in the back - which is great - but I don’t think it should overshadow the story itself.

I love the message of connecting humans to nature in this book. I think especially now, we often take for granted the world around us and I think it's a great thing to teach children to connect and learn from nature, as well as standing tall as a person.

The font is very difficult to see against the illustrations in this current version - the white font almost completely blends in against the trees or lighter backgrounds. However, these are possibly some of the most gorgeous illustrations I've ever seen in a children's book and tie in with the story well.

“Rooted in our families, we too are flexible and strong. We stand tall.”

You guys. We loved this book. Not only are kids finally admiring nature again but they’re also learning, and making connections to our Earth. I think it’s so important to teach our young about the environment, keep them interested about what’s happening around them.

Can we also talk about the art in this book?! The different trees, the different families, we loved it all. Truly a great children’s book!