If I Were a Tree

by Andrea Zimmerman, Jing Jing Tsong (Illustrator)

Overview

Two siblings journey into the woods in a tender story of branching out and new growth from acclaimed writer Andrea Zimmerman and New York Times bestselling illustrator Jing Jing Tsong.

If I were a tree, I know how I'd be.
My trunk strong and wide, my limbs side to side,
I'd stand towering tall, high above all,
My leaves growing big, and buds on each twig.
If I were a tree, that's how I'd be.

The sister has camped in the forest many times before. The brother is nervous for his first overnight trip. As the illustrations in this multifaceted picture book show the siblings discovering the woods, the text celebrates the strength and grace of the trees that surround them, through evocative verse that speaks to all five senses:

If I were a tree, I know what I'd smell.
Sweet honey and bees, and skunk on the breeze.
I'd smell smoke in the air, the breath of a bear,
Old fungus decay, and rain on the way.
If I were a tree, that's what I'd smell.

And with this new knowledge, the siblings are able to overcome their greatest challenge yet. Together, Andrea Zimmerman's wise poem and Jing Jing Tsong's kaleidoscopic art show how connections with the natural world can inspire us to live fully in the present and look hopefully to the future.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781620149867
Publisher:	Lee & Low Books
Publication date:	04/06/2021
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	40
File size:	46 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Andrea Zimmerman is the author of thirteen picture books, including Train Man, Fire Engine Man, Digger Man, Trashy Town, and Dig!. Her books have been named Children's Book-of-the-Month Club and ALA Notable books, and have received multiple starred reviews. Married to artist David Clemesha, who illustrates many of her titles, she lives in San Diego, California. You can visit her website at andreaanddavid.com.

Jing Jing Tsong's debut picture book, A Bucket of Blessings, written by Kabir and Surishtha Sehgal, was a New York Times bestseller. She is well-known for her multilayered, textured illustrations in books like Trees, Before We Met, and Feathers and Hair, What Animals Wear. A musician and surfer as well as an artist, she lives on an island in Washington State. Find her on the web at jingjingtsong.com.

Andrea Zimmerman is the author of thirteen picture books, including Train Man, Fire Engine Man, Digger Man, Trashy Town, and Dig!. Her books have been named Children’s Book-of-the-Month Club and ALA Notable books, and have received multiple starred reviews. Married to artist David Clemesha, who illustrates many of her titles, she lives in San Diego, California. You can visit her website at andreaanddavid.com.

Jing Jing Tsong’s debut picture book, A Bucket of Blessings, written by Kabir and Surishtha Sehgal, was a New York Times bestseller. She is well-known for her multilayered, textured illustrations in books like Trees, Before We Met, and Feathers and Hair, What Animals Wear. A musician and surfer as well as an artist, she lives on an island in Washington State. Find her on the web at jingjingtsong.com.

Editorial Reviews

04/05/2021

In this sensory rhyming narrative, two parents—one brown-skinned and one light-skinned—and their two children, who each take after one of the adults, pack their bags and head out of the city to a camping site. Through a first-person perspective, Zimmerman centers the children’s imaginations as they explore the outdoors, utilizing the refrain “if I were a tree” in evocative rhymes that follow each of the senses. For sight: “If I were a tree, I know what I’d see./ Hills misty with fog, the life in a log.” Tsong’s colorfully layered, stamped landscapes, created using traditional printmaking techniques and digital collage, enhance the appeal of this tree-focused venture that will encourage young readers to meditate upon nature. Back matter contains a brief guide to exploring trees with each of the five senses. Ages 4–8. (Apr.)

Publishers Weekly

* "Enjoy and observe nature with all your senses." — Kirkus Reviews, starred review

"With enchanting visuals, this contemplative picture book demonstrates not only what nature can offer but also the reward of new perspectives." — Booklist

"This tree-focused venture will encourage young readers to meditate upon nature." — Publishers Weekly

"Lush, lively." — The Horn Book

Best Children's Books of the Year 2022 - Bank Street College of Education
CCBC Choices - Cooperative Children's Book Center (CCBC)
Society of Midland Authors Award Honor - Society of Midland Authors

From the Publisher

★ 2021-03-02
Enjoy and observe nature with all your senses.

A family of color embarks on an adventure in the great outdoors. On their way to the campsite and when they get there, the children repeatedly declare, “If I were a tree,” then imagine exploring the world from the trees’ perspectives. They imagine seeing (“a web draped with dew, the dawn turning blue”), touching (“nests on my bark, bats hiding till dark”), smelling (“sweet honey and bees, and skunk on the breeze”), tasting (“waters that flood, and minerals in mud”), and hearing (“snakes in a hole, the sneeze of a mole”) their surroundings. As the children wander through the forest, the rhyming verses and simple text engage children in the fun. Readers will delight in the breathtaking illustrations. Double-page spreads are rich and vibrant, Tsong using the colors of nature to evoke a warm and inviting environment. The combination of printmaking and digital collage creates an abundance of depth and texture to each illustration. From an aerial view of a tiny tent in a vast forest to a close-up look at a dazzling spiderweb, the varying perspective reveals more and more with each page turn. Mom presents Asian, and Dad has brown skin, with one child taking after each; the book thus adds valuable representation to the nature genre. A concluding spread offers tree-related extension prompts.

Young readers will want to experience this book over and over again. (Picture book. 5-8)

Kirkus Reviews