Some Questions About Trees

by Toni Yuly, Toni Yuly (Illustrator)

Overview

An utterly charming picture book that celebrates a child’s sense of curiosity about the world with playful yet thoughtful questions about trees—perfect for fans of Julie Fogliano and Ruth Krauss.

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.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781534489158
Publisher:	Atheneum Books for Young Readers
Publication date:	03/22/2022
Pages:	40
Product dimensions:	7.50(w) x 10.00(h) x 0.40(d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Toni Yuly is the creator of many acclaimed picture books including Some Questions About Trees, The Whole Wide World and Me, and Thank You, Bees. She studied painting at the University of Washington, where she worked with the great American painter Jacob Lawrence. Toni also worked for many years as a librarian with the King County Library System. She now lives in Bremerton, a short ferry ride from Seattle, Washington. Visit her at ToniYuly.com.

Toni Yuly is the creator of many acclaimed picture books including Some Questions About Trees, The Whole Wide World and Me, and Thank You, Bees. She studied painting at the University of Washington, where she worked with the great American painter Jacob Lawrence. Toni also worked for many years as a librarian with the King County Library System. She now lives in Bremerton, a short ferry ride from Seattle, Washington. Visit her at ToniYuly.com.

Editorial Reviews

02/21/2022

“Where do trees live?// On the earth...// or in the sky?” An inquisitive child’s arboreal musings drive this whimsical picture book, narrated entirely via questions whose answers are hinted at visually. “Are some trees shy?” the child wonders while peeking out from behind a vibrant, cascading tent of orange and yellow leaves. In another scene captioned with the query “Do the tallest trees get lonely?” a single bluebird hovers in the air near a looming conifer. Depicting birches, willows, and more, Yuly’s dainty mixed-media illustrations touch on seasonal change while showing the paper-white child—drawn simply with only a few strokes and a green shirt—swinging from branches, playing among fallen leaves, picking fruit, and contemplating the woody plants that surround them. The unanswered questions encourage visual literacy in this simple story whose center is the connection between a curious child and nature. Ages 4–8. (Mar.)

Publishers Weekly

"[An] entirely charming picture book, made even more so by the subtle, captivating art. . . This would make a nice opener to a walk in the woods or to spark a discussion about the liveliness of the natural world."

The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

04/29/2022

K-Gr 2—The title and cover tells readers almost everything they can expect of this book and the questions it considers. Yuly invites readers in simple but not simplistic ways to think about trees, nature, and themselves. "Where do trees live? On the earth…or in the sky? Are some trees shy? Who do fruit trees make fruit for?" The 14 questions are asked by a child and drawn in the style of Ed Emberley's "Thumbprint" characters. The child's blue-green sweater acts as the thumbprint which really pops in the pictures. The wonderful illustrations seamlessly use a variety of media including pastels, torn tissue paper, cut paper, pen-and-ink and digital collage. They reflect the questions and are well-suited to them. White space abounds and color is skillfully used to draw attention within the images. VERDICT Beautiful illustrations paired with some questions about trees, this can be read on various levels from story time, discussion, and writing prompts, or all the ways in between. A great purchase.—Catherine Callegari

School Library Journal