Trees

The Little Acorn’s Big Adventure

THE LITTLE ACORN’S BIG ADVENTURE

Written by Sylvia Rouss

Illustrated by Rick Penn-Kraus

(Dragonfeather Books; $16.95, Ages 5-9)

 

 

The Little Acorn's Big Adventure cover forest animals observing acorn.

 

 

 

REVIEW:

Award-winning author Sylvia Rouss, who brought joy to picture book readers with her Sammy Spider series, has done it again with The Little Acorn’s Big Adventure, a beautifully written story about the wonders of animals in nature and how we can help our environment.

The rich greens, browns, oranges, and golds of the autumn forest, illustrated by Rick Penn-Kraus, come alive as they serve as the background for an oak tree and a small acorn falling from its branch. As the acorn topples, a black-and-red woodpecker attempts to catch it in his beak, “… but a sudden gust of wind startled the bird, and it dropped the acorn to the forest floor.” And this is where Acorn’s adventure begins.

 

 

The Little Acorn's Big Adventure int1 woodpecker snatching falling acorn.
Interior spread from The Little Acorn’s Big Adventure, written by Sylvia Rouss and illustrated by Rick Penn-Kraus, Dragonfeather Books, ©2025.

 

 

A chipmunk tries to eat the acorn, but his mouth is too full. (This is what happens when you stuff your cheeks with nuts.) When a bear passes through the forest, the chipmunk scurries up a tree only to watch the bear trample the acorn to the ground. A squirrel appears and digs a hole, covering the acorn with loose soil, leaving it in the ground as autumn turns to winter. You can almost feel the chill in the air as you turn the pages.

 

 

The Little Acorn's Big Adventure int2 warmth of the summer.
Interior spread from The Little Acorn’s Big Adventure, written by Sylvia Rouss and illustrated by Rick Penn-Kraus, Dragonfeather Books, ©2025.

 

 

Rouss takes the reader through the icy winter weather, showing where the chipmunk, squirrel, and bear sleep. The acorn remains buried in the ground. An earthworm digs a hole, “… making room for its small roots as they began to grow.” Penn-Kraus’s soft colors gently take us from winter to spring. And now we begin to see a sprout growing from the ground, enjoying the rainwater. The lovely interplay of light with the earthy tones resembles a photograph.

 

 

The Little Acorn's Big Adventure int3 little sprout.
Interior spread from The Little Acorn’s Big Adventure, written by Sylvia Rouss and illustrated by Rick Penn-Kraus, Dragonfeather Books, ©2025.

 

 

The Little Acorn’s Big Adventure concludes with the final season, summer; the woodpecker, bear, squirrel, and chipmunk return to find a growing green tree, ready to begin a new adventure. What a great way to show an acorn’s growth cycle in relation to the seasons.

Rouss’s back matter adds an extra bonus to this story. Broken down into Ten Fun Facts About Oak Trees, Ten Things You Can Do To Help Trees, and Ten Steps To Grow An Acorn, the reader learns that only 1 in 10,000 acorns grow into a tree, and if you plant trees in your garden, you need to make sure they get plenty of water.

Recycling is also essential to saving oak trees. Oak trees keep the air we breathe healthy, and it’s illegal to cut down oak trees in some states. I have oak trees on my property here in California, and it’s my city’s job to trim and maintain these magnificent trees. I also learned what to do when an acorn falls to the ground, and I am now going to make the effort to find fallen acorns and soak them in water before planting them in a pot. Children will not only enjoy the beauty of this book but also learn how we can all help our environment thrive.

If you enjoy this book, I recommend you read An Ooey-Gooeys Adventure: You’re Not Invited! written by Sylvia Rouss and David Titcher.

 

  • Reviewed by Ronda Einbinder

 

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Picture Book Review – One Day This Tree Will Fall

 

 

ONE DAY THIS TREE WILL FALL

Written by Leslie Barnard Booth

Illustrated by Stephanie Fizer Coleman

(Margaret K. McElderry Books; $18.99; Ages 4-8)

 

One Day This Tree Will Fall cover enormous tree filled with birds insects.

 

 

ABOUT THE BOOK:

From the Publisher: “Discover how a tree’s wounds and decay bring new life to the forest ecosystem in this lyrical nonfiction picture book for fans of Because of an Acorn and A Stone Sat Still.”

From Horn Book: a starred review “Lively, poetic writing and beautiful illustrations . . . Even the youngest of readers and listeners will grasp the concepts of ecosystems and the continuity of life. A model of what an excellent STEM-focused picture book can be.”

Kirkus Starred Review

 

REVIEW:

I couldn’t agree more! What begins as a “basic” tree book from STEM author, Leslie Barnard Booth’ and illustrator Stephanie Fizer Coleman …

 

One_Day_This_Tree_Will_Fall_int1_Look_at_it_wounded_worn
Interior spread from One Day This Tree Will Fall written by Leslie Barnard Booth and illustrated by Stephanie Fizer Coleman, Margaret K. McElderry Books ©2024.

 

 

quickly becomes a poetic look at the life cycle of a forest tree that survives despite wind and ice and drought; despite fire, and animal and human activity …

 

 

One Day This Tree Will Fall int2 Survived This tree touched the sky.
Interior spread from One Day This Tree Will Fall written by Leslie Barnard Booth and illustrated by Stephanie Fizer Coleman, Margaret K. McElderry Books ©2024.

 

until it finally falls to the ground with a magnificent CRACK! and becomes something else entirely;

 

One Day This Tree Will Fall int3 a secret city brims.
Interior art from One Day This Tree Will Fall written by Leslie Barnard Booth and illustrated by Stephanie Fizer Coleman, Margaret K. McElderry Books ©2024.

 

begging the question, “Does anything in life ever truly end?”

A perfect pairing with Whale Fall by Melissa Stewart (Random House Studio, 2023) for use in the classroom. This beautiful book’s simple, poetic language and gorgeously detailed nature illustrations will have kiddos clamoring for re-readings and personal time with the book to look more closely at the illustrations.

 

*Highly Recommended!

  • Reviewed by Roxanne Troup

 

 

 

 

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Five Children’s Books for Earth Day 2024

 

EARTH DAY 2024

∼ A ROUNDUP ∼

 

 

 

 

Love, The Earth cover Earth with a face watching child.LOVE, THE EARTH
Written by Frances Stickley
Illustrated by Tim Hopgood
(Candlewick Press; $17.99,  Ages 3-7)

In Love, the Earth, by Frances Stickley, our beautiful blue planet promises to take care of us, if only we will take care of it. Scenes unfold showing us all the Earth has to offer: “Please share my food, my lakes, my land . . . / and try to lend a helping hand.” Yet, we also see that the Earth can’t do it without us.

The mixed-media illustrations by Tim Hopgood are lush and layered. The Earth is present throughout, either smiling benevolently or saddened when its land is covered in litter. The book concludes with the Earth signing off, “With All My Love, the Earth,” a heartfelt reminder of how the planet has sustained a truly vast amount of life.

 

Solar Bear cover boy and polar bearSOLAR BEAR
Written by Beth Ferry
Illustrated by Brendan Wenzel
(HarperKids; $19.99, Ages 4-8)

★Starred Review – Booklist

In Beth Ferry’s rhyming picture book, Solar Bear, a magical solar bear gathers bears from around the globe to share stories about species extinction. By shining their glowing light “[on] otters, sloths, and manatees. / On coral reefs and chimpanzees,” they hope to foster a generation of “solar kids” who learn as much as possible about our animals, mindfully use resources, and talk to others to encourage environmental stewardship.

The art by Brendan Wenzel illuminates the animals. This is beautiful but also a preview of how close many of them are to becoming ghosts. When the solar animals interact with children worldwide, the love and hope come through in his illustrations rendered in “watercolor, pencil, acrylic, colored pencil, and pretty much everything else under the sun including an iMac.” While this blurb is funny, it’s also a great representation of pulling together to create. The heartwarming image on the cover sets the tone for this hopeful but urgent request for action.

 

Green: The Story of Plant Life on Our Planet cover boy dog tree.GREEN: THE STORY OF PLANT LIFE ON OUR PLANET
Written by Nicola Davies
Illustrated by Emily Sutton
(Candlewick Press; $18.99, Ages 5-8)

★Starred Review – Kirkus

Nicola Davies’s nonfiction picture book, Green: The Story of Plant Life on Our Planet, opens with a line about how the tree pictured doesn’t seem to be doing much, just standing around being big and green. However, we come to find the many fascinating things that trees do from the huge importance of photosynthesis to its opposite: respiration, which keeps our air in balance. We learn the history of how plants have trapped carbon dioxide, changing the air from toxic to inhabitable for all kinds of life forms.

Emily Sutton’s illustrations showcase the color green. One scene shows green existing only on a single rooftop apartment building in a city where industry is upsetting the world’s delicate balance. The story finishes with a heartwarming companion image to the opening one that sums up why green is the “most important color in the world.”

 

Sona Sharma: Looking After Planet Earth cover Sona among plants.SONA SHARMA: LOOKING AFTER PLANET EARTH
Written by Chitra Soundar
Illustrated by Jen Khatun
(Candlewick Press; $15.99, Ages 6-9)

In Sona Sharma: Looking After Planet Earth (book two of the Sona series by Chitra Soundar), Sona Sharma’s personality continues to shine. This time, Sona and her friends Renu and Joy learn that the Earth is in trouble. Their teacher, Miss Rao, has them pledge to help look after the planet. Well-meaning Sona takes this to heart and starts making changes at home—without anyone’s consent. Who needs lights? Diapers—no more!

While the story is funny, the reality of this crisis comes through, showing ways we all can pitch in. The setting is vivid as are the characters. I particularly like how much of the plot is centered around the town’s annual kolam-making contest (“traditional designs that people draw in front of their homes to celebrate the winter months and the festival season”). Paatti (Grandma) uses rice flour to make the design but Sona’s other grandmother, the President, includes colored powders, glitter, and plastic decorations. Sona’s determined to stop participants from using artificial, bad-for-the-environment art supplies, but the contest is happening soon and it seems the rules allow these materials. Or do they . . .?

The black-and-white sketches by Jen Khatun throughout bring us right into Sona’s world showing her multigenerational family and the lovely kolam designs.

 

Be a Nature Explorer! cover backpack on grass.BE A NATURE EXPLORER!:
OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES AND ADVENTURES
Written by Peter Wohlleben
Illustrated by Belle Wuthrich
English translation by Jane Billinghurst
(Greystone Books; $12.95, Ages 6-10)

Fans of Peter Wohlleben’s best-selling books about trees will be glad to see he now has a hands-on guide for children in an easy-to-carry size to encourage exploration of nature, Be a Nature Explorer!: Outdoor Activities and Adventures. This illustrated 100-page book contains 52 activity ideas to keep kids busy for many outings, or even when they’re just in the backyard.

“Following Slugs and Snails” is one of my favorites because I find these creatures fascinating. I learned that snail shells almost always spiral to the right (clockwise) and sit on the right side of their bodies. If you find a snail whose pattern runs counterclockwise, they’re called “snail kings”—so exciting, like finding a four-leaf clover! You can even record a snail or slug’s slime trail imprint onto a piece of plastic wrap, then add that to your journal as part of your collection and for further observations.

This fun guide’s pages are enlivened with illustrations by Belle Wuthrich, and photos. This winning combo elevates this book to the top of my list for gift-giving. Pair this welcoming book with a blank journal and watch kids get their nature explorer groove on. Parents will thank you!

 

 

Click here to read reviews from last year’s roundup.

 

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Children’s Picture Book Review – My Grandpa, My Tree, and Me

MY GRANDPA, MY TREE, AND ME 

Written by Roxanne Troup

Illustrated by Kendra Binney

(Yeehoo Press; $17.99, Ages 4-8)

 

My Grandpa My Tree and Me cover granddaughter grandfather sit beneath pecan tree

 

There’s a timeless, feel-good quality to Roxanne Troup’s debut fiction picture book My Grandpa, My Tree, and Me, illustrated by Kendra Binney. After finishing it, I wanted to sit back and imagine myself in the bucolic surroundings where the story takes place.

Binney’s appealing artwork transported me to a pecan orchard for the first time where the action unfolds as a little girl spends time with her grandfather and narrates, “My grandpa planted a tree for me on the day I was born.” She also tells us that, despite having an orchard full of pecan trees, Grandpa’s favorite tree is that particular one, thus establishing the strong bond these two characters share.

 

My Grandpa, My Tree, and Me int1 girl and grandpa spreading mulch
Interior spread from My Grandpa, My Tree, and Me written by Roxanne Troup and illustrated by Kendra Binney, Yeehoo Press ©2023.

 

Through changing seasons starting in winter when it’s pruning time, and the annual growth cycle of the orchard, we learn how pecans mature and are harvested. At the same time, the special relationship between the child and her grandpa exudes from the warm, muted illustrations coupled with Trout’s lyrical prose. I especially felt that each time I read the lovely repeating phrase “But not my tree.” In spread after spread the young girl describes how the other pecan trees are treated en masse as part of the commercial harvesting process, while hers receives individualized care from her grandpa. Together the two tend to her tree with love and respect which also serves as a metaphor for their relationship.

 

My Grandpa My Tree and Me int2 prepping pecans for harvester
Interior illustrations from My Grandpa, My Tree, and Me written by Roxanne Troup and illustrated by Kendra Binney, Yeehoo Press ©2023.

 

At last, when the husks open, it’s harvest time. The joy is palpable on the page. Then “Grandpa attaches a padded arm to his tractor. It hugs the trees’ trunks and shakes until leaves and twigs and pecans rain down.” When it’s her turn and with Grandpa there to savor the experience, the girl uses a long pole to make the pecans drop. The orchard’s pecans will be collected by the harvester for sale but the girl’s pecans will be baked into a scrumptious pecan pie. And, not to spoil the beautiful ending, suffice it to say that Troup and Mother Nature’s miraculous cycle of growth delivers a delightful and very satisfying dénouement in this touching layered tale.

 

My Grandpa, My Tree, and Me int3 eating pecan pie time
Interior illustrations from My Grandpa, My Tree, and Me written by Roxanne Troup and illustrated by Kendra Binney, Yeehoo Press ©2023.

 

 

Troup, who is not a newcomer to writing, knows how to tell an engaging and tender story while infusing interesting information into it, clearly owing to her extensive nonfiction background. The pacing of My Grandpa, My Tree, and Me moves forward easily like the seasons in the orchard. There’s a soothing rhythm to the language that makes the book an ideal read any time of the day, including bedtime. Did you know that pecans are considered a native nut to North America? Find an All About Pecans note detailing the history of the commercial pecan industry along with a helpful glossary in the back matter.

Download a free teacher’s guide here.

  • Reviewed by Ronna Mandel

 

NOTE: I’m thrilled that Roxanne is a reviewer at this blog so subscribe today so you don’t miss her thoughtful coverage.

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Wordless Picture Book Review – Whirl

 

 

WHIRL

by Deborah Kerbel

Illustrated by Josée Bisaillon 

(Owlkids Books; $18.95; Ages 4-8)

 

Whirl cover

 

 

From the Publisher: “A stray maple seed, is picked up by the wind and begins a long, wordless journey through a local neighborhood…Eventually, it finds a place to rest …Years later, a family that encountered the whirligig on its journey takes a walk in the forest and meets the seed again—this time as a fully grown maple tree.”

 

Whirl interior art1
Interior illustration from Whirl by Deborah Kerbel and Josée Bisaillon, Owlkids Books ©2022.

 

In this appealing wordless picture book with inviting art and a diverse cast of characters, Deborah Kerbel and Josée Bisaillon describe the unpredictable journey a seed takes as it whirls its way through a family’s backyard, past the wheels and paws of several park visitors, into the hands of a few curious kids, and onto the artwork of another.

 

 

Whirl interior art2
Interior illustration from Whirl by Deborah Kerbel and Josée Bisaillon, Owlkids Books ©2022.

 

Before, eventually being found (and fought over) by birds and accidentally planted by a dog.

 

Whirl Interior art3
Interior illustration from Whirl by Deborah Kerbel and Josée Bisaillon, Owlkids Books ©2022.

 

In time, the seed sprouts and grows, and is discovered by another park visitor who delights over its “magic.” A swirl of wind grounds the story and guides the reader through this visual tale perfect for spending time in nature. A back page of maple seed facts also offers readers inspiration for conducting their own research into similar topics.

  •  Reviewed by Roxanne Troup

 

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Middle Grade Nonfiction – Can You Hear the Trees Talking?

CAN YOU HEAR THE TREES TALKING?:

DISCOVERING THE HIDDEN LIFE OF THE FOREST

by Peter Wohlleben

Translated by Shelley Tanaka

(Greystone Kids; $17.95, Ages 8-12)

 

 

 

★Starred Reviews – Kirkus, School Library Journal

Peter Wohlleben has adapted his New York Times adult best seller, The Hidden Life of Trees, into a young readers’ edition, Can You Hear the Trees Talking?: Discovering the Hidden Life of the Forest. Wohlleben brings his passion to the page and surprises us with interesting facts about trees. This beautifully laid out book is sure to please.

 

CYHTTT spread 1
Interior spread from Can You Hear the Trees Talking: Discovering the Hidden Life of the Forest by Peter Wohlleben, Greystone Kids ©2019.

 

Every two-page spread offers a question. In “Can Forests Make It Rain?” we realize that, indeed, some trees do just that. “Do Trees Sleep at Night?” intrigued me; with no sun, trees take a break and let their branches droop until daylight. Kids will get a kick out of “Is There a Forest Internet?” discovering that fungi help trees relay messages to each other through liquid in the roots. I couldn’t put this book down, enjoying unique information including the more typical topics such as respiration, hydration, and reproduction.

 

CYHTTT spread 2
Interior spread from Can You Hear the Trees Talking: Discovering the Hidden Life of the Forest by Peter Wohlleben, Greystone Kids ©2019.

 

Subjects are grouped for easy reference while full-color photos, sidebars, and short quizzes keep readers interested. This fun, gorgeous book is nonfiction at its best because it doesn’t feel like learning at all. The “Try This” sections are some of my favorites. I definitely want to blow bubbles out of a birch log!

 

CYHTTT spread 3
Interior spread from Can You Hear the Trees Talking: Discovering the Hidden Life of the Forest by Peter Wohlleben, Greystone Kids ©2019.

 

Wohlleben’s decades in the forest service and love of nature enlivens this topic. Showcasing trees allows us to appreciate their amazing abilities and care about their conservation. Grab your kid and explore nature, finding an educational adventure as close as your own backyard. A free Companion Guide for Teachers and Parents is available here.

• Reviewed by Christine Van Zandt (www.ChristineVanZandt.com), Write for Success (www.Write-for-Success.com), @ChristineVZ and @WFSediting, Christine@Write-for-Success.com

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Kids Book Review: Nature’s Incredible Power – Trees: A Rooted History

TREES: A ROOTED HISTORY
by Piotr Socha + Wojciech Grajkowski
Translated from Polish by Anna Burges
(Abrams BYR; $24.99, Ages 8-12)

 

Trees: A Rooted History book cover art

 

★Starred Review – Publishers Weekly

Large-format middle-grade nonfiction book, Trees: A Rooted History, will engage readers with stunning full-page illustrations and fascinating information. Trees are the largest living things on Earth showcasing nature’s incredible power. They can be seen as sacred but also have practical purposes such as being used for wood or to make paper.

 

Interior illustration from Trees: A Rooted History
Interior spread from Trees: A Rooted History by by Piotr Socha and Wojciech Grajkowski, Abrams Books for Young Readers ©2019.

 

Leaves, roots, seasons, seeds—this we know. But what about tree eaters, tree dwellers, and the animals using trees for camouflage? We learn that the largest-diameter tree is a Montezuma cypress in Santa Maria del Tule, Mexico—so wide that not even twenty adults could link hands around its trunk. And that a quaking aspen in Utah, estimated to be at least 80,000 years old, is both a tree and an entire forest because it originated from a single seed and its root system has formed a 106-acre colony of trees.

 

interior spread of bonsai from Trees: A Rooted History
Interior spread from Trees: A Rooted History by by Piotr Socha and Wojciech Grajkowski, Abrams Books for Young Readers ©2019.
int illustration from Trees: A Rooted History from Abrams BYR
Interior spread from Trees: A Rooted History by by Piotr Socha and Wojciech Grajkowski, Abrams Books for Young Readers ©2019.

 

There is much to consider in this book. For example, a tree can withstand the rise and fall of several civilizations, or may grow alongside as works of art are created or important inventions are made. It’s fascinating that a 400,000-year-old wooden tool (the sharpened end of a wooden spear) was found in the British town of Clacton-on-Sea and that countless legends and fairy tales are set in forests.

 

int illustration from Trees: A Rooted History Abrams BYR
Interior spread from Trees: A Rooted History by by Piotr Socha and Wojciech Grajkowski, Abrams Books for Young Readers ©2019.

 

This beautiful book of discovery invites you to flip through its pages, stopping wherever your eye leads you.

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