Be Thankful for Trees: A Tribute to the Many & Surprising Ways Trees Relate to Our Lives

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.)

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