Description
Book SynopsisThis picture book includes information about tree anatomy, shows how trees change with each season, gives a simple explanation of photosynthesis, and includes a checklist of animals that appear throughout the story.
Trade Review“Wanting to stay out all night, Beatrice wishes she were a tree . . . As the Beatrice tree changes through the seasons, the illustrations, done in watercolor, acrylic paint, gouache, and digital collage, use simple shapes and flickering colors to produce a dreamlike feel. . . . A lovely metamorphosis story.” — Booklist “[Beatrice] climbs a tree, hangs upside down, and briefly tries to ignore the call to come in for the night. . . . As Beatrice dreams of her tree, each page brings the reader a new seasonal digital collage with watercolor, acrylic, and gouache, ending with brief simple sentences and the quiet of fallen snow. An infographic page emphasizes how animals use trees, including a labeled diagram of tree parts, the seasons, an explanation of photosynthesis, and encouragement to plant. . . . A lovely art tribute to the beauty of trees through Beatrice’s dream.” — School Library Journal “As Beatrice stalls her bedtime, readers learn rudimentary facts about trees. . . . [Beatrice] imagines herself sprouting twigs and leaves. Soon, she is fantasizing about her life as a tree, first into the next day and then through the seasons. . . . Additional pages contribute a few more botanical facts, but the story itself naturally segues into naptime or bedtime.” — Kirkus Reviews “A young girl’s ‘If I were a tree…’ conjecture opens the door for an informative and imaginative journey through the seasons of arboreal life. . . . Hesselberth’s watercolor, acrylic paint, gouache, and digital collage illustrations use texture, geometric shapes, and muted colors to show a tree’s many appearances throughout the cyclical year. . . . . Diagrams of photosynthesis and the life cycle of a tree and a list of animals that rely on trees for survival provide further information on the final spread. . . . A fantastical view of trees and their place in nature.” — Horn Book Magazine
