Children need to be sensitive to the part trees play in our world, especially now, in view of their role in carbon capture. Here is a mixture of books , some where the focus is on nature itself and others that are more imaginative stories. But all strongly feature trees, will read aloud well and provide plenty to talk about.
Tree Full of Wonder by Anna Smithers and Martyna Nejman uses simple text and lovely illustrations to take readers through the changing seasons of a tree. It is essentially factual but with a narrative line.
Leaves by Stephen Hogtun has only a short text, but very interestingly presents the importance of trees from the perspective of a tree itself. Hauntingly illustrated by the author. One to come back to several times
Wonder Tree by Teresa Heapy and Izzy Burton provides simple information about the importance of trees through an owl mother explaining to her baby about their home.
The Girl Who Planted Trees by Carly Hart and Anastasia Suvorova is the lyrical and hopeful story of a girl who, through her own efforts, transformed a bare mountain landscape.
YEAR 1 / YEAR 2:
Picture books:
The Tomluc Tree by Trina Harris (Illustrated by Sarah Miles) is a about a boy who rallies community action to plant a tree for the future in a devastated area. A book with much of importance to say, through a wonderful story.
Wangari’s Trees of Peace by Jeanette Winter tells the true story of a Nobel Prize winning environmentalist from Kenya, a woman who inspired great change, and will inspire others. (Could also be used with older children.)
A Year Around the Great Oak by Gerda Muller is another book that takes the reader through the seasons of a tree, but this time with considerably more detail in both facts and storyline, complemented with beautiful, realistic illustrations.
And just as an extra:
The Boy Who Grew a Forest by Sophia Gholz, illustrated by Kayala Harren, is an American published book, but if you can get hold of it, it is another inspirational true story and has the advantage of being set in India, a contrast of culture, showing that the growing of trees is a universal issue. (Again this title could possibly be used with slightly older children.)
Chapter books:
The Owl Tree by award-winning author Jenny Nimmo is a slightly older book, but should still be available. It is an enchanting early chapter book about a boy saving what he comes to realise is a very special tree growing next door to his his Granny’s garden.
By contrast, The Girl Who Talked To Trees by Natasha Tarant, delightfully illustrated by Lydia Corry, is a very recent book. Not quite a chapter book, it contains wonderfully imaginative, interlinked, magical stories, wide-ranging but built around strong conservation messages and scientific facts. It will read aloud well for able Y2s, but would be suitable for older classes too.
(Practical tips and helpful suggestions for planning regular ‘Story Time’ can be found in the NOTES PAGES of this blog.)
