The Child And the Tree: A Tale for Better Times

2024 Skipping Stones Honor Awards

In her morning exploration, a curious child discovers a little tree in the middle of a desert. So begins a tender friendship that finds delight in simplicity and wonder while both the child and tree learn and grow. In an unexpected twist, a storm uncovers parts of the ancient tree that were hidden under the sand. After the child succeeds in planting a new little forest -with the tree's guidance- their sweet adventure comes to an end when the child's family needs to leave.

A moving ode to natural beauty and the wisdom of our truest nature, this heartwarming story invites us to see the world from a new perspective and from a unique place. Interwoven in the fiction are some facts about the care of trees in unlikely circumstances, revealing an ever-present hope for survival.

Beautifully depicted in colorful illustrations and lyrical text, social and environmental awareness come together in a story that touches on migration, resilience, forest regeneration, and individual empowerment.

An ideal book for everyone who loves trees and hopes for better times!

Perfect for fans and frenemies of:

• The Giving Tree
• The Lorax

Perfect for fans of:

• WALL-E
• Peter Wohlleben's The Hidden Life of Trees and Peter and the Tree Children
• Sir David Attenborough's Life on Earth series

Great for parents and teachers looking for:

• children's books about trees and appreciation of nature
• picture books about children's migration, resilience, and empowerment

A Spanish language version, Alma Semilla, is also available.

FREE downloadable materials include the list 365 Hugs for the Planet, coloring pages, and a teaching guide.

Nohra is a Colombian indie author living in the United States. She holds degrees in Psychology and Modern language teaching. Nohra loves books, trees, and dance. Among others, she has been a lecturer, tutor, NGO project manager, au pair, homeschooler, immigrant, volunteer, and literacy promoter. For more than two decades, she has translated and edited books. She lives with her family in Connecticut near the shore.

Ruben Rodriguez is the Director of the Yale School of Music - Music in Schools Initiative, New Haven. He studied trombone performance at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et Danse de Lyon, and received his Master in Music from the Yale School of Music. For more than 30 years he has been performing, teaching, coaching, conducting ensembles, and promoting music education around the world. He has created and coordinated several artistic projects in underprivileged communities bringing music into the lives of thousands of children. He lives in Connecticut with his wife and three sons.