The Tree of Life: A Lift-The-Flap Book about the Amazing Animals That Live in Trees Around the World

A lift-the-flap book about the animals, plants, and fungi that live in trees, written by pioneering tree scientist Nalini Nadkarni.

A single tree can be home to hundreds of different species. This joyous book highlights some of the best tree habitats in the world, with plenty of fun things for young readers to spot in each stunning illustration by Kendra Binney. After spying a creature hidden in the foliage they can lift a flap to learn more about it.

The book includes famous trees like coast redwoods and ancient oaks, as well as some species kids might be less familiar with–like the dragon blood tree of Yemen! They will meet swinging orangutans in the dipterocarp trees of Asia, witness elephants drinking from wells inside the baobab trees of Africa, and spy some sleepy koalas in the eucalyptus trees of Australia. The Tree of Life also looks at the importance of these giants on human societies, such as the Hindu festivals that take place among the roots of the Indian banyan.

By the end of the book kids will have a new-found appreciation for the role trees play in ecosystems all over the world.

Kendra Binney is a nature-loving painter whose artwork combines pastel washes and resin to beautiful effect. Her work has been published and sold all over the world, including An Arctic Story, A Coral Reef Story and A Rainforest Story.


Kendra herself spends most days in a small studio in Portland, Oregon. There she paints, daydreams, and paints some more.