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The Tree and the River

Winner of the Yoto Carnegie Medal and Shadowers' Choice Awards for Illustration: A masterfully told glimpse into humankind and its impact on the Earth from Caldecott Honor recipient Aaron Becker
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( 987 ratings, 240 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
In The Tree and the River by Aaron Becker, readers embark on a wordless journey through time, witnessing a magical and changing landscape where a tree and a river anchor the scene. The book skilfully captures generations' stories with intricate illustrations as civilisation rises, falls, and renews, reflecting the endless cycles of nature and human existence.
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Format: Hardback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this engaging tale if you appreciate beautifully illustrated children's books that weave together enchanting storytelling with vivid imagery. This delightful journey through the passage of time and nature's wonders is perfect for sparking imaginations and inspiring a love for the environment in young readers.

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Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

A spectacular time-lapse portrait of humankind – and our impact on the natural world – from a Caldecott Honor-winning master of the wordless form.

WINNER OF THE YOTO CARNEGIE MEDAL FOR ILLUSTRATION AND SHADOWERS' CHOICE AWARD FOR ILLUSTRATION 2024.

For his latest feat of visual storytelling, the acclaimed creator of the Journey trilogy invents, in staggering detail, a familiar world layered with imaginary civilisations. Borrowing from multiple cultures and architectural styles to craft astonishing new humanscapes, Aaron Becker tracks the evolution of our species – and its toll on the Earth – through the fates of a lone tree and an enduring river.

River and tree bear silent witness over time as people arrive to harness water, wind, and animals; devise technology and transportation; redirect rivers; and reshape the land. Timely and ultimately hopeful, this wordless epic invites readers to pore over spreads densely packed with visual drama.

Fans of Journey, Quest, and Return will leap at a new chance to uncover sophisticated layers of meaning, marvel at intricate details – from holographic billboards to flying machines – and see our precious shared world through fresh eyes.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Aaron Becker's The Tree and the River is celebrated for its intricate and beautiful illustrations, which encourage thoughtful discussion and interpretation among young readers. The wordless picture book offers a fresh, detailed experience that invites repeated viewing to uncover new details, drawing parallels to the universal appeal found in Shaun Tan's work. Its themes of environmental awareness are lauded for conveying a hopeful message, making it an inspiring choice for children.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781529512946

Publisher: Walker Books Ltd

Format: Hardback

Date Published: 06 April 2023

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Walker Books Ltd

Contributors:

  • Illustrated by Aaron Becker

Audience: Children

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 21.0mm

Width: 128.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 270g

Pages: 32

About the Author

Aaron Becker started drawing picture books at the age of eight. After many years of practice, he published his first wordless picture book, Journey, which was named a Caldecott Honor Book, and completed the trilogy with Quest and Return. He is also the author-illustrator of the wordless picture book, A Stone for Sascha. Find him online at storybreathing.com and on Twitter as @storybreathing.

Also by Aaron Becker

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  • Journey
    A New York Times bestseller! A Wall Street Journal 20 Best Children’s Books of the Past 20 Years Selection A 2014 Caldecott Honor Book Follow a girl on an elaborate flight of fancy in a wondrously illustrated, wordless picture book about self-determination — and unexpected friendship. A lonely girl draws a magic door on her bedroom wall and through it...
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  • A Stone for Sascha
    This year's summer vacation will be very different for a young girl and her family without Sascha, the beloved family dog, along for the ride. But a wistful walk along the beach to gather cool, polished stones becomes a brilliant turning point in the girl's grief. There, at the edge of a vast ocean beneath an infinite sky, she uncovers,...
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  • You Are Light
    With a wondrously simple die-cut book, the Caldecott Honor–winning creator of the Journey trilogy brings his talents further into the light. This is the light that brings the day. Open this beautiful book to find a graphic yellow sun surrounded by a halo of bright die-cut circles. Now hold the page up to the light and enjoy the transformation as...
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  • One Sky
    Marvel at the sky in this meditative die-cut book, a follow-up to You Are Light and My Favorite Colour, from the Caldecott Honour–winning creator of the Journey trilogy. Its dawn begins in darkness. With hope we greet its light. Within the pages of this elegant book is the entire sky. Lyrical text moves readers through the day, from dawn to...
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  • Quest
    Aaron Becker, creator of the stunning Journey, presents the next chapter in his luminous wordless fantasy. A follow-up to Aaron Becker's Caldecott Honor picture book debut, Journey, this is another visually stunning, wordless adventure story featuring two friends and their magical markers. In the city park, the pair are startled by the sudden appearance of a king, who thrusts into...
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  • Return
    Aaron Becker, creator of the award-winning Journey and its stunning, celebrated sequel, Quest, presents the final chapter in his luminous, wordless fantasy. Failing to get the attention of her busy father, a lonely girl turns back to a fantastic world for friendship and adventure. It's her third journey into the enticing realm of kings and emperors, castles and canals, exotic...
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  • The Last Zookeeper
    A master of the wordless form imagines a futuristic Noah’s Ark in a luminous sci-fi picture book parable for our changing world. The Earth has flooded. The only signs of humankind are the waterlogged structures they left behind. Peeking out from the deluge are the remnants of a zoo, home to rare and endangered animals, survivors of long neglect. Tender-hearted...
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  • Survivor Tree
    Beneath the Twin Towers, a pear tree once stood.It still grows there today.This is its story.One September day, the perfect blue sky exploded. Dust billowed. Buildings crumbled. And underneath it all, a tree sprouted green leaves in its distress. Pulled from the wreckage, the tree saw many seasons pass as it slowly recovered far away from home. Until one day,...
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  • Journey
    Be swept away on an elaborate flight of fancy in this Caldecott award-winning, wondrously illustrated picture book about self-determination and unexpected friendship. The winner of the prestigious Caldecott Honor, and described by the New York Times as 'a masterwork', Aaron Becker's stunning, wordless picture book debut about self-determination and unexpected friendship follows a little girl who draws a magic door...
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  • The Last Zookeeper
    A master of the wordless form imagines a futuristic Noah’s Ark in a luminous sci-fi parable for our changing world.From the winner of the Yoto Carnegie Medal and Shadowers' Choice Awards for Illustration 2024 for The Tree and the RIver.The Earth has flooded. The only signs of humankind are the waterlogged structures they left behind. Peeking out from the deluge...
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