In a tender celebration of family tradition, a little girl becomes an environmental steward to express her love for all things leafy and green.
Eve loves living next to a forest because it means being close to her favorite baobab trees. Doing her best to imitate them, Eve practices patience. She feeds and shelters birds, just as her beloved trees do, stretching toward the sky as if her arms were branches. Eve longs to communicate with the leafy giants she admires, and while she can’t become a tree, she can contribute to the beauty of the forest—just like her dad and grandma before her—by nurturing her very own baobab seedling. Thoughtful text, intimate illustrations, and abundant back matter gently introduce the concept of land stewardship and the joys of giving back. Ken Wilson-Max’s picture book companion to Astro Girl celebrates reciprocity while honoring our connection to our own branching family trees.
Ken Wilson-Max was born and raised in Zimbabwe and studied design in the UK. He is the author-illustrator of many children's books, including Astro Girl, and is the author of The Drum, illustrated by Catell Ronca. Ken Wilson-Max lives in London.
To accompany his sweet storyline, Wilson-Max crafts lush illustrations depicting the verdant home of Eve’s family in Africa as she spends her birthday receiving a very special surprise and undergoing a poignant family tradition: planting a baobab sprout of her very own. . . . . The book closes with tree facts to pique the interest of young naturalists, plus a hopeful note about the Great Green Wall in Africa. . . Young readers with a love for fauna will indulge in Eve’s birthday celebration as she grows closer to Mother Earth and follows in the footsteps of her family. —Booklist
A charming story that captures children’s curiosity about the natural world and their eagerness to be old enough to do the things they want to do. Illustrations drawn in thick black lines with beautiful washes of greens and punches of yellow, blue, and brown make for a warm and affectionate depiction of nature; readers will close this book eager to follow Eve’s worthy example. . . . A young naturalist’s delight. —Kirkus Reviews
Back matter shares tree facts, encouraging readers to do their part to be “eco kids” by planting trees and learning more about trees and their role in our world. Bright acrylic illustrations will appeal to young readers, and Eve’s enthusiasm for nature practically leaps off the page with close-ups and bold colors. —School Library Journal
The author, raised in Zimbabwe, tells of a little girl who looks after trees in the surrounding forest. . . A gentle lesson in traditions. —The Pioneer Press
In a tender celebration of family tradition, a little girl becomes an environmental steward to express her love for all things leafy and green.
Eve loves living next to a forest because it means being close to her favorite baobab trees. Doing her best to imitate them, Eve practices patience. She feeds and shelters birds, just as her beloved trees do, stretching toward the sky as if her arms were branches. Eve longs to communicate with the leafy giants she admires, and while she can’t become a tree, she can contribute to the beauty of the forest—just like her dad and grandma before her—by nurturing her very own baobab seedling. Thoughtful text, intimate illustrations, and abundant back matter gently introduce the concept of land stewardship and the joys of giving back. Ken Wilson-Max’s picture book companion to Astro Girl celebrates reciprocity while honoring our connection to our own branching family trees.
Creators
Ken Wilson-Max was born and raised in Zimbabwe and studied design in the UK. He is the author-illustrator of many children's books, including Astro Girl, and is the author of The Drum, illustrated by Catell Ronca. Ken Wilson-Max lives in London.
To accompany his sweet storyline, Wilson-Max crafts lush illustrations depicting the verdant home of Eve’s family in Africa as she spends her birthday receiving a very special surprise and undergoing a poignant family tradition: planting a baobab sprout of her very own. . . . . The book closes with tree facts to pique the interest of young naturalists, plus a hopeful note about the Great Green Wall in Africa. . . Young readers with a love for fauna will indulge in Eve’s birthday celebration as she grows closer to Mother Earth and follows in the footsteps of her family. —Booklist
A charming story that captures children’s curiosity about the natural world and their eagerness to be old enough to do the things they want to do. Illustrations drawn in thick black lines with beautiful washes of greens and punches of yellow, blue, and brown make for a warm and affectionate depiction of nature; readers will close this book eager to follow Eve’s worthy example. . . . A young naturalist’s delight. —Kirkus Reviews
Back matter shares tree facts, encouraging readers to do their part to be “eco kids” by planting trees and learning more about trees and their role in our world. Bright acrylic illustrations will appeal to young readers, and Eve’s enthusiasm for nature practically leaps off the page with close-ups and bold colors. —School Library Journal
The author, raised in Zimbabwe, tells of a little girl who looks after trees in the surrounding forest. . . A gentle lesson in traditions. —The Pioneer Press