The Mother Tree

In this picture book celebrating the power that even the smallest of us have to protect the natural world, a kid saves the most important tree in the forest from being chopped down.

“The mother tree feeds the younger trees through their roots,” Momma explains to Sadie on their morning walk. They’ve arrived at Sadie’s favorite tree: a mother tree, an ancient beech, with a trunk as thick as an elephant’s leg. Sadie is amazed by all the work it does in the hidden world beneath the soil.

But days later, Sadie sees an orange circle spray-painted on the beech. When Momma tells her this means loggers are going to chop it down, Sadie is distraught. Is there anything she can do to save her beloved mother tree?

Filled with lush artwork, this picture book is a moving reminder that, though healing our Earth will take time, standing up for one majestic tree is a great way to start.

Author Biography

Sybil Rosen is an award-winning novelist, short story writer, and playwright. Her debut picture book, Carpenter’s Helper, received two starred reviews; her young adult novel, Speed of Light, won the Sydney Taylor Award for Older Readers and was nominated for the Mark Twain Award. In addition, she is the author of Living in the Woods in a Tree: Remembering Blaze Foley, which was adapted into the movie BLAZE. Sybil co-wrote the screenplay with Ethan Hawke, who also directed the film.

Nancy Carpenter is the illustrator of more than sixty books for children, including The Great Stink by Colleen Paeff, a Sibert Honor Book; A Letter to My Teacher by Deborah Hopkinson, 11 Experiments that Failed by Jenny Offill, and Balderdash! by Michelle Markel, all of which received starred reviews; and Apples to Oregon by Deborah Hopkinson, an SCBWI Golden Kite Award winner. She lives in Brooklyn, New York, with her husband, daughter, son and dog.