Leave the Trees, Please

Leave the trees, please. Because the trees work with the breeze to put all living things at ease. This beautiful book passionately celebrates how important trees are to the world.

Based on a poem by the much-loved, much-missed poet Benjamin Zephaniah, the words remind us that trees are long-lived, trees make oxygen, and millions of animals make homes in trees. Meanwhile, the gorgeous green-and-red-toned illustrations by Melissa Castrillon show us the centrality of one particular tree in one particular boy’s life. We watch him play near the tree and grow up to campaign to save it, along with his own child.

The pictures also depict the details of roots, branches, and leaves in glorious, vibrant colours, meaning that this is a visual feast to pore over.

The text is lovely to read aloud, as it speaks directly to the reader and the rhyming refrain pulls you through, while there is lots to discuss in the illustrations.

This is one to share with pre-schoolers and children in the first few years of school.