The Tree and the River
Age 3+
Picture Storybooks
A spectacular time-lapse portrait of humankind – and our impact on the natural world – from a Caldecott Honor-winning master of the wordless form.
For his latest feat of visual storytelling, the acclaimed creator of the Journey trilogy invents, in staggering detail, a familiar world layered with imaginary civilizations. 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.
Creators
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.
Reviews
[Aaron Becker’s] beautiful, super-detailed artwork is the perfect igniter of class discussion as children are empowered to think and decide where the story might go. […] Becker’s books are a breath of fresh air in a shouty market that is so often overrun with crude digital printouts […] As with the best illustrators, the more you look, the more you see. Another huge achievement.
The Times
Stunning, thought-provoking wordless picture book.
the Bookseller
I like this book as it is different, it has only pictures. It is nice to spot the tree and river on each page and see how they change when I turn the page.
Kids Book Reviews, Books Up North
This is a book to inspire conversation with young readers.
Books for Keeps
There is so much to admire in this epic picture book which rewards multiple careful re-readings in order to notice more of the details Becker has included. The buildings, vehicles and costumes do not belong to any particular culture and at times take on an otherworldly quality reminiscent of Shaun Tan’s The Arrival. This unfamiliar visual vocabulary gives a universality to Becker’s story. Above all, it is good to read books for younger readers which deal seriously with environmental issues but also convey a hopeful message.
Just Imagine
