Description
Illustrated by Jackie Traverse who is Ojibway, from Lake St. Martin First Nation. Author Danielle Daniel's journey into artmaking and book publishing has gone hand in hand with all she has learned—and continues to learn—about her Indigenous ancestry and her relationship with the land.
Twelve lyrical poems look at twelve different trees, from early spring to deep winter. In each poem, a child identifies with a feature of the tree — such as the smooth trunk of a birch whose bark has peeled away, the strong branches of a spruce that shelter small birds or the pink flowers of a cherry blossom that tumble like confetti. The poems provide an opportunity to learn about each tree, inspiring us to look afresh at the trees around us — whether in the schoolyard, neighbourhood or park — and get to know them better. In an author’s note, Danielle Daniel shares her belief, similar to her Algonquin ancestors’, that trees are sentient beings with much to give and teach us.
Danielle Daniel’s passion for trees is beautifully matched by Jackie Traverse’s paintings, which bring each tree to life. In the pages following the poems, children are invited to consider what different kinds of trees might mean to them.
Full colour throughout.