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Call Me Tree: Llamame Arbol
In this spare, lyrically written story, we join a child on a journey of self-discovery. Finding a way to grow from the inside out, just like a tree, the child develops as an individual comfortable in the natural world and in relationships with others. The child begins "Within/ The deep dark earth," like a seed, ready to grow and then dream and reach out to the world. Soon the child discovers birds and the sky and other children: "Trees and trees/ Just like me!" Each is different too. The child embraces them all because All trees have roots/ All trees belong. Maya Christina Gonzalez once again combines her talents as an artist and a storyteller to craft a gentle, empowering story about belonging, connecting with nature, and becoming your fullest self. Young readers will be inspired to dream and reach, reach and dream . . . and to be as free and unique as trees.
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First published October 1, 2014
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 86 reviews
May 16, 2016
I think I can see what the author was trying to do with this book, but it fails in execution. The illustrations are beautiful, but the text doesn't really make sense as a cohesive story, even a cohesive story of growing. It seems like the author might have wanted it to be used as an adjunct to doing yoga with kids. However, it's not clear how this would be done with the book in its current form. There are much better books available for this purpose. I think some adults would enjoy reading this book to their children, but I don't think the children would understand or enjoy it very much.
October 16, 2017
The illustrations are glowing and warm, magical. The text is poetic and simple in a way that I found breathtaking and freeing. I loved this book. I'm a tree person, and this book is wonderfully resonant. I also loved the oblique treatment of gender. It seemed somehow amplified by being a bilingual book. I think those who think children won't "get" this book are simply not tree people. I would have loved this book as a child.
September 2, 2015
If I'm only thinking of the criteria for Luminarias, I have to agree with Michelle. I'd give it a 3.5, based on the lack of young child appeal. It is beautiful, in both text and illustrations. But I think the metaphors would prove too obscure for most K-2 kids. Older children could find a lot of poetic essence to revel in, if they were so inclined.
December 6, 2014
Beautifully illustrated with both English and Spanish text.
July 17, 2017
Sweet, Beautiful, bilingual book.
May 29, 2018
Poetic bilingual text and warm illustrations, lots of opportunities for movement and balance including the tree yoga pose
June 23, 2018
"All trees have roots / All trees belong."
October 28, 2021
Besides the pictures being outstanding, this book offers a beautiful look into the life of a young boy. The poetry and flow of the young boys dreams, creates a synergy that gives the reader a new perspective. The story is told in both English & Spanish creating a commonality between the two languages. I think this gives the reader the idea the two languages are one in the same. This idea is needed for readers struggling to see themselves in texts. Creating a synergy of cultures, allows an English speaker & a Spanish speaker to join together in the story.
The placement of the text also adds to the connectedness between languages. It's important for readers to experience something different when they read. Experiencing another persons language can be exciting and can enlighten the reader. The hopeful message also gives the reader the idea that this character dreams and his dreams are shared by others with different languages and cultures. What a great way for young students to experience a new language!
The placement of the text also adds to the connectedness between languages. It's important for readers to experience something different when they read. Experiencing another persons language can be exciting and can enlighten the reader. The hopeful message also gives the reader the idea that this character dreams and his dreams are shared by others with different languages and cultures. What a great way for young students to experience a new language!
February 25, 2021
Bilingual text throughout the story and colorful illustrations. This would be fun for Music and Movement Storytime. Lots of extension activities are possible with this book.
March 25, 2021
Reverence for trees & nature, calming/meditation/yoga, poetic, bilingual... this delightful book hits a lot of buttons and should be in lots of libraries. I certainly enjoyed it.
May 6, 2015
Call Me Tree/Llámame árbol, by Maya Christina Gonzalez is a beautiful book that manages the unique achievement of being gender neutral. This book is about a child who embodies nature by becoming a tree. The poetry carries the reader through the child’s imagination, from growing into a tree to the discovery of other diverse children-trees, and includes a metaphorical message that suggests all trees, like all people, belong in the world.
The book has received a lot of attention for its non-gender specific protagonist. This was a very deliberate decision made by the author. In an interview with The Huffington Post, Gonzales stated “By being gender free, Call Me Tree provides for some a much needed break from the constant boy-girl assumptions and requirements. It can also provide a moment to pause and consider those assumptions, requirements and their impact.”
She went on to describe how a strict gender binary in our society can have devastating effects on children who are developing their identity. “Gender nonconformity is one of the leading causes of bullying and can have long lasting, even tragic consequences. By beginning early and sharing age appropriate books that help kids see through gender assumptions, gender creative kids can relax and trust that they are perfectly natural and valuable.” Having a non-gender specific protagonist opens up the possibility that it’s ok not to know the gender of a child, and thus the book creates a safe space where people can be themselves and still fit in no matter what.
Apart from the progressive gender-neutral message, what we found to be most valuable about the book is that it can allow students to feel a simultaneous connection to nature and their community. This will hopefully lead readers to feel inspired to embrace their own individuality, while seeing commonalities between themselves and others at the same time.
We view the book as a good tool for multicultural teaching not simply for its bilingual format but because it supports positive lessons related to acceptance, equality, and diversity. That the text is in poetry form lends to the celebration of nature in a beautiful way, and allows it to be used in classroom activities that relate to poetry.
To read our full review including links to classroom resources, visit the Vamos a Leer blog at http://tiny.cc/vamosaleer
The book has received a lot of attention for its non-gender specific protagonist. This was a very deliberate decision made by the author. In an interview with The Huffington Post, Gonzales stated “By being gender free, Call Me Tree provides for some a much needed break from the constant boy-girl assumptions and requirements. It can also provide a moment to pause and consider those assumptions, requirements and their impact.”
She went on to describe how a strict gender binary in our society can have devastating effects on children who are developing their identity. “Gender nonconformity is one of the leading causes of bullying and can have long lasting, even tragic consequences. By beginning early and sharing age appropriate books that help kids see through gender assumptions, gender creative kids can relax and trust that they are perfectly natural and valuable.” Having a non-gender specific protagonist opens up the possibility that it’s ok not to know the gender of a child, and thus the book creates a safe space where people can be themselves and still fit in no matter what.
Apart from the progressive gender-neutral message, what we found to be most valuable about the book is that it can allow students to feel a simultaneous connection to nature and their community. This will hopefully lead readers to feel inspired to embrace their own individuality, while seeing commonalities between themselves and others at the same time.
We view the book as a good tool for multicultural teaching not simply for its bilingual format but because it supports positive lessons related to acceptance, equality, and diversity. That the text is in poetry form lends to the celebration of nature in a beautiful way, and allows it to be used in classroom activities that relate to poetry.
To read our full review including links to classroom resources, visit the Vamos a Leer blog at http://tiny.cc/vamosaleer
October 21, 2014
This poetic picture book combines a celebration of trees with one of human diversity. A boy starts to grow under the earth, reaching his arm up to break the surface of the ground. His arm and fingers becomes a trunk and branches and soon he too is up in the air next to his tree. Just as trees have freedom, so does he. Just as each tree is different from another, he is different from the other people too. Yet they all have roots and they all belong on the earth and in the world.
This very simple book is written like a free verse poem in both English and Spanish, closely tying biodiversity to human diversity in a clever way. The connection of humans and trees is beautifully shown as well, in a way that ties each person to a tree like them. It’s a book that is radiant in its delight in our connection to nature and the way that nature’s diversity reflects on our own.
Gonzalez both wrote and illustrated this picture book. Her illustrations are colorful with deep colors that leap on the page. The characters on the page are bold and different, each with their own feel of exuberance or quiet contemplation or strength. Along with each different child, there is a tree connected to them that equally reflects their personality. It’s a very clever way to clearly tie humans to nature.
This book could serve as inspiration for children to draw their own personal trees that express themselves or it can be a lullaby to dreams of blue skies and green leaves. Appropriate for ages 3-5.
This very simple book is written like a free verse poem in both English and Spanish, closely tying biodiversity to human diversity in a clever way. The connection of humans and trees is beautifully shown as well, in a way that ties each person to a tree like them. It’s a book that is radiant in its delight in our connection to nature and the way that nature’s diversity reflects on our own.
Gonzalez both wrote and illustrated this picture book. Her illustrations are colorful with deep colors that leap on the page. The characters on the page are bold and different, each with their own feel of exuberance or quiet contemplation or strength. Along with each different child, there is a tree connected to them that equally reflects their personality. It’s a very clever way to clearly tie humans to nature.
This book could serve as inspiration for children to draw their own personal trees that express themselves or it can be a lullaby to dreams of blue skies and green leaves. Appropriate for ages 3-5.
December 1, 2016
Call Me Tree or Llamame Arbol is a children’s book written by Maya Christina Rodriguez. The story is of a child who says that they are like a tree, growing and living free. The child does not use gender specific pronouns, or other gender specific words, and exists outside the ideas of gender, and exists as they are…like a tree.
Something I really enjoyed about this story was the colorful artwork, and the message about individuality and respecting someone and how no matter where we “grow” and how different we may seem we are all deep down the same.
Another thing I really enjoyed was the fact that this book was written both in English and in Spanish, that way in my future classroom I can use this as a way to help any primarily Spanish speaking students work on their English, and help my native English speaking students learn Spanish.
Here is the Lee and Low website to find out more about this book.
https://www.leeandlow.com/books/2866
As a classroom connection I would have the students create a cultural X-ray.
Something I really enjoyed about this story was the colorful artwork, and the message about individuality and respecting someone and how no matter where we “grow” and how different we may seem we are all deep down the same.
Another thing I really enjoyed was the fact that this book was written both in English and in Spanish, that way in my future classroom I can use this as a way to help any primarily Spanish speaking students work on their English, and help my native English speaking students learn Spanish.
Here is the Lee and Low website to find out more about this book.
https://www.leeandlow.com/books/2866
As a classroom connection I would have the students create a cultural X-ray.
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November 28, 2019The book jacket says, "With this gentle and imaginative story about becoming your fullest self, Maya Christina Gonzalez empowers young readers to dream and reach . . . and to be as free and unique as trees."
Which I guess it does? I just felt like there wasn't any there there.
In the back matter, Gonzalez talks about falling in love with trees and writes, "I considered the trees friends and part of my world. And at times I thought of myself as a tree! I still do. Trees teach me so much about being free, being exactly who I am, everyone belonging, and much more. I like to see kids as trees. In the illustrations, I included some kids in the yoga tree pose." Which helped me understand better the pivot from the narrator-child likening themself to a seed growing into a tree (in a way that sort of worked for me metaphorically) to seeing lots of trees which were illustrated as trees/kids. (I am definitely too literal-minded for a book like this. No one is surprised.)
Which I guess it does? I just felt like there wasn't any there there.
In the back matter, Gonzalez talks about falling in love with trees and writes, "I considered the trees friends and part of my world. And at times I thought of myself as a tree! I still do. Trees teach me so much about being free, being exactly who I am, everyone belonging, and much more. I like to see kids as trees. In the illustrations, I included some kids in the yoga tree pose." Which helped me understand better the pivot from the narrator-child likening themself to a seed growing into a tree (in a way that sort of worked for me metaphorically) to seeing lots of trees which were illustrated as trees/kids. (I am definitely too literal-minded for a book like this. No one is surprised.)
May 6, 2016
Written and illustrated by Maya Christina González, she brings to life a book that is personal to her love of trees. Having spent time in Oregon and around nature, trees inspired her to be who she is and be free. This book illustrates just that, encouraging kids to be who they are meant to be. To bring out their inner curiosity and empower them to be free like the trees. Written in both Spanish and English, it will appeal to kids of all backgrounds. Her illustrations are diverse and kids can find some sort of connection in the illustrations, and if they like yoga, they might even recognize some of the poses the kids are doing!
Read
November 21, 2016Call Me Tree is a realistic story about self-acceptance and a celebration of staying true to one's self. I loved the the theme of this book also. This book uses metaphors to talk about how people and their characteristics are important and should not be shamed. Everyone is strong and is unique. I enjoyed reading this book because there was a good message for the students to follow. To connect students to this book, I will have them draw trees and connect it to how they are big and strong human beings. I will then also have them draw themselves and write some characteristics they have to promote themselves. This is a book for my diverse topic text set.
February 2, 2015
Using bold, bright colors and short, poetic lines, Gonzalez follows the lives of young children realizing their life potential is similar to that of trees. As trees stretch forth to reach out in all directions, so too can they reach out to others with their lives. The world around them consists of other children who want to make something of themselves in different ways and in different places. As the trees grow and change, so will the children. Read the rest of the review on my blog: https://shouldireaditornot.wordpress....
April 27, 2015
Here Maya Gonzalez shows her human affinity with trees, to be oneself, to be exactly who one is. Each page is filled with children close to a tree, ‘I reach and I rise”, one child says, standing, almost ‘being’ the tree. It too is filled with colorful, dream-like illustrations.
In the back matter, Maya writes a special letter to her readers, about her love for colors, the desert, rivers, and trees. Each one calls for at least a small connection to something personal, and connecting with nature.
In the back matter, Maya writes a special letter to her readers, about her love for colors, the desert, rivers, and trees. Each one calls for at least a small connection to something personal, and connecting with nature.
May 14, 2016
This almost seems like it would work well with the "Good Morning" yoga/stretching books out there - the little boy is dreaming of being a tree, and stretching and growing along with the words. Even when other kids are shown, it almost looks like they're doing yoga poses themselves!
The illustrations are vibrant, with lots of warm colours. My only qualm with this book is that the Very Young Ones won't grasp the metaphor - but the language of the text (both languages!) and the illustrations are lovely.
The illustrations are vibrant, with lots of warm colours. My only qualm with this book is that the Very Young Ones won't grasp the metaphor - but the language of the text (both languages!) and the illustrations are lovely.
October 11, 2017
I am so glad I ran into this book! It is very rare to see an non-conforming gender childrens books and even more so a book in Spanish as well with a hispanic protagonist! Maya Gonzalez did an amazing job writing a story about a boy growing in its own unique way just like a tree. The moral of the story was that just like every tree, everyone is different in their own way but they all are humans and come from the same roots but grow out to be themselves. I as well, like the message of self acceptance and self love, because we must love who we are because there will only ever be one of us.
December 19, 2014
Drenched in color and brimming with bilingual text that encourages growth from within as well as growth from without, this lovely book also pays tribute to nature and its inspiring trees. The story begins with a seed that grows, taking root in the soil, and then moving outward, ever outward. Given the longevity of many trees and the yoga inspiration from which the author draws, readers just might some inspiration for reaching for the sky from this book.
May 19, 2015
This bilingual poem celebrates the size, power, and grandeur of trees. The simple words are expanded upon in the colorful and imaginative illustrations. The young narrator is joined by more and more children as he continues to dream and imagine what it would be to become a tree. This is a great story for environmental or Earth Day purposes, as well as a story for encourage children to be themselves and explore who they can become.
September 1, 2015
Gorgeous illustrations, nice inclusion of multicultural children throughout. Lyrical sounding poetry. Great 'grown up appeal.'
However, it's kind of a boring story. I doubt this will have much kid appeal. Unless...you use this as part of a poetry unit for 2-5th graders. Even so, it's more of a curriculum connection than something a child will pick up for an independent reading selection.
However, it's kind of a boring story. I doubt this will have much kid appeal. Unless...you use this as part of a poetry unit for 2-5th graders. Even so, it's more of a curriculum connection than something a child will pick up for an independent reading selection.
September 3, 2015
Like Maya Christina Gonzalez' previous books, the art is fanciful and beautiful and should certainly be considered for a poetry collection. I am looking for more "punch" for inclusion on the Luminarias list
March 10, 2017
"All trees have roots/All trees belong" An uplifting book about a little boy understanding his place in the world. Gently progressive and accompanying English/Spanish text make it a great addition to the bookshelf of a preschool reader.
April 9, 2017
The illustrations were amazing - they made me feel like I was there. I absolutely loved seeing the kids in the yoga pose “tree” - it’s one of my favorites. The Spanish translation was great to have also. Fantastic!
May 2, 2017
I adored the illustrations in this bilingual picture book. The message "plot?" was perhaps too poetic/metaphoric (in my opinion) for young readers- but, of course, who can argue with how awesome trees are?
January 2, 2018
Love this beautifully illustrated, bilingual book. Deeply appreciate that there is no use of pronouns and no gender assigned or assumed about the main character. The metaphor between children and trees is poetic and meaningful. This book is one of a kind and a gift we treasure.
April 22, 2018
Beautiful, swirly illustrations.
The characters are children, and the book is about how they are like trees. But there's a lot that you could read as the characters actually being trees.
Pretty repetitive.
The characters are children, and the book is about how they are like trees. But there's a lot that you could read as the characters actually being trees.
Pretty repetitive.
October 8, 2014
ARC supplied by publisher via Edelweiss
Displaying 1 - 30 of 86 reviews