Hello, Tree

by Ana Crespo, Dow Phumiruk (Illustrations)

Inspired by the 2013 Black Forest fire and told from the viewpoint of a tree watching its home destroyed, Hello, Tree is about the kinship between humans and nature, and preservation of the environment.

It was a swallow who called it first.
“Fire’s coming!”
And the animals ran away.
Even the insects tried to flee.
The girl and her family left, too.
All I could do…was wait.
 
When a wildfire comes roaring into the forest, all the animals and humans flee. But all the tree can do is wait. Wait until many days and nights pass. Wait until the fire loses the battle. And wait until the forest is still before the forest can be reborn and the animals and the girl can come back.

 

Genres: Picture Books, Nature, Childrens, Science, Friendship, Environment

40 pages, Hardcover

First published September 14, 2021

About the author

Ana Crespo would much rather live life as a nomad, moving to different places every couple of months or so. Not possible. So, Ana spends her summers traveling through the United States, camping, visiting friends, and getting to know some of the most beautiful places around. When Ana is traveling, she is gathering material for new and exciting stories. When she’s not traveling, she is writing. No matter where she is, Ana is lucky to have a career that allows her to keep imagining way beyond her childhood years.

Ana is originally from Brazil but lives in beautiful Colorado with her husband and two children.

Reviews

[Darby Karchut · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, this book really tugged at my heart. I loved the way author Ana Crespo wove the roles of all the folks involved, from the residence of the neighborhood to the firefighters to the volunteers planting new seedlings into the story. The author did a wonderful job showing the cycle of re-grow. As always, Dow Phumiruk’s illustrations charmed the boots off me. My favorite delight she included was the little orange flag tied to one of the tree’s branches. The plastic slowly faded over the years, but it was still there even on the final illustration. What a powerful, hopeful story.

[Benson Shum · Rating 5 out of 5]

HELLO TREE by Ana Crespo and Dow Phumiruk is a beautiful story that takes us on a journey and viewpoint of a tree watching as the 2013 Black Forest fire came through. A story nature, friendship and preservation of our environment. Every word from Ana’s text had so much life to it, and you can really feel how the tree felt. Dow’s illustrated breathe so much life and hearts into every page. And a wonderful book about growth.

[June · Rating 4 out of 5]

More of a 3.5, but I rounded up because of the number of forest fires that occur these days.

A tree tells about its friendship with a girl and surviving the Black Forest fire of 2013.

[Sandy Brehl · Rating 5 out of 5]

With a lyrical voice and connection to a loving family, this survivor tree reveals the horror of wildfire, public service communities, and spans time across years, seasons, and generations.
A spread of back matter describes the stages and elements of nature and wildfire that are portrayed in the fictional story. Beautifully told and illustrated.

[Margaret]

It seems as though autumn has stalled. Mother Nature does not want to replace milder temperatures with bitter cold. There have been the typical wild winds and torrents of rain, but the trees are clinging to their green and their leaves. The annual burst of oranges, reds, and yellows have only recently been on display. In the last two days, finally, the leaves have blanketed yards, sidewalks, and streets. The familiar swish and crunch now follow you when walking through neighborhoods.


The majestic trees lining roads and populating nearby forests are getting ready to rest. It is in times like this gratitude for trees is, or should be, foremost in our minds. With respect to those trees lost this year in wildfires, we must not forget the impact on us and the fauna and flora in those woodlands. Hello, Tree (Little, Brown and Company, September 14, 2021) written by Ana Crespo with illustrations by Dow Phumiruk, inspired by the 2013 Black Forest fire, speaks through the voice of a tree about tragedy and hope.


My full recommendation: https://librariansquest.blogspot.com/...

[Michelle Andersen · Rating 5 out of 5]

HELLO, TREE, written by Ana Crespo and illustrated by Dow Phumiruk Ng, is an important book that deserves to be displayed in every classroom. As we watch so much of our planet being ravished by forest fires, this book educates the reader about the causes and effects of wildfires while still providing a sense of optimism. It doesn’t downplay the severity and destruction caused by fires, but it explains how a forest can recover and learn to thrive despite the devastation. The beautiful illustrations provide so much detail, and the colors make this book feel inviting and comforting. I highly recommend Hello, Tree to add to your collection.

[Patricia Newman]

Ana Crespo's spare text is filled with emotion as she shows the impacts of a devastting forest fire. In an unusual twist, the story is told from the tree's point of view. Dow Phumiruk's illustrations take young readers from the lush forest to the burned wasteland and back to rejuvenation. My favorite lines from the tree: "All I could do...was wait. Wait as roaring flames breathed smoke into the sky. And left only a single start to wish upon." I also love the human connection to the tree. Great back matter about the real fire upon which this story is based.

[Katelyn Aronson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Told from the perspective of the tree, this is the story of a little sapling who grows up alongside a little human girl (as it happens to live in her backyard). The tree recounts its version of the 2013 Black Forest Fire in Colorado, watching humans and animals flee, watching the sky fill with smoke, watching the rescuers come to defeat the flames, and finally, the regrowth of a forest over time. Phumiruk's art accompanies Crespo's text with a vivid depiction of rebirth and renewal after natural disaster.

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s amazing how few words were needed to convey so much information and emotion in this book inspired by a 2013 Colorado fire. This picture book is a lovely example of how both the words and illustrations can work together to convey all aspects of a story. The voice of the tree is simple yet profound. It is worth lingering on each page to take in all the details included in the illustrations, which also tells so much of the story. This book is especially timely in light of the rash of fires experienced by so many families in the western U.S., and it offers a message of hope.

[Erin Dealey · Rating 5 out of 5]

HELLO TREE is a poignant, comforting, and sadly, way-too-relevant story, told in the tree’s perspective of a destructive wildfire. “It was a swallow who called it first. ‘Fire’s coming!’” Readers young and old who are familiar with the “gray days and orange nights” of a firestorm will find hope—as the tree does-- in the signs of regrowth and reunion of dear friends. A must-read by author/illustrator team Ana Crespo and Dow Phumiruk.

[Lindsay Bonilla · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved that this beautiful story was told from the point of view of the tree. The tree's simple, childlike voice served the story perfectly -- helping the reader to truly feel compassion for nature. The moment when all of the people and animals are fleeing the wildfire but the tree has to wait, unable to go anywhere, was particularly moving. The sparse text and gorgeous illustrations combine to pack an emotional punch and to show just how important our connection to nature truly is.

[Sandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hello, Tree has so much heart. It is told from the perspective a a seedling who grows along with a girl, then survives a fire, and continues growing into a tall tree. The personification of the tree adds immediacy to the story, particularly during the fire, but also sensitivity and wisdom. Dow Phumiruk's illustrations are a beautiful match for Hello, Tree, adding warmth and heart and an extra layer of sensitivity.

[Sophia Gholz · Rating 5 out of 5]

A poignant and timeless story of perseverance and nature. This book is uniquely told from the perspective of the tree. Themes of friendship, loss, and rebirth are deftly woven into this lyrical text. Back matter and an author’s note add wonderful layers to the book, which is beautifully brought to life through the illustrator’s gorgeous colors and style. I highly recommend this for all bookshelves!

[Jami Gigot · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story is about the regrowth after a wildfire and is beautifully written from the perspective of a tree that survived. As a nature lover living in the Pacific Northwest near wildfires that have ravaged the land, I think this topic is immensely important, and this book deals with it a wonderful way that is full of hope. There is back matter at the end discussing facts about forest fires and the illustrations are gentle and sweet.

[JaNay Brown-Wood]

A poignant tale from the perspective of a tree, watching a young girl grow and watching the effects of wildfires on the forest around it. This is a story that will strike close to home for anyone who has been affected by wildfires. Phumiruk's gentle illustrations capture Crespo's words beautifully, softening a difficult concept that seems to be impacting more and more children and families.

[Jessie · Rating 3 out of 5]

About a forest, the ecosystem, and the human community around them recovering from a wildfire, told through a tree that survives the fire. This shows the stages of the forest recovery really well, and the backmatter calls out some of that detail as well as describing the associated human behavior (for example, working to prevent erosion after the fire).

[Yadhira Linares]

This was such a beautiful story. I loved how this book give us a point of view of the tree and the journey of what the tree when during the the fire. I think this would be a wonderful book to read when we get closer to talking aout nature or if another forset fire happens aroudn the area or that the kids know about and get curious about.

[Dawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story was written after a fire in Colorado in 2013. In the last 12 years and I'm sure into the future, there have been and will be many more fires like this. This story is told from the tree's perspective. It is really beautiful and would bring comfort to someone who has gone through a huge fire, I think.

[Elizabeth]

This was a sad but sweet story.

[Pinky · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story of a tree that survived a fire and grew with a girl, until she returned as a woman.

[Kifflie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A tree tells the story of how it grew from a sapling and how it survived a horrible wildfire. I thought these illustrations were gorgeous.

[Jo Oehrlein · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story of a fairly young tree that survives a wildfire (the nearby house doesn't) and what recovery looks like.

[Aliza Werner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wildfire and its aftermath from the perspective of the tree.

[DiAnne Warfield · Rating 4 out of 5]

Holt-Delhi library PJ story time 10-09-2024

[Angie Quantrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Poignant tale of what happens in and after a big forest fire, which sadly are becoming commonplace. Hopeful despite the topic.