Some Questions About Trees

by Toni Yuly

An utterly charming picture book that celebrates a child’s sense of curiosity about the world with playful yet thoughtful questions about trees—perfect for fans of Julie Fogliano and Ruth Krauss.

Do tiny trees dream of being big?
Do the tallest trees get lonely?
What part is the heart of a tree?

Follow along as a lively little girl explores the natural world, asking questions big and small. Filled with wonder and joy, Some Questions About Trees is a celebration of how children see the world.

Genres: Picture Books, Nature, Childrens, Storytime, Fiction

40 pages, Hardcover

Published March 22, 2022

About the author

Toni Yuly is the author-illustrator of the picture books Early Bird, Night Owl, and Cat Nap. After many years as a librarian, she now dedicates herself to designing, painting, and writing all day. Toni Yuly lives in Bremerton, Washington.

Reviews

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Do tiny trees dream of being big?”

This sweet, thoughtful book showcases a child’s view of the world. Curiosity and wonder can be seen in every question. My favorite was…

“Are trees afraid of the dark, or does the moon keep them company?”

The art uses lines and color sparingly, which make the questions and cuteness stand out even more.

A cute read that captures the awe of nature all around us.

Recommended.

[Heidi · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little girl takes the time to look at and appreciate the trees around her. As she does so, she asks questions such as, "Where do trees live?" and What part is the heart of a tree?" It's the illustrations though that make this book so joyful. The smile on the little girl's face as she plays in the leaves, the girl using a stethoscope on a tree to check it's heart and, my personal favorite, the little girl hugging a tree. The questions remind readers to think more deeply about the world around us. The adorable illustrations made me smile. There is much here for young readers and their caretakers to discuss together and enjoy.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is such a sweet and gentle read. A book about trees that is entirely composed of questions really seems to capture a child’s (or child at heart) sense of wonder. Love the sparse illustration style too.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

The illustrations are great, but the story is just question after question with no answers. It might spark some discussion, but you'd have to have a very patient group of kids to just wait and think about the answers since the book gives none.

[Sarah BT · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pair with Kevin Henkes Birds for a gentle, contemplative nature storytime.

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I want to like this a lot -- but it never quite takes off for me. And for the 4- and 5-year-olds I shared it with, it never settled in one place long enough to let them relax into it. To them, some questions seemed to have obvious answers (yes, that tree has tons of friends), while others never hit (a tree's heart?). Okay -- everyone loved the idea of trees being naked.

But here's the thing: I loved how this book let me suggest we write questions about things we wonder about. Some amazing writing came after reading this book. ("Why do people die when it's not there time to die," said a 5-year-old whose mother was killed last month. ulp. "Why do monsters don't know how to fold their blankets?" said a wild-spirited boy.)

I am also floored that no where in this book is an acknowledgement of Mary Oliver's poem!! ("Some Questions You Might Ask")

[Baby Bookworm · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review was originally written for The Baby Bookworm. Visit us for new picture books reviews daily!

Hello, friends! Our book today is Some Questions About Trees by Toni Yuly, a sweet and simple book about the mysteries of trees.

A child in a green dress peers out a window, wondering where trees live: on the earth where their roots connect, or in the sky, where their branches stretch? Each following question is equally pondering – what is the “heart” of a tree? Are some trees shy? Do tiny trees dream of being big? One thing is for certain: trees are marvelous mysteries, and ones that are wondrous to explore.

Short but cute. This gentle collection of childlike musings about trees uses simplicity in both story and visual style to craft a peaceful meditation on nature. Celebrating both trees themselves and our connection to them, open-ended questions like “When I plant a tree, are we family?” personifies trees in a way that inspires empathy while inviting to reader to consider what the answer might be. The mixed-media art is spare, utilizing white space and innocent character designs to fit the theme well. The length is good for a storytime, and JJ enjoyed it. This is a very simple book, yet manages to inspire some deeper considerations – and appreciations – for trees. Baby Bookworm approved!

(Note: A copy of this book was provided to The Baby Bookworm by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.)

Be sure to check out The Baby Bookworm for more reviews!

[Gabby Blankenship · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some Questions About Tress by Toni Yuly is a non-fiction children’s book for ages 4- to 8-year-olds. The book is about a little girl's curiosity about trees with open-ended questions and illustrations. This book is so cute, and I liked it more than I thought I would initially. The drawings honestly look as if they were drawn by children, but somehow that elevated the story for me. It feels intentionally done. The story is from the perspective of a child so it is fitting that the drawing emulates a feeling of youth and simplicity. The illustrations also pair well with the story when considering the curiosity and wonder that children have about the world and in this case trees. I think that this book would be very enjoyable for children, especially when reading with an adult. The questions are silly but would be fun to answer for children. For example, “Is fall when trees throw parties with leaves” is something that would seem silly to adults but could be something interesting for a child. The story is open-ended with no answers, so it allows and relies on the reader to interact and have a discussion about trees. I really liked that and think it’s a fun concept I haven’t seen used previously.

[Pamela · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love trees and tree stories. This one is no exception. The author only writes questions about trees. Some of the questions are whimsical while others are more science-based, but every one of them, paired w surprisingly varied illustrations though they all feature the some, simply drawn child wearing (usually) a fuzzy green sweater, invites readers to think and reflect on the trees in their life.

[Erin Buhr · Rating 4 out of 5]

SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT TREES by Toni Yuly is full of childlike wonder. It is a stream of thoughtful questions that remind me of walks with my children. The text is short and the artwork deceptively simple. This book lends itself to wonderful conversations and I also think it would make for lovely tree themed art prompts.

[SamSamSam · Rating 3 out of 5]

What I liked about this book: The pages were not visually overwhelming! I think this is a sensory thing for me, but I find books with very busy illustrations distracting from the story. Some of the questions were open-ended and would spurn great conversation!

What I didn't like about this book: The use of yes/no questions. If all the questions were open-ended, I would give this 5 stars.

[Elayne Crain · Rating 5 out of 5]

If there's one thing kids are devastatingly great at, it's asking probing questions. In "Some Questions About Trees," the questions form a meditation of sorts, and the straightforward illustrations and questions are anything but basic. "What part IS the heart of the tree?" you'll wonder. Small questions as big as the universe, for any-sized hands.

[Haylie Dillard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some Questions About Trees is a sentimental book about how a child is exploring/curious about our world. The child is asking questions about trees and why we have trees. We are able to read through the book and experience curiosity like the child was and maybe wonder what our world would be like if we walked around and thought of questions we might have as well.

[Reading Kittens · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's just questions. I guess that's the title but I didn't see it really as a celebration of curiosity. I think this book could benefit from some back matter on conducting discussions. I think the questions should be a little more realistic and interesting.

[Abbigail · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a sweet and heartwarming book about a girl who is curious about trees and if they have the same feelings and experiences as people. A great book- more a list of questions with sweet illustrations than a story- that subtly encourages empathy for nature (specifically trees).

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Questions reminiscent of a child's wondering voice make up the text of this book, and some of them pose deeper thoughtful considerations. Yuly's signature simple illustrations are a perfect accompaniment.

[Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

What part is the heart of the tree?

Does my favorite tree remember me?

[Syntha Green · Rating 4 out of 5]

This would be lovely for the right storytime

[Leova Manbhat · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet child's musings about trees.

[Ezekiel Rehn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Easy Read for kids

This book honors the relationship kids should have with our natural world. It foster a friendship with trees and a curiosity of their growth.

[Jeanine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Only questions, no answers - a tree themed "I Wonder..." game as a book!

Could be used for discussion about trees, getting comfortable asking questions, or hypotheses.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this! The sweet innocent questions and the beautiful artwork make me smile.

[A. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Picture books with random musings just aren't my jam. Probably a good fit if you're a more meditative reader?

[Lisa D · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it!

[Robin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Love the line illustrations so much!

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

a young girl considers how trees know when to do things and whether or not they have different emotions

[Edward Sullivan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A charming picture book following a lively, curious little girl as she explores the natural world, asking questions big and small.

[Pinky · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book of questions for trees to start you on your own tree questioning journey.

[Annie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A different way to look at trees. Are they on the earth or in the sky?

[Rebecca Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is sweet and thoughtful all the way through with a dash of heartwarming!