Bunny & Tree

by Balint Zsako

A gorgeous wordless adventure story about a rabbit and a tree, their surprising friendship, and the distance they go to find a place to call home.

Bunny and Tree first meet when the tree observes a ferocious wolf threatening the bunny and comes to its protection. From that moment on, there is a bond of trust between the two, which flowers not only into friendship, but amazingly, into a road trip adventure, when Bunny, who's looking for his rabbit friends, convinces Tree that it's time to uproot and see the world. Compelled by sympathy and a shared purpose, Bunny and Tree hit the road, becoming another tremendous and memorable picture book odd couple. Depicted in bright colors in a world of lavish skies and so much to see, Bunny and Tree share in wonder, adventure, misadventure, solidarity, and a sense of homecoming.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Fiction, Fantasy, Graphic Novels, Friendship, Animals

184 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 2023

Reviews

[Victoria Sanchez · Rating 5 out of 5]

*Jaw dropping as far as one's hinge allows.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Plus 5 more.

[Gina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enchanting, surprising - a revelation. I am a huge fan of any children's book published by Enchanted Lion Books.

[Libby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really gorgeous wordless story, really gorgeous art.

[Kari Yergin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely amazing! I knew that I fell in love with it but the test was reading it to 15 kids at story time many of whom I really don’t have a relationship with and 13 of whom or boys. They were enthralled. Gorgeous illustrations for this wordless picture book that is Super long and therefore very impressive to a bunch of four-year-olds who are not used to reading chapter books. Because I’m an adult, it took me a minute to interpret the “conversations” between the bunny and the tree, especially at the beginning.

[Abbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautifully illustrated book- no words.

[Robin Blankenship · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG, This book is beautiful. It is wordless but action-packed. I was enthralled.

[DaNae · Rating 4 out of 5]

The art in arresting, the story sweet and inventive. I know a bunny loving little one, I’m excited to hand it to.

Is it just me, are there an abundance of tree related children’s books this year?

[Peacegal · Rating 5 out of 5]

A rabbit looks for their missing friends with the help of a sentient, and amazingly talented, tree. Wonderfully creative and imaginative, BUNNY & TREE boasts beautiful artwork and an easy-to-follow wordless story that will captivate readers young and old.

[hay · Rating 5 out of 5]

i cried over a tree 😭🫶

[Elizabeth A · Rating 4 out of 5]

Blurb: A gorgeous wordless adventure story about a rabbit and a tree, their surprising friendship, and the distance they go to find a place to call home.

That blurb says it all. Lovely.

[Michelle M · Rating 5 out of 5]

While I don’t think that this book should “count” as read (since there are no words), I felt compelled to write a review. This book is filled with almost 200 pages of gorgeous illustrations. I picked this up at the library for my preschool class of 4- and 5-year-olds. My intention was to place it on the table for them to flip through at their leisure. When a student brought it over to share a picture with me, the words he shared had me in awe and I decided to share it with the class. For a half an hour, they were fully engrossed in the adventures this bunny went on with his tree friend. They made predictions, shared their ideas, used descriptive words I wasn’t expecting (that scary wolf is fierce!), and would not let me put it down until we made it to the end. We talked about epic journeys, friendship, selflessness, and courage. For a book with no words, my students had a LOT to say. The teachers thoroughly enjoyed this book as well, for both the subject and the breathtaking artwork. Highly recommend!

[Marcella · Rating 4 out of 5]

Een uniek boek waarbij je eigenlijk niet te veel moet willen vertellen. Ik zou je ook willen vragen om dit boek niet zomaar door te balderen, maar gewoon bij het begin te beginnen en dan door te lezen totdat het verhaal uit is. Als een theater gaat dit boek voor je open en leer je een konijn maar ook een boom kennen, het is een avontuur maar ook weer niet helemaal. Een prachtig voorbeeld van een tekstloos verhaal waarbij toch zoveel gezegd wordt.

[Ami Schroder · Rating 5 out of 5]

My students and I loved this big beautiful wordless book. We also had a debate about whether this counted as “reading”! For the record I said it did- it’s a story and you are capable of retelling it therefore you read it!

[Elaina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very unique book! I spotted this in my library I work at because someone put it on hold, and I decided to check it out. An interesting and different way of telling a story, but I enjoyed it!

[Alice Ball · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exceptional, curious, filled with warmth and connection.

[Aolund · Rating 5 out of 5]

A magical, chapter-book-sized wordless picture book about the friendship between a bunny and a tree who go off together in search of the bunny's family members and create a paradise together.

[Lilas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mooi mooi mooi

[Andrea Wright · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the most wonderful book I didn’t read!!
There are no words and the story actually made my eyes leak a bit.
I must own a copy for myself ❤️📖

[Michelle Abel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely beautiful. I had to hunt down a copy (found some in bookshop at Sydney Museum of Contemporary Art!). The simple power of the paintings in the story are delightful.

[tine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mooie vertelling van vriendschap. Ben benieuwd wat oudere kinderen hieruit interpreteren. 👀

[ThreeSonorans Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is definitely a one-of-a-kind book. It's a thick book, but it contains no words. Actually, it does, but it is in rabbit- and tree-speak. The rabbit is saved from death by the shape-shifting (this is key) tree, and in exchange the rabbit takes the tree on an adventure across many lands and oceans to a special place where the trees and all the rabbits live together in harmony. The book, with its amazing art, speaks for itself without ever printing a word... it left me speechless.

[Kristen Lango · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect. Stunning, playful, and memorable. This one will stay with me❤

[Bill · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read more than a dozen of the books listed by the NYT (and probably some other listers) as the best illustrated books of the year. These are the ones I liked best.

This book has no words at all but the beautiful art is sufficient to tell the simple story of what the two title characters do for each other.

[Kelly Dienes · Rating 5 out of 5]

A thicc wordless picture book that I must have bought for the library on accident for some reason. Giving it over to the picture book collection, and I hope it is treated with the love and respect it deserves. A lovely little story about a bunny who is saved from a wolf by a kind tree. The bunny resolves to bring the tree home with him so it can meet his friends. Stunning art, I could stare at it for hours.

[Dolores · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful wordless picture book about a pair of unlikely friends and the lengths they go to in their quest to find a home.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wordless picture book told in nine acts with a prologue and an epilogue about the friendship between a bunny and a tree. It begins with the bunny being chased by a wolf and the tree scaring the wolf away by taking the form of a huge wolf. However, the bunny is now separated from the other rabbits. The bunny and tree go on a quest to find other rabbits and the tree helps by transforming to whatever is needed. Eventually they find other rabbits. Finally, by eating and digesting the tree's seeds, the rabbits are able to help in seeding more trees. A thoughtful story with a lovely circle of life theme for all ages!

[Fang · Rating 5 out of 5]

So good! One of my favorite. Graphic novel without words are the best! 🥰

[Kathryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the first book I am reviewing after running through my library and putting every shelf in a randomizer program on my phone. Each Friday, I let the randomizer pick piece of material for my TBR pile.

Last week it shot out, "Children's Graphic Novel" and "Z." I found this lovely book. "Bunny and Tree" is technically marketed and sold as a picture book even though it is certainly thick enough to be considered a graphic novel. (184 pages total!)

Recommended reading age: 7-11 years old but I definitely enjoyed it with my 12-year-old.

One sentence summary: A wordless adventure story about a developing friendship between rabbit and a tree as they find a place to call home.

The book has won a lot of awards too:
A Wall Street Journal Best Children’s Book of 2023!
A New York Times/New York Public Library Best Illustrated Children's Book of 2023
A New York Public Library Best Children’s Book of 2023
A Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books 2023 Blue Ribbon
A 100 Scope Notes Most Astonishingly Unconventional Children’s Book of 2023

Honestly, it is hard to find a con about this book other than my youngest was very afraid that the wolf at the beginning of the story ate all the rabbit’s friends. My kid is sensitive, and I haven’t exposed him to any German fairytales yet. Wait until he hears about the witch that boils children in her huge iron pot in the woods. He will never go camping again.

I do think what makes this book shine isn’t even the drawings on the page as much as it is the conversation that can happen between two people who are discussing the story. While there is a clear plot, there are a lot of questions that sort of bleed off of the page.

What do you think the rabbit is feeling right now?
Have you ever felt that way?
Is the tree being a good friend?
What would you do if you were the tree and saw someone in your forest suffering?

It really was a delight, and I would print off several pages in this book for prints that could be displayed in our family library.

Would I recommend: Yes!

[Sandy Brehl · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an exceptionally impressive wordless book for many reasons, not the least of which is the quality of the art and the final product. Colorful, full-spread illustrations are expensive to produce for publishers, especially with the large page size, excellent paper, and surprising length of this offering.With a range of tones and colors, from glowing pastels to shadowed subtlety, each sprawling spread incorporates the gentleness or intensity needed to share a glorious field off flowers or a seethingly fierce wolf. The cover image here gives you a sense of the story, as does the title. The length of this book (184 pages) is beyond rare for such a publisher's financial commitment to storytelling and to art. This is a visual storytelling of escape, assistance, need, challenge, travel, hope, and the power of such emotional connections between friends.
Throughout each reading, the short version of what happens is an epic journey, a nine-act story with prologue and epilogue. It seems both fanciful and familiar. RABBIT (with different-colored ears to foreshadow attention to color in images and impact) and its mates seek escape from a marauding wolf. Just as death is imminent, TREE reveals itself as having both empathy and unique abilities. Reshaping its trunks, branches, and limbs into the shape of a massive wolf head, TREE forces the predator to retreat. This is all in the the prologue. Each chapter reveals grateful RABBIT and caring TREE moving through helpful roles, balancing each other. All the while they discover places and experiences in a wider world that only bond them further in trust and awareness of the potential each offers. Their journey involves dangers and sacrifices, but this story provides the polar opposite of the Tree's sacrifice in THE GIVING TREE, a picture book both despised and cherished by readers of different opinions.

[Annisha Jeffries]

Balint Zsako's "Bunny & Tree" is a beautiful wordless picture book that tells the story of an unlikely friendship between a rabbit and a tree. Together, they navigate various landscapes and overcome obstacles.

What sets this book apart is its engaging descriptions and illustrations that vividly bring the world of Bunny and Tree to life. Each page is overflowing with color and emotion, capturing the threat of a wolf and the beauty of nature.

However, "Bunny & Tree" is more than a charming tale. The book explores profound themes such as the power of unity, the joys and difficulties of adventure, and the true meaning of home. Readers will discover the importance of trust, resilience, and the lengths one would go to for a friend through the companionship of Bunny and Tree.

Overall, "Bunny & Tree" celebrates life's unexpected twists and turns and the magic that can occur when two worlds collide. Whether reading it to a child or exploring its pages yourself, this book will leave a lasting impression and remind readers that true friendship has no limits.