Wow! Here we are at Perfect Picture Book Friday again!
Have you ever noticed how, when you have too much to do, time doesn’t just fly? It literally disappears!
But we can all slow down for a moment to enjoy today’s perfect pick! 😊
First, real quick, I’m thrilled to announce that the winner of last week’s giveaway of Gabi Snyder’s beautiful (and hot off the press!) TODAY is Rosi Hollinbeck!
Congratulations, Rosi! Please email me with your snail mail address so I can get the book out to you!
Now. Just wait ’til you see this book!
Title: Nell Plants A Tree
Written By: Anne Wynter
Illustrated By: Daniel Miyares
Publisher: Balzer + Bray, January 31, 2023, fiction
Suitable For Ages: 4-8
Themes/Topics: family/generations, nurturing, family tree (literally and figuratively), parallel story line
text copyright Anne Wynter 2023, illustration copyright Daniel Miyares 2023, Balzer+Bray
Opening:
“Before a grip on a branch
and a fall to the ground
and a scrape
and a leap
and a reach for the top,
before anyone finds out how high they can climb,
Nell picks up a seed.”
text copyright Anne Wynter 2023, illustration copyright Daniel Miyares 2023, Balzer+Bray
Brief Synopsis: Nell plants a pecan tree and tends it carefully until it becomes the center of her loving, intergenerational Black family.
text copyright Anne Wynter 2023, illustration copyright Daniel Miyares 2023, Balzer+Bray
Links To Resources: 12 Pre-K activities to teach about plants and seeds; if you were a tree, what kind would you be? Draw a picture!; 9 Family Tree Activities for Kids
text copyright Anne Wynter 2023, illustration copyright Daniel Miyares 2023, Balzer+Bray
Why I Like This Book: Everything about this book is gorgeous! The simple, yet beautifully told story, the lyrical language, the pen and ink, gouache, and collage artwork that makes Nell’s world look so warm, the way so many of the joys of childhood are captured around this tree is just entrancing. Nell’s tender care for her seed, that becomes a sprout, that becomes a sapling, that becomes a tree, which becomes her family tree in both the literal and figurative sense is a model for living and loving. (And as an added bonus, for writers this is a mentor-worthy example of how to write a really good parallel story line!)
I hope you enjoy it as much as I do 😊
For the complete list of books with resources, please visit Perfect Picture Books.
PPBF folks, please add your titles and post-specific blog links (and any other info you feel like filling out 😊) to the form below so we can all come see what fabulous picture books you’ve chosen to share this week!
Have a wonderful weekend, everyone! 😊
Susanna Leonard Hill 
In my opinion, one of the most beautiful books to come out of 2023!
Isn’t it gorgeous, CJ? So beautifully done!
The illustrations you shared are beautiful as well as the lyrical language. Thank you for this introduction.
You will love it if you get the chance to read it, Robin. It is so lovely!
I was able to request it through my library system. Can’t wait!
I love this book and agree that it was one of the best from 2023.
So glad you love it too, Maria! 😊
Thanks for sharing Susanna, Anne Wynter has such beautiful prose
She really does, Laura! As writers, we can all learn from her!
LOVE this one! Thanks for sharing.
So glad you love it too, Barb!
The illustrations are gorgeous. They draw you right into the book. Thanks for sharing.
Aren’t they amazing, Lori? They are so warm. They make you feel all the home and family the book is portraying!
Beautiful! I love the “Before” and going backwards to tell the story!
Isn’t it great, Angie? It is a masterful parallel story!
I love stories about trees – especially when they bear yummy nuts or fruits. And those first lines are absolutely enticing! Thanks for sharing this one.
It is so beautiful, Sue! It’s about the tree, and also about family and nurturing and love. Just lovely!
I finally got my copy and read it this morning. Oh my gosh! I love the language of this book! I do NOT want to return it to the library…
Isn’t is incredible, Sue? I just love it!
I love this book, the story and the illustrations! And it breaks the picture book temporal “rule” so brilliantly! Great pick, Susanna!
I know you reviewed this for PPBF quite awhile ago, Jilanne, but I love it so much I wanted to share it too! 😊
What a lovely book. It is absolutely charming, words and pictures. Hope to eventually add this book to my growing group of children’s books.
This one definitely deserves a place on your shelf, Dianne! It is absolutely beautiful!
I haven’t been so anxious to add a book to my collection for quite some time. We had an old oak tree in my neighborhood when I was growing up. I wished and wished we could plant one in our yard. This book reminds me of my love of that old tree. It’s still there last time I visited.the old neighborhood.
Both words and illustrations are beautiful. This a PB you will find hard to return to the library! Adding it to my collection! ❤️📖
This is such a wonderful book in so many ways. Thank you for sharing!
This is a new-to-me picture book. Hope to find a copy and read it soon – it looks gorgeous!
I love “before” books – our lives have so much backmatter!
I agree. NELL PLANTS A TREE has so many gorgeous aspects. I love the parallel that runs along the generational piece of this book.
Requesting this one! Love the parallel structure and the rich warm illustrations.