Only a Tree Knows How to Be a Tree

With a sure touch, this beautiful book shows every young child its special place in the world, and how everyone and everything is both itself and part of the whole


Only a Tree knows how to be a tree! But trees are just the start – everything and everyone is different and special. Birds, dogs, fishes, people – and our Earth itself – all have their own unique place in our world. And only you know how to be you. With a sure touch, this book shows every child its place in the world, and how everyone and everything is both part of the whole and special in itself.

"A superb book...showing how we all have a place in the world. A place that only we can uniquely occupy. The book is effortlessly inclusive and shows how we all are individual but part of a bigger whole."

"A wonderful book about what makes everything around us special and unique."

"Plenty to look at, enjoy and talk about. Nothing is too insignificant to celebrate here, from the tiniest creature to the entire universe. Share, pause, reflect and feel awe."

"A perfect example of how picture books can open young minds to big philosophical issues. Perfectly paced and pageset, this title will have universal, international appeal."

"The simple text has been hand lettered, and the painterly illustrations include interesting dry textures. Even though many illustrations include tiny details, this will work well for group as well as one-to-one. A simple message delivered effectively."

"All living creatures have a special place in the world in this extraordinary exploration of the concept of self for very young readers by Irish picture-book creator Mary Murphy. The simple narrative and joyful illustrations celebrating a world full of remarkable creatures, reminds little ones that we are all unique, and that we are the only ones who know how to be us."

"Understanding and celebrating similarities and differences are hallmarks of the book, brilliantly conveyed in simple hand-lettered text and cheerful pictures of animals, people, and the environment. A necessary purchase. Uniqueness of thought, personality, interests, and purpose is celebrated in this beautiful book."

"A delightful book that gives the reader food for thought while the gentle rhythm of its words work as music to the ears of babies and toddlers."

"This story about uniqueness and individual acceptance could be read and enjoyed simply at surface level. But what I think makes this book much more is it's a starting point for so much discussion and so much learning."

Mary Murphy is an author-illustrator who specialises in colourful, bold and simple images for younger children. She counts Dick Bruna and Tove Jansson among the authors whom she loved as a child. Mary studied Illustration and Design in Dublin and has an Advanced Diploma in Visual Communication. From 2007 to 2009 she worked in community arts projects in Guatemala. Published across the world, including Finland, France, Germany, Holland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Norway, Spain, Sweden and Taiwan, her many books include Mouse is Small, Good Night Like This and the I Like it When series, shown on TV's Discovery Channel. Mary Murphy lives in Dublin, Ireland.

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