Book Description
for Only a Tree Knows How to Be a Tree by Mary Murphy
From Cooperative Children's Book Center (CCBC)
Birds build nests for homes. / They sing different songs, / and their babies hatch from eggs. / Best of all, / they can fly. / Only a bird knows / how to be a bird." It's not just a bird, but a tree, a dog, fish ... water, the earth ... all of these living things are unique to themselves, and different from one another. They're also different from others like them-other trees, and birds, and fish, and dogs, and cats and ... you get the picture. Young listeners and readers will, too. Every creature is unique, and an expert at being themselves. People are too, of course, even though there are billions of us. "Only I know how to be me. / And only you know how to be you." This affirming message spins out in a gentle, rhythmic narrative paired with cheerful spot and occasional full-page illustrations showing many types of human diversity among the simplified figures of animals and people. Bright white pages form the backdrop for the hand-lettered text and most of the boldly colored art. (Ages 3-7)
CCBC Choices 2021. © Cooperative Children's Book Center, Univ. of Wisconsin - Madison, 2021. Used with permission.