The Girl Who Talked to Trees

LoveReading4Kids Says

Longlisted for the UKLA Book Award 2023 ages 7-10

Olive is an eleven-year-old who is very shy and finds talking to people overwhelming – but she loves her old oak tree and can talk to the trees. Of course, her family struggle to understand this relationship with her 400-year-old oak tree – even whilst encouraging her to have human friends.

When her father, Sir Sydney, decides he needs a new summerhouse to impress his friends(!) it is Olive’s oak tree that is threatened. This means Olive must speak up in defence of her tree – because everyone is so shocked to hear Olive speak her father gives her the day – 7 hours – to come up with something ‘more impressive’.

This is the start of the wonderful exploration – aided by a great deal of tree magic – of the history of the trees in the park – one tree per hour in the day. Each has a full and engrossing story to share, each looking at a small part of their history. This book is a delight, with a sense of a series of fairy tales, but very grounded in the modern concerns of the world and the care we need to take of our planet. The illustrations are beautiful – full of colour and detail, whilst also sharing details of the seven trees focussed on in colourful, informative double page spreads at the start of each chapter.

This is a book for nature lovers, devotees of fairy tales, and people who want a beautiful book to treasure – I am sure this is going to be a big hit with readers of all ages.

Tricia Adams

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