If I Were a Tree by Andrea Zimmerman

If I Were a Tree Reviews

• 
  Ms. B

  Those looking for some new ideas for poetry units will like this story in which a tree is described through the use of the five senses.
• 
  Krista

  "If I were a tree, I know what I'd hear. Far thunder's low growl, the hoot of an owl. I'd hear snakes in a hole, the sneeze of a mole, A rocky stream flow, the swishing wind blow."
  
  This book rhymes, teaches the 5 senses, and makes non-fiction fun to read!
• 
  Barbara

  With its repetitive use of the phrase "if I were a tree" and the lively imagination of the characters, this picture book is a 3.5 for me. In it, two siblings, a brother and a sister, join their parents on a camping trip. Inspired by the woods around them, even the trees back home and along the way, they imagine what it would be like if they were trees. how they would be and feel and what they would taste, smell, hear, see, love, and know. The text sweeps readers up in the wonder of nature and imagination, and while the words and images are certainly respectful tributes to trees, they also highlight imagination and dreaming of the wider world outside of this one small family. The last few pages remind readers that life will be filled with challenges and there may be times that are bleak and seem hopeless, but just as trees know that spring, new life, and rebirth will come, so should humans take comfort in that knowledge. The text caught me up in awe at all that trees are and can be, and the illustrations, created with traditional printmaking techniques and the use of Adobe Photoshop to fashion digital collages, are worthy tributes to trees with all their greenery and the homes they provide for various species. And of course, the gentle reminder at the end offers encouragement during those dark times. Obviously, this picture book can be read on several levels, and it would be an excellent read aloud choice for various times of the year, even the first day of class or as part of a science lesson.
• 
  Debra

  Many elementary school teachers teach basic science and that includes trees and our senses. This book allows students to put words to the senses we know in regard to nature. The siblings in this book relish in camping with their family and they imagine what trees sense. The text is predictable in that every other page is specifically about the tree's sensing of things around it. The illustrations by Jing Jing Tsong are remarkable! (She used printmaking techniques which allow for textures that are impressive and the copyright page says they were finished digitally.)
  
  There is such warmth and love for nature and all that lives in the woods, including insects. I very much loved the connection to our senses as there is truth to the magic and wonder we take in should we take the time to explore our surroundings. My favorite page is toward the end: "I'd know branches can bend, and cold spells will end..." with an image of mountains, water, and the family taking it all in along with a Bald Eagle and a whale. It is simply serene for me. Life is like that. Some seasons are hard, but it all ends and begins again. That spread is so hopeful, so beautiful, and I kept returning to it.
• 
  Linda

  In melodic text, Andrea Zimmerman tells of a brother and sister, camping with their parents, spinning a song about what trees "know", including "taste, hear, smell, see, love, and know". "If I were a tree I know what I'd see./Hills misty with fog, the life in a log." is only one terrific part. It's an invitation to look closely at all that you can discover when outdoors, plus there are a few more ideas in a double-page in the backmatter. Jing Jing Tsong uses mixed media to make the text even more beautiful.
• 
  Lauri Meyers

  In this rhyming book, a boy describes a tree and then imagines if he were a tree what he would be like. Then the poem takes us through each of the senses (“If I were a tree I know what I’d hear”). Finally, the story concludes with what a tree would know, sharing heartfelt statements “branches will bend” and “spring will renew.” Lovely illustrations. Backmatter about using the five senses to get to know the trees around you. (40 pages)
• 
  Dawn Foster

  Loved this new picture book by Andrea Zimmerman, the author of one of my favorite read-alouds, "TrashyTown!!" This is a great book for introducing environmental awareness to preschoolers. And, lots of fun rhyming words, repetition, rhythm & opportunities for discussion about what it's like to be a tree 🌳
• 
  Patricia N. McLaughlin

  Thoughtful, rhyming text and colorful, engaging illustrations lead a boy and a girl on a multi-sensory journey to discover the wonders of trees. Along the way, readers are introduced to the artful possibility that trees are sentient beings with consciousness, too. Endnotes contain multiple activities for using the five senses to learn more about trees.
• 
  Lupe

  We read this book during Earth Day week, and my students really enjoyed it because they made the connection to the "old lady who eats all the weird stuff." That made me laugh, and we talked about the book's growing pattern. This book's vocabulary is helpful for my younger students, especially as we go into the animal research unit. The illustrations are also reminiscent of Eric Carle's collages.
• 
  Lindsay

  A love poem to trees.
• 
  Julie

  Using all five senses to explore the wonder of trees. :)
• 
  Maggi Rohde

  The experience of being a tree, explored through the five senses and beyond.
• 
  Magdalene O’Brien

  The experience of being a tree, explored through the five senses and beyond.
• 
  Brandon Khan

  3.75
• 
  Jo Oehrlein

  Rhyming text with a repeating line tells about the world from a tree's point of view (as imagined by a kid) through the 5 senses. Also says what a tree would love and know.
  
  
• 
  Erin

  Imagine being a tree through using your five senses. A fun, rhyming look at the natural world.
• 
  Nicole

  Poetic way to look at how a tree encompasses all of life.
• 
  Erin

  Poetry, personification, creativity. I really loved looking at life through the lens of a tree. What might they see, feel, taste, etc. and there are fun tree facts in the back.
• 
  Rolf

  Beautiful art, but the text is pretty hackneyed, not really saying anything or teaching anything about trees. Also feels limited by its rhyme scheme.
• 
  bell1691

  It rhymes which is a plus. My son likes the sing song sounds of rhymes. I also like that it’s about trees, of course. Each page focuses on a different sense that a tree might hear feel see etc.
• 
  Zoraida Rivera Morales

  I want to read it again.
• 
  Joel

  Toddler said it was no good