By Brian Selznick
Scholastic Press, 2023. Fiction. 525 pages.
This book started with an idea from Steven Spielberg. The idea was to make a movie about nature from nature's point-of-view. Originally it was going to take place during the Devonian era before the dinosaurs, but the idea morphed and changed over time. Eventually, when it became clear that it wouldn't be made into a movie, Selznick got permission to make it into a book instead. That book became Big Tree. Big Tree follows two sycamore seeds, Merwin and Louise, living during the Cretaceous era, as they leave their mother tree and look for a place to live. It is a story about survival, where you plant your roots, and children finding a home. It also tells the story of plants throughout history; the past, present, and future, and the circle of life.
If you've read Selznick's The Invention of Hugo Cabaret, you know that although 525 pages sounds scary, Selznik has a unique style with ample illustrations followed by sparse text, making his books easy to read for even the most reluctant readers. The black-and-white illustrations are gorgeous and add an incredible depth to the story of two siblings who are lost.
Comments