The Not-So-Little Tree by Marcus Addison, illustrated by Sejung Kim

Title: The Not-So-Little Tree

Author: Marcus Addison, illustrated by Sejung Kim

Genre: Fiction

Publisher: Starfish Bay Publishing

Published: 5^th March 2025

Format: Hardcover

Pages: 40

Price: $24.99

Synopsis: A joyous celebration of life’s journey and the joys and sorrows of growing up, beautifully told through the metaphor of a tiny tree who longs to be bigger.

In this moving tale of friendship, nature and the cycle of life, a little seedling longs to be bigger. A big tree tells him to be patient, assuring him that one day, he will have his day in the sun.

Time passes, and through sun and rain the little tree grows. The little and big trees weather life’s storms side-by-side, until one journey is finally complete, and a new one is ready to begin.

The-Not-so-Little-Tree is a lyrical and life-affirming story of the joys and sorrows of growing up and the importance of being patient and enjoying the wonderous journey of life.

• An engaging story that explores the life cycle of a tree as it grows from seed to sapling, fed and nurtured by water and sunlight.
• A joyful celebration of the cycle of life, with all its joys and sorrows, exploring the impatience of the young and the wisdom that comes from experience.
• A life-affirming story of friendship, the relationship between young and old and wisdom passed down through the generations.

~*~

When a tiny sapling begins to grow in the middle of the woods, he longs to be as big as the trees around him so he can reach the sun. He wants to grow up, much like a child who wishes they were older so they can do things they’re not allowed to do at certain ages. Under the guidance of an older, and wiser tree, the small sapling is reassured that he will have his day in the sun, and that the sun and the rain will help him grow so he can reach this point. From there, the book follows the tree’s journey through life, and the storms that the trees get through together. Throughout the story, readers get to see the tree grow, making discoveries at each stage, and becoming the tree it wants to be, even in the face of losing someone familiar as the cycle dictates.

Each season brings something new, and the not-so-little tree, who spends a long time watching the other trees experiencing things he wants to experience for himself. And soon enough, he will. But there is much more to this story than meets the eye, because it is about growth and maturity, and becoming who we are using the metaphor of a tree who spends many years growing and watching the seasons and people go by. This exploration of the life cycle of a tree can be used as a metaphor for young children, to explain to them why sometimes are easier to do when they’re older.

It’s also a good way to explain the cycles of life, the joys and sorrows we all face, and what it means when things change, or people we know, and love are no longer in our lives. There is a sense of childlike wonder throughout this book as well, allowing the tree to grow and mature before its time to pass on the wisdom it has comes along. In doing so, this story shows how intergenerational communication works, and what everyone gains from it. It is a story that will appeal to and speak to all ages, and one that is perfect for older children and readers as well, due to its detail and longer sections of text that will be engaging for older readers.

I feel that this is a book that is going to have wide appeal, and that will have many messages for all readers in it.