Two new nice things for A Tree is a Community

Hi everyone,

KATE COSGROVE, who did the art for A Tree is a Community, just found us on a new BETSY BIRD list of books that Bird likes for various awards, and my editor, GRACE MACCARONE, found the title on a different list. The books on Betsy’s lists are not nominations. They are titles that she finds worthy of being nominated. However, Betsy is one of the most knowledgeable book people in the business so to be on any list of hers is a happy achievement.

In October, her list of picks for the 2025 Newbery Medal included A Tree is a Community so Kate, Grace, and I did a happy dance.

The first of the new lists is of contenders is for the Blueberry Award, which is chosen each year by the public library in Evanston, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. This is how it’s described. “Blueberry Awards are given to, ‘honor children’s literature that strengthens kids’ connections with nature and fosters action for the planet.’ Essentially these are nature and climate books with an eye to instilling a love of the natural world, as well as a celebration of those books that give kids an eye to a path forward WITHOUT instilling climate anxiety.”

Bird brags on Kate’s wonderful art and then goes on to say, “A poet-biologist takes a deep dive into the many critters, insects, animals, and more than live in a simply hackberry tree…his is 100% down to Harrison’s wordplay. I don’t usually do this, but listen to this: ‘That busy tree has MORE tree business. That tree she CATCHES dust in the air and SAVES water with her deep, strong roots. She HOLDS the soil from WASHING away and makes us feel COOLER when the sun, it LICKS all over with its HOT tongue.’ I dunno. This is just a hugely engaging bit of writing on a familiar topic, rendering it new.”

The second new list is Betsy Bird’s picks for best nonfiction picture books of 2024. She says, “If you’ve been following this series this month then you’ve seen me me talk about a lot of nonfiction picture books until now. This list takes the best of them, as well as a couple titles that don’t slot neatly into categories. I consider these the best of the best. The ones you cannot miss. See if you can find one you missed before now.”

I’m grateful to Betsy Bird for including A Tree is a Community on three of her lists and to School Library Journal for publishing her lists. Way to go Kate and Grace. I think this calls for another happy dance.