The Tree and the River

The Tree and the River
by Aaron Becker
Penguin Random House, 2023
review copy from the public library
Full disclosure: I am NOT the Mary Lee to whom the book is dedicated!

This is a GORGEOUS wordless picture book. If it feels like Becker is painting from life, it might be because, according to the back flap,

“To prepare for the illustrations he first constructed a scale model of the book’s rolling landscape, which he then transformed with clay and wood over many months.”

At first, the story might seem like a tale of environmental destruction/dystopian future with a bit of a rainbow (literally) at the end. But look closely. Go back to the title page, to the first illustration. Look closely. You might see a different kind of long-term hope. For our planet. For humanity.