Sometimes all you really need is a blue sky and the shade of a tree. Imagine a soft breeze and a butterfly on your blanket. Add a friend (or a book) and a picnic lunch, and it's a perfect day.
We're all so rushed these days, that quiet moments like these have become a rare occurrence for many of us. And even if we are sitting under a tree, many of us still have a Blackberry or a cell phone in our hands. These tools can be a blessing and a curse.
Anyway, the great thing about books is that you can enjoy them from anywhere (yeah, even from your cell phone, but it's not the same as a real book). Books have the power to take you to different places and time periods, and they can offer you a temporary escape from reality.
Such is the case with Sky Tree, by Thomas Locker. This author/painter has so beautifully intertwined science with art in yet another masterpiece of a picture book. A single tree changes from season to season, and Thomas Locker captures beauty and wonder in each transformation.
This book will help your child to appreciate how simple, yet mysterious, nature can be. It's a great book for Earth Day, because it shows us how nature is larger than us, and is something we must all respect.
Thomas Locker uses poetic words, and poses a question at the bottom of each page. The first time through, I would ignore the questions. But on a second read, if you and your child think about a few of the questions, you might be surprised at where the conversation might lead. The questions are then addressed at the end of the children's book.
Great follow up activities range from the drawing and painting of a special tree to the actual planting of a tree. Hey, your child might even want to climb a tree!
Join me in celebrating Earth Day (April 22), and the wonder of nature, with Sky Tree.
