Big Tree

We read Big Tree by Brian Selznick during our forest unit, and it was one of those books that completely surprised me—in the best way. I wasn’t expecting it to feel so emotional, or to open up so many quiet little conversations with my daughter. But it did.

The whole book follows two tiny sycamore seeds, Louise and Merwin, as they’re sent out into the world. They don’t know where they’ll land. They don’t even know if they’ll survive. And somehow, that uncertainty felt so real to both of us. There’s something so honest in the way the story shows fear and hope living side by side. It reminded me of how often kids face things that feel big and unknown, and how brave they are just for showing up to it all.

The illustrations are so beautiful—dreamy and moody in a way that makes you stop and stare. And the story itself is filled with little moments that just settle into you. It talks about nature, and connection, and how even the tiniest creatures are part of something bigger. There’s a lot of science woven into it, but it never feels like a lesson—it feels like wonder.

And I love that. I love when books trust kids to think deeply, to ask big questions, and to sit with quiet things.

It’s definitely a slower book, not flashy or silly, but it stayed with us. We kept talking about it days after we finished. It’s one of those stories that opens up a little more every time you read it.

If you’re doing a forest or nature unit, it’s perfect. But even if you’re not—it’s just a beautiful read. A little haunting, a little hopeful, and full of soft, important truths. We’ll definitely come back to it again.