Tree: Seasons Come, Seasons Go
Peek-through Nature Series
What’s inside...
This beautifully illustrated picture book by Britta Teckentrup follows the life of a tree through the four seasons of the year. With peek-through pages, readers witness the changes in the tree and the creatures that live within it, showcasing the cycle of nature. Through a hole in the book’s cover, an owl invites you inside to meet a majestic tree and all its forest inhabitants during the changing seasons. With clever peekaboo holes throughout, each page reveals a new set of animals playing and living in the tree - baby bears frolicking in the spring, bees buzzing around apples in the summer, squirrels storing nuts in the fall, and finally the lone owl keeping warm during the winter chill - until another year begins. Children will love seeing a new set of animals appear and then disappear as each page is turned, and along the way they’ll learn about the seasons and how a forest and its inhabitants change throughout the year. Ideal for sharing up close, where little ones can get a good look at the pictures, this gentle, easy-to-memorize story of the seasons is a great fit for bedtime.
Series reading
Non-Sequential
Age
2-6
Length
24 pages
Text complexity
Discussion points
What did you notice about the tree as the seasons changed?
Which season did you like the best for the tree and why?
How do you think the animals felt as the seasons changed?
Can you think of ways we could help trees and animals throughout the different seasons?
Tip: Role play these questions
Encourage your child to describe each season's impact on the tree using their own sensory experiences, such as sights, sounds, and feelings.
Discuss the importance of each season in the life cycle of a tree and its surrounding ecosystem, and relate it to the cycles in our own lives.
Explore the emotions associated with each season, asking how your child might feel during each one and why.
Connect the story to real-life activities, like visiting a park or forest to observe trees and animals across different seasons.
Key lessons
Example Lesson: Understanding the concept of change
Explanation: Through the depiction of a tree experiencing different seasons, the book visually and narratively demonstrates how change is a natural and constant part of life.
Real-World Application: Children can learn to adapt to changes in their own lives, such as moving to a new place or transitioning to a new school year, by remembering how the tree in the story adapts to each season.
Example Lesson: Appreciation of nature
Explanation: The detailed illustrations of various animals and weather conditions encourage an appreciation and curiosity for the natural world.
Real-World Application: This can inspire children to explore the outdoors, take part in environmental conservation activities, or simply observe the nature around them with greater interest and care.
Example Lesson: Importance of patience and perseverance
Explanation: As the tree goes through the cycles of seasons, it demonstrates patience and resilience by always blooming again in spring no matter how harsh the winter was.
Real-World Application: Children can learn to be patient and keep trying in difficult situations, understanding that after hardship comes ease and renewal, similar to the tree's cycle.
Example Lesson: Understanding time and seasons
Explanation: The story uses the tree’s changes to teach about different seasons and the concept of time in a year.
Real-World Application: This helps children grasp the basic temporal concepts and the characteristics of each season, aiding their educational growth and everyday temporal awareness.