Raymond Huber is a children’s author, teacher, and editor, and was the Creative NZ-Otago University Writer in Residence in 2018. His work includes acclaimed picture books, (Flight of the Honey Bee and Gecko), junior sci-fi novels about bees, (Sting and Wings), and the young adult novel Peace Warriors. Raymond has also written many educational books. Raymond is donating half of his royalties of Tree Beings to the Goodall Institute, for their kid’s programme Roots and Shoots.
Sandra Severgnini owned an art gallery and retail store before finally deciding it was well and truly time to nurture her lifetime passion and focus on children’s picture books. Her fascination with the magical natural world around her inspires her words and brings sensitivity and humor to her illustrations.
Dr. Jane Goodall (foreword) is one of the world’s foremost primatologists and anthropologists. Through nearly 60 years of groundbreaking work, Jane has highlighted the urgent need to protect chimpanzees from extinction, and has redefined species conservation to include the needs of local people and the environment.
Reading for Sanity
“a beautiful tribute to all things tree, a poignant reminder of all they do for us, and an informative call-to-activism on behalf one of nature’s most important resources. I would recommend it to any reader, young or old, who wants to gain a greater understanding of and appreciation for all that trees bring to the table.”
Nexus Magazine
“The beauty and intrigue of this heavily illustrated book will appear to nature lovers of all ages”
The Book Monitor
“Incredible trees, incredible graphics. … This is a book where you will become engrossed in stories, facts and a future.”
Little Library Owl
“A wonderful and unique celebration of trees that will be sure to inspire young nature-lovers, fostering environmental awareness and a deep appreciation of the importance of trees.”
The Sapling
“This book is utterly enchanting. It’s somewhat unusual to find a children’s book with a foreword from the best-known primatologist in the world, Dr Jane Goodall, but I can see why she lent her name to this collection of true stories about environmental change-makers.” Click here to read more
Organic Gardener
“a delightful and enriching exploration of tree heroes and saviours that will appeal to kids and adults alike. It is exquisitely illustrated”
Kids Book Review
“For those looking for something extraordinary, full of facts, figures, challenges, information and education that will change their view on living things, here it is!” Click here to read more
Good Organic Gardening
“this beautiful children’s book … is simple without talking down to its readers”
Highlife Magazine
“I hope that many children all over the world will read Tree Beings and understand the importance of trees” says Dr Jane Goodall on the back of this lovely, informative children’s book, and it’s hard to get a better endorsement than that.”
Reading Time
“If the young read this book and take notice, there is still time for our planet..” Click here to read in full
The Bottom Shelf
“Written for independent readers in a style that draws them in and keeps them reading, and beautifully illustrated with diagrams, vignettes, close-ups all botanically correct, this is a stunning book that will be eye-opening to many. Trees are so much more than a home for a bird..”.Click here to read in full
Pinerolo
“this excellent non-fiction book, illustrated on every page, emphasises the importance of trees and forests to life on our planet. Recommended for all ages.”
School Days
“A special book that many families will want to keep in their library and pass down the generations to follow.” Click here to read in full
South Sydney Herald
“this fascinating book is much more than a primer on how planting trees and preventing deforestation might save us from the devastating effects of climate change. Introduced by renowned primatologist Dr Jane Goodall, it features stories of significant tree conservationists, scientists and protestors who’ve protected our forests and informed our understanding of trees (which I learned are the oldest living beings on earth and have their own methods of communication).” Click here to read
Educate. Empower
“Tree Beings is a must have book for ALL homes and classrooms and with great teacher notes – you’ll know just how to implement the lessons into the classroom.” Click here to read in full
Daily Telegraph
“this book is good for the soul. It’s a celebration of trees, their irreplaceable value in our world. An absolutely must-have book.”
Science teachers of Victoria
‘Tree Beings’ has the ‘wow’ factor and a message that should inspire students to take an interest in not only the environment but especially in trees”
Newly With Kids
“Far from being an academic book, Tree Beings is brought to life through its beautiful illustrations. The detail is exquisite”.
Iwona and Emily
“Tree Beings is an excellent way to help children appreciate the wonder and value of nature”.
Kerry-Lou, BookBeforeULeap
“I really enjoyed leafing (pun intended) through the pages of this one, talking the bright pictures through with Drew and learning more myself. This is one we will be able to take something new from together as he grows older and would be a great addition to any nature loving family.”
The Gardens Magazine (published by the Friends of the Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney)
“explore tree wisdom from different cultures and some famous and fascinating tree species, brought to life with a vibrant combination of illustration and text.”
Double Helix (CSIRO’s magazine for children)
“If you like trees and learning about how to save them I would recommend this book.” (Michaela, School Student)
Wellbeing Magazine
“An adventure through the secret world of trees… will not only inspire your kids to fall in love with trees and act to protect them, but you will too.”
Lunch Lady
“A beautiful and informative read for kids.”
GrownUps, Editor’s Top Picks
“such a lovely book which children will no doubt refer back to for years. We especially loved all the hidden animals on the cover!” Click here for the full review.
Dim’s Write Stuff Reading Time
“Every single thing about this exquisite publication is tactile bliss.” Click here to read
Madison from Wild Ozark Reviews
“But honestly, it’s really good reading for anyone of any age. We can never get too old to care about the trees. We can never get too old to take even what seems to us to be small measures to advocate for them.” Click here to read
Orange Marmalade’s Jill Swanson Reviews
“One of the things I especially like about this book is its narrative format. It reads like a storybook. The colorful, child-friendly artwork complements that. There is nothing stiff or dry in the whole package.” Click here to read
My Muskoka’s Jennifer Jilks – review
“It’s a rich, deep book that talks about many people who have made an influence in nature.” Click here to read
Bookworm for Kids’ Tonja Drecker – review
“My favorite aspect of this book are the illustrations. Not only do they accompany the information and help readers to better understand the information being brought across, but they are lovingly done. The respect for trees radiates from every page and is impossible to ignore. Plus, it’s simply a joy to flip through the pages and discover the artwork.” Click here to read
Angela Thompson, Teacher Librarian
“The layout of this book is beautiful and the illustrations are simply stunning. It contains a wealth of value information and role models to inspire us all to be ‘tree beings’ in some form.
This is a delightful and educational book that I really enjoyed reading for pleasure and sharing with my class.”
Stories for Little Ones
“A really incredible information book which makes me want to go out and hug a tree right now!”
We depend on trees for our survival, yet few of us understand just how fascinating these beings really are. With a foreword by the world-renowned anthropologist Jane Goodall, Tree Beings is an adventure through the secret world of trees. Challenging the perception that trees are just ‘silent statues’, it focuses on four big ideas:
