The Witness Trees

? “A gallery of stately trees around the world associated with times and events both historic and prehistoric….Moving and, as a way of connecting today’s readers to significant moments of the past, effective.”–Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review

”‘Our roots run deep–/ they grip history, / a restless forever, ’ open the incantatory first-person plural lines propelling this tribute….landscape illustrations comfortably portray historical and geographical scenes….By piling on examples, Van Cleave impresses upon readers trees’ enduring power.“–Publishers Weekly

“Van Cleave’s decision to pull on both legend and historical fact works to the book’s advantage here, underscoring the idea that trees are witness not just to events in human history but also to the narratives we create around them in our attempts to shape an unpredictable world into orderly stories. The trees have no need for such order, anchored solidly into the earth, and the somber tone and poetic text have an aloof thoughtfulness–not coldly emotionless but distant enough to see an arc of wonder in the progress of the world.”–The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

Ryan G. Van Cleave wrote his first poem at age five, and he’s been writing, reading, and loving poetry ever since. He earned a Ph.D. in American Literature with an emphasis in poetry and has taught at numerous colleges and universities. Currently, he runs the creative writing major at Ringling College of Art and Design. As The Picture Book Whisperer, he helps celebrities and high-profile clients write picture books and kidlit projects.

m m is an illustrator who uses his art to sow seeds of joy. He has illustrated multiple books and lives in Vietnam.