Hello, Beech Tree!
Based on real events, this charming story features a kindergarten class in Brooklyn who pays homage to their beloved lost beech tree and takes action to plant a new one.
When a kindergarten class in Brooklyn discovers that their beloved beech has been cut down, they honor the tree by writing stories and poems, creating art, and placing a plaque at the former tree's site. But they still miss their tree and want to do more. With the support of their teachers and community, they plant a new tree to love.
Rasha Hamid, author of How to Bird, returns with a new story that taps into the power of nature to connect and inspire children wherever they live. Incorporating creative expression, collaboration, and environmental conservation, Hello, Beech Tree! is a lyrical story that highlights student-directed community action.
A section at the back of the book includes discussion questions, tips for taking action in readers' own communities, and information about environmental justice and conservation.
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Rasha Hamid attended New York City public schools before earning a bachelor's degree in Africana Studies and Education at Vassar College, and a master's degree in Special Education at Bank Street College of Education. She has developed her practice in classrooms in East Harlem, Hamilton Heights, Khartoum, and Brooklyn for over twenty years.
Rasha considers herself an educator-activist: someone who works to make the world more just, joyful, equitable, and sustainable through the education of students and teachers. She began creating picture books with her classes to fill the need for books reflecting her students, their experiences, and their passions. She's the author of Kadisa كديسة, which introduces children to Sudan; How to Bird (Free Spirit Publishing, 2023), a joyful exploration and celebration of birding that invites all children to take part; and Hello, Beech Tree! (Free Spirit Publishing, 2024), in which a kindergarten class pays homage to their beloved lost beech tree.
Rasha is proud to be the autistic mom of an autistic young adult. Autism and observing the natural world are two of Rasha's special interests.
Sofia Moore is a book illustrator and fine artist living in Las Vegas, Nevada. She finds her inspiration in listening to people's stories and in walking in the desert when it's not too hot. She is a tree lover, too.
"Trees have always been generous givers of joy and wonderment. Just like the kids in the Beech Class, children around the world have climbed up, leaned on, whispered to, and loved trees. Hello, Beech Tree! is the heartwarming story of how a community's love for their beech tree brings them together in collective activism. Come along with the Beech Class to witness the magic of what happens when young people unite in a fight to keep their community spaces beautiful, green, and joyful!"
--Sagda Khalil, cofounder of indigenius teaching and learning"Hello, Beech Tree! is a big-hearted inspiration. A gentle, richly illustrated story that expresses to kids how the bonds we form with the natural world can deepen our notion of community and empower us to change things for the better. Any classroom or library will benefit from having a copy on their shelves."
--Brian Muldoon, Brooklyn Public Library Children's Librarian"Hello, Beech Tree! is an inspiring story about a group of schoolchildren who cope with the death of a loved one, in this case a cherished ancient beech tree in their city park. Author Rasha Hamid skillfully illuminates the benefits of trees as habitats for animals and providers of beauty, wonder, fresh air, cool shade, and imaginative play. She also helps readers grasp the tree's life cycle through the seasons and the reality that trees, like all living things, age and die. Faced with a profound loss, the children turn to 'the helpers' for guidance. The park ranger, city officials, and their classroom teachers all offer information and helping hands. Thus empowered, the children find personal and civic ways to honor their friend, process their grief, and take action for good. The illustrations by Sofia Moore are lively and colorful, capturing the narrative arc, the natural setting, and emotional expressions of the characters beautifully. Back matter helpfully expands on the issue of lack of green space in urban areas and ways readers can make a difference. Masterful!"
--Lizzy Rockwell, author and illustrator of Plants Feed Me, The Busy Body Book: A Kid's Guide to Fitness, and It Is Time: The Life of a Caterpillar
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