Big Tree

The fate of all life on Earth may depend on the bravery of two little seeds in this epic adventure from the #1 New York Times bestselling creator and Caldecott Medalist of The Invention of Hugo Cabret. "The tale of the natural world is the greatest story we have to tell, and Brian delivers a brilliant chapter of that tale throughout the pages of Big Tree." - STEVEN SPIELBERG * "An enthralling and expansive meditation on what it means to be alive on this planet."-Booklist, starred review * "A balanced and rich book. . . . Powerful."- The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, starred and recommended review * "In evocative prose and peppery dialogue . . . the cinematic story journeys across time and space, contemplating the power of life to heal."- Publishers Weekly, starred review * "A special, one-of-a-kind book for the whole family that readers won't soon forget." - School Library Journal, starred review "Inspirational, important, and beautiful. A fable for our times." - Alan Gratz, bestselling author of Refugee and Ground Zero "Hello, stars. I thought I heard you calling me." A mysterious voice has been speaking to Louise in her dreams. She and her brother Merwin are Sycamore seeds, who hope to one day set down roots and become big trees. But when a fire forces them to leave their mama tree prematurely, they find themselves catapulted into the unknown, far from home. Alone and unprepared, they must use their wits and imagination to navigate a dangerous world-filled with dinosaurs, meteors, and volcanoes!-and the fear of never finding a safe place to grow up. As the mysterious voice gets louder, Louise comes to realize their mission in life may be much bigger than either of them ever could have imagined! Brimming with humor, wonder, mystery, and a profound sense of hope, Big Tree is a trailblazing adventure, illustrated with nearly 300 pages of breathtaking pictures. It is Selznick's most imaginative and far-reaching work to date and a singular reading experience for the whole family. The audiobook edition of BIG TREE is brought magnificently to life by Meryl Streep and features music composed by Ernest Troost. Praise for Big Tree: "The tale of the natural world is the greatest story we have to tell, and Brian delivers a brilliant chapter of that tale throughout the pages of Big Tree." - STEVEN SPIELBERG "Brian Selznick is a singular talent. Big Tree grips you from start to finish and resonates emotionally long after you have finished reading." - CHRIS MELEDANDRI, founder, Illumination * "Sure to elicit gasps of surprise and delight...The astonishing story is at once vast and intimate, succeeding as both a small-scale adventure story and a broader exploration of the natural world. Glorious pencil drawings, moving swiftly from macro to micro lenses, turn wispy seeds into spritely, darling protagonists, and wordless sketched reveals that follow text interludes are sure to elicit gasps of surprise and delight. . . . An enthralling and expansive meditation on what it means to be alive on this planet." - Booklist, starred review * "Selznick's dedication to dual storytelling through text and hundreds of finely detailed pencil drawings allows for each to progress the plot in succession, creating a balanced and rich book that invites careful reading and poring over illustrations to find all of the connective threads. . . . His expressive art that highlights the heart of the story, paired with his keen eye for creating sympathetic and memorable lost children . . . are a powerful combination to bring to this epic quest. Selznick fans will be delighted, and dinosaur fans and nature buffs will likely be just as enthralled." - The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, starred and recommended review * "Silvery, deeply textural drawings move elegantly between planet-scale drama, microscopic life, and Louise and Merwin's shifting surroundings as the pace bounds inexorably onward, ending in