Author Tony Johnston explores the life of a giant sequoia tree in this poetic picture-book, her evocative text paired with beautiful watercolor artwork from illustrator Wendell Minor. With the sunlight upon his massive shoulders, and the animals at his distant feet, the tree watches all around him. From his great height, he gathers clouds to him and touches snow. A long-lived creature, he silently tells of times and creatures past, reaching his arms toward the stars...

I found Johnston's text in Sequoia to be quite lovely, capturing the beauty and mystery of these giant arboreal beings quite wonderfully. It's astonishing to think that they can live 3,200 years, something one learns in the brief informational afterword. The artwork from Minor is likewise lovely, and there were scenes - especially the one depicting the sequoia covered in snow - that left me breathless. One of two of these scenes are oriented differently on the two-page spread, in order to capture the sense of the tallness of these giants, necessitating turning the book on its side. All in all, a gorgeous book, one I would recommend to tree-lovers young and old, and to anyone looking for a very basic introduction to the giant sequoia for the younger picture-book set. ( )

Great verse and awesomely beautiful illustrations by Wendell Minor. ( )

This isn't exactly nonfiction, but it's something I'd consider nonfiction enough for reading aloud.

Told from the point of the sequoia itself, Tony Johnston's gentle poetry takes the reader through the days, seasons and years of the tree from first morning light, from hot summers to crackling fire and quiet winter. The animals on and around the trees are mentioned and the tree's place in the ecosystem gently woven into the poetry.

Minor's lush oil paintings capture the majestic beauty of the sequoia and its surroundings. I'm in awe of how carefully he captured the sheer scale of the trees, shifting the perspective to show different aspects of the massive tree. Some of my favorite pictures are the ones that incorporate wildlife. In one, a single branch stretches against the green of the tree and the hazy green of the surrounding forest and sweeping out of it is a stunning blue jay, flying towards the glowing sun. In another, a woodpecker takes up almost the whole of the spread, only the straight trunk and swoop of branches overhead against the empty sky and an eagle in the distance give an impression of great height.

Back matter includes "Some notes on Sequoias" including a few drawings of the trees and a map of their range. There is also a brief bibliography.

Verdict: While this isn't going to be for everyone; the poetry is too slow-paced for a really good read-aloud, especially to younger kids, it would make a nice supplement to a tree storytime by reading selections and it's a truly lovely book.

ISBN: 9781596437272; Published 2014 by Roaring Brook; Review copy provided by the publisher for Cybils