Cover Image: Only the Trees Know

Only the Trees Know

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Member Reviews

I received an arc of this title from NetGalley for an honest review. Rabbit is sick of winter and is ready for spring. He asks all the animals when spring will be here, and they don't have an answer for him. His grandmother tells him to ask the trees, but they don't respond—gorgeous book and perfect for a cold February day.

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*received for free from netgalley for honest review* Very cute little books about seasons for kids, the artwork is great as well!

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Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this novel. I encourage you to check this one out! Really solid read.

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A simple story with beautiful illustration. I don't particularly love this kind of soft story but it can be someone's cup of tea if they like a bit of poetic, soft story.

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*thank you to Netgalley, Kids Can Press and Jane Whittingham for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*


4 stars.


Such an adorable book! The little rabbit is so eager for Spring to start and patience isn't little rabbit's strongest trait. Which I believe a lot of us can relate to.

The illustrations in this are absolutely gorgeous. They have a softness and gentleness to them that perfectly matches the story. The colouring and style used in the rabbits features is outstanding. It makes this also work as a book to pick up just to look at the pictures. So if a child can't read yet on their own, the illustrations alone make this book worth picking up.

If you love cute little rabbit stories, then I recommend this.

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For some reason, the text didn't seem to fit the very serious illustrations. It's a cute, simple story; a rabbit impatiently awaits the arrival of spring. But the text made it seem like it could be more appealing to young readers if the illustrations were perhaps more comical and endearing? They're definitely beautiful, but just don't fit right with a story that seems so simple and sweet.

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This is a wonderful book about waiting patiently and discovering that many things take time to come to fruition.

An adorable little rabbit can't wait until Spring. He is tired and bored and misses sunny days and playing with his friends. His parents tell him to wait and be patient but little rabbit wants Spring now. He seeks out the oldest, wisest rabbit in the forest, his grandma and she tells him to ask the trees. Off he goes to do so.

The trees remain silent which frustrates the bunny. He tries everything possible to get them to respond: shouting, jumping up and down, and listening very hard but to no avail. Exhausted he plops down and nestles into the roots of a tree to have a little rest. When he wakes up he finally gets the answer he has been searching for.

The illustrations are beautiful...whimsical, magical and flowing. The themes running through the book are: patience, perseverance and resilience. Both children (and adults) find it hard to wait so it's a lovely life lesson to be learned early on. The book is a perfect read-aloud in late winter as everyone longs for the sun and the freedom and fun that warm weather brings. I love the book and highly recommend it.

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This gorgeously illustrated picture book is about Little Rabbit, who is waiting impatiently for spring. He asks everyone and his grandmother suggests that he listen to the trees. The trees don't seem to be any more forthcoming than anyone else, but he stops to rest and ultimately gets the answer he is looking for. The illustrations in this one are magical and the imagery about the different signs of spring is amazing. Loved this one.

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Little Rabbit is tired of winter. He misses nibbling on yummy grass and playing with his friends. He asks his grandmother when spring will finally come, and she tells him that only the trees know. He tries to ask the trees, but finds the answer doesn't come in the way he expects.

This is a very cute, sweet book that would make a lovely wind-down for young children. It's soft and quiet and has soothing, adorable illustrations. Kids can definitely relate to being impatient for things to come and may find the message reassuring. Definitely give this a try for a bedtime snuggle!

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review!

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I received this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The illustrations in this book were beautiful! So much detail!

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I was immediately drawn to this book because of the cover (I know, I know..)

Only the Trees Know by Jane Whittington is a beautifully illustrated book about the changes of the seasons, seen from the viewpoint of an impatient young rabbit. The small rabbit spends his days pestering everyone he can, asking when winter will come. Over and over he is told by both his parents that he will know when, and that he just had to be patient. When he asks his grandmother, she tells him that only the trees know when the spring will come, and he must be patient.

The small rabbit goes into the forest, but try as he might he is unable to get the attention of the tall, silent, snow covered trees. Finally giving up, and worn out from his endeavors, the rabbit curls up and sleeps at the foot of the trees. When he awakes he discovers the start of plants growing through the snow and the return of song birds, finally understanding what his family had been telling him all along.

The illustrations in the book were so beautiful, and the story teaches younger readers about patience. Highly recommended! 5/5

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Kids Can Press for the opportunity to read and review this title, releasing 09/06/22!

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I received this book from netgalley for a honest review.

I beautifully illustrated picture book about a rabbit waiting for spring. So much time to pass but no signs of spring until the trees tell him spring is coming.

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This is a beautiful book if a perfect book to read in the middle of winter when you just can't wait till spring. The illustrations are stunning and fits the text perfectly. This is a automatic purchase for public and school libraries and makes a great addition for a home library too.

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Little rabbit, impatient for spring to return, sets out to find out just when it will be back. After listening very hard, hopping around, and loudly asking the forest, he settles and observes that he can notice the changes in the trees. A beautiful book with a lovely message about the changing of seasons.

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A darling story about sitting with your frustration and learning about patience. “Little rabbit was hungry, bored and very tired of winter.” He asks members of his rabbit family and many of the other animals in the woods about when spring will come and none of them had the answer. In the end, as the title says... “Only The Trees Know”.
The illustrations are fresh and convey the emotions throughout the story.

I love the concept of this book! Waiting is natural, patience is necessary and understanding that nature is the foundation of life is essential. What a great book for young readers to get ready for the winter season.

Grateful to have received a digital copy of this book from NetGalley & Kids Can Press

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Only the Trees Know
4 Stars

This is a beautifully illustrated picture book. The text is clear, legible, and allows the artwork to shine. I appreciate the simple drawing style and muted color palette. I selected this book because I find myself sympathizing with Little Rabbit when the winter months seem so long; I find myself wishing for spring too. I'd recommend this book for a child's quiet time or would make a good bedtime story. It's enjoyable but a calm read. It's a lovely story with educational tidbits thrown in.

Overall, this is a thoughtfully made book, and it shows. Thank you, NetGalley and Kids Can Press, for an advance review copy for free, and I'm leaving this review voluntarily.

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Little Rabbit wants to play in the meadows and eat grass, so he can't wait for spring! His grandmother tells him that only the trees know when spring will come, so Little Rabbit sets out to try to ask them. He's frustrated at first but eventually learns how to listen to how the trees are answering him.

This picture book has absolutely gorgeous illustrations. They were so beautiful I almost wished it was winter, but I think it would be hard to find the same glorious shades of blue and gray that depict the winter scenes in this book. I love how that rabbits almost match the snow like in real life, and I would gladly use the tree images in a wallpaper.

This book is a lovely option to teach children about patience and seasons. While Little Rabbit learns about the early signs of spring from the trees, little ones can also learn how to spot those signs. The book has a lot of words at times for a picture book, making it a great option for a read-aloud while waiting for spring or at any other time of year.

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My kid had a fun time with this one! Thanks to Kids Can Press for the ARC of this lovely rabbit book to feed her bunny obsession.

Little Rabbit wants to know when Spring will come. She likes the snow, but misses her hibernating friends. Grandmother Rabbit says only the trees know when Spring will come. So how do you ask a tree a question? And how do you hear its answer?

A lot of great active bunny images! Jumping, shouting, dancing. The artist had a great time here. There's a realistic roundness to Little Rabbit, and a bit of fur detail, without going to full realism. And the artist managed to draw rabbit eyes without getting unnerving (as rabbit eyes can be...brrr).

This book releases when Fall is just starting, and so maybe not the BEST timing for a book about the end of winter. But keep it in mind for a talk about the changing of the seasons, come February!

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This picture book tells the story of a little rabbit who can’t wait for winter to end and for spring to come. He asks many other rabbits when spring will come and even the trees, but one day the wind (the trees) whispers soon. The text is fairly large and is clean and easy to read. This book is filled with beautiful illustrations and I could definitely see myself using this as an inspiration for winter art. As a grade 3 teacher, I would recommend this book to parents and teachers of children in the 4-8 age range. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me the chance to read and review this book!

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A beautiful book about patience and the seasons. The illustrations are creatively done with different perspectives of bunny's world in winter. The words remind us that no matter what we do, things just come in their timely way. Nature shows us this again and again. And this also reminds us that for us too, patience as to what is to come is important.

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