The Dancing Trees
by Masiana Kelly, Michelle Simpson (Goodreads Author) (Illustrator)

3 out of 5 stars

Thomas brags about how he could survive in the wild, until his friends tell him to prove it by spending the night in the forest with only a backpack. Thomas litters his candy wrappers in the forest, picks the bark off the trees, and makes a mess of his campsite. The trees notice. In the night, the trees move around so that Thomas becomes lost. The only way he will find his way home is if he learns to respect nature.

I liked the positive messages in this book about respecting nature and not littering. The story is interesting and I liked that Thomas has some good character growth.

However, the story is much too wordy for a children’s picture book. It feels like it should be geared toward older children who are reading chapter books, instead of young readers. The design of the book seems like it is for grades 1-3, but the story itself is written more for grades 4-6. I’m just not sure who the target audience is.

I loved the art style! It’s colorful and polished. The scenery of the forest is beautiful! The illustrations really give you the feeling that you are in a cool forest with breezes rustling the leaves in the trees.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts, and are not influenced by anyone.