What do you think?
Rate this book
One Day This Tree Will Fall
Discover how a tree’s wounds and decay bring new life to the forest ecosystem in this lyrical nonfiction picture book for fans of Because of an Acorn and A Stone Sat Still.
When a tree falls, is its story over?
There are many ways a tree’s story could Gobbled up by a bird as a tiny seed. Damaged by wind or ice or fire. Chopped down and hauled away. But some trees—this tree—survives. And grows old. Riddled with scars, cracks, and crevices, it becomes a place creatures large and small call home.
One day, after standing tall for centuries, this tree will fall. But even then, is its story over? Or will it continue to nurture the forest and its creatures for many years to come? Complete with additional information about the role trees play in a forest ecosystem, this sweeping story invites readers of all ages to celebrate the incredible life cycle and afterlife of trees.
When a tree falls, is its story over?
There are many ways a tree’s story could Gobbled up by a bird as a tiny seed. Damaged by wind or ice or fire. Chopped down and hauled away. But some trees—this tree—survives. And grows old. Riddled with scars, cracks, and crevices, it becomes a place creatures large and small call home.
One day, after standing tall for centuries, this tree will fall. But even then, is its story over? Or will it continue to nurture the forest and its creatures for many years to come? Complete with additional information about the role trees play in a forest ecosystem, this sweeping story invites readers of all ages to celebrate the incredible life cycle and afterlife of trees.
40 pages, Hardcover
Published March 26, 2024
2 people are currently reading
186 people want to read
About the author
Leslie Barnard Booth
7 books41 followersLeslie Barnard Booth writes lyrical picture books about science and nature. She is the author of One Day This Tree Will Fall and A Stone Is a Story, both of which were named Outstanding Science Trade Books by the National Science Teaching Association and Children's Book Council. Her next book, I Am We: How Crows Come Together to Survive, releases in fall 2025. Leslie lives in Portland, Oregon, with her family. Visit her at lesliebarnardbooth.com.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 121 reviews
March 1, 2024
What a beautiful way to show the potential of a single seed, of a single tree! This story is so imperative in the days of today, where beautiful ancient trees are cut with no regard to their history and to their immense importance in our ecosystem. This beautifully written book together with stunning illustrations shows how a small seed becomes the universe to so many creatures, even after the tree falls. I highly recommend it!
April 17, 2024
I absolutely love this story about the life cycle of a tree. It is brilliantly paced, managing to make a tree slowly growing and not dying into a dramatic and suspenseful story about survival. This picture book follows one resilient tree in the Pacific Northwest but much of the nonfiction information applies to any tree any where. It brings up many of the obstacles trees face to survival and the important roles they play in their ecosystems all through fast paced, read aloud worthy text. A well written gem.
Read
March 29, 2024One Day This Tree will Fall by Booth is a fascinating telling of a tree’s story. Booth builds suspense into the tree’s story with all the various things that can happen to take a tree down-forest fires, axes—and shows the various ways that a tree brings all kinds of life to a forest. The story also follows the tree long past its falling, which makes it unique. Children who love nature will love this picture book and will never look at trees the same way again.
March 28, 2024
This beautiful book tells the story of a tree's life cycle in a way that will have kids wanting to read it again and again. The lyrical lines are lovely to read aloud; the art is active and engaging, bustling with a forest full of activity.
Be sure to peek beneath the paper dust jacket for an adorable secret image featuring forest critters.
Be sure to peek beneath the paper dust jacket for an adorable secret image featuring forest critters.
February 15, 2025
I'm obsessed with this book.
I'm doing a nature themed spring storytime (with literally so different elements of nature). See for me, I look forward to doing one about life cycles found in nature. How nature keeps moving on despite hardships.....and also how it creates symbiotic relationships for living creatures. This book was so engaging!
I'm doing a nature themed spring storytime (with literally so different elements of nature). See for me, I look forward to doing one about life cycles found in nature. How nature keeps moving on despite hardships.....and also how it creates symbiotic relationships for living creatures. This book was so engaging!
March 22, 2024
Wow!
This beautiful look into the life cycle of a forest tree is both eye-opening and poetic, begging the question "Does anything in life ever truly end?" A perfect pairing with Whale Fall (Melissa Stewart, 2023) for use in the classroom.
This beautiful look into the life cycle of a forest tree is both eye-opening and poetic, begging the question "Does anything in life ever truly end?" A perfect pairing with Whale Fall (Melissa Stewart, 2023) for use in the classroom.
February 28, 2024
An uplifting, poetic story of perseverance and survival. Readers will come to see trees as more than just towering plants-- as a life-giving worlds that sustains many creatures, even after they fall.
December 30, 2023
Love this book!
The story is so beautiful and accompanied by gorgeous illustrations.
The back matter is highly informational, a wonderful resource itself.
The story is so beautiful and accompanied by gorgeous illustrations.
The back matter is highly informational, a wonderful resource itself.
November 28, 2024
A tree never dies. Find out what really happens to a tree after it appears to be dead in this story that would pair well with this year's The Yellow Bus.
March 13, 2024
"One day this tree will fall and this story will end. Won't it?" A lovely, lyrical peek--with a twist--into the world of trees with. Barnard Booth surprises readers with a new look at the life of a tree, and how it nourishes itself and the many animals in the forest. Stephanie Fizer Coleman's illustrations effectively convey the dynamics of a forest. A must-read for curious nature lovers!
May 23, 2024
A delightful and educational look at the lifecycle of a tree--even a so-called "dead" tree teams with life; it serves as shelter, food, nesting space for so many living things. This is a great book to encourage engagement with science and appreciation of the natural world.
April 29, 2025
Reading One Day This Tree Will Fall gave my eyes a new perspective on the incredible life span of a single tree. Through One Day This Tree Will Fall, we are led through a tree from when its seed germinated, through storms, drought, fire, and age, to learn that even in death, this tree continues to serve life. I appreciated how the author was able to make this tree a living, breathing universe unto itself, linked to the entire surrounding environment. It was stunning and haunting simultaneously.
The themes of this book were interconnection with nature, as well as resilience. Interconnection was obvious because the tree was not alive merely for its own sake it was a foundation, a source of food, and a dwelling-place for millions of living things, even upon its eventual fall. Resilience was evident because the tree endured countless dangers over many centuries, still intact even after wounds and decay. The primary genre of this book is Informational (Nonfiction) because it utilizes poetic language to inform people about actual facts about forests, as well as trees.
Kids who read this book might learn about how trees help sustain life and how ends turn into beginnings in nature. I learned that a dead tree remains rich, significant aspect of its ecosystem rather than vanishing from sight. I had a WOW book experience because this book made a simple log on the ground feel strong, significant, and full of vitality.
Two literary tools employed by the author in this book were repetition and personification. The repetition of the statement "this tree’s story might have ended that day" throughout the book created suspense and made every moment of survival all the more significant. The tree was also given human-like qualities such as it "healed itself" as well as "touched the sky" so that the tree was experienced as a character of determination and tenacity. These literary tools added to the writing by making the scientific data emotive as well as something that would be remembered more than simply factual.
I would regard this book as an anti-bias book since it has a strengths-based, well-informed approach to the environment. It treats the tree and its dependants with respect, indicating that even what appears old or dead has a purpose. The book also presents ecosystems in an authentic way that enables children to respect nature’s patterns without stereotypes or fear messages.
The themes of this book were interconnection with nature, as well as resilience. Interconnection was obvious because the tree was not alive merely for its own sake it was a foundation, a source of food, and a dwelling-place for millions of living things, even upon its eventual fall. Resilience was evident because the tree endured countless dangers over many centuries, still intact even after wounds and decay. The primary genre of this book is Informational (Nonfiction) because it utilizes poetic language to inform people about actual facts about forests, as well as trees.
Kids who read this book might learn about how trees help sustain life and how ends turn into beginnings in nature. I learned that a dead tree remains rich, significant aspect of its ecosystem rather than vanishing from sight. I had a WOW book experience because this book made a simple log on the ground feel strong, significant, and full of vitality.
Two literary tools employed by the author in this book were repetition and personification. The repetition of the statement "this tree’s story might have ended that day" throughout the book created suspense and made every moment of survival all the more significant. The tree was also given human-like qualities such as it "healed itself" as well as "touched the sky" so that the tree was experienced as a character of determination and tenacity. These literary tools added to the writing by making the scientific data emotive as well as something that would be remembered more than simply factual.
I would regard this book as an anti-bias book since it has a strengths-based, well-informed approach to the environment. It treats the tree and its dependants with respect, indicating that even what appears old or dead has a purpose. The book also presents ecosystems in an authentic way that enables children to respect nature’s patterns without stereotypes or fear messages.
April 30, 2025
Trees in the forest may stand tall and seem to provide nothing, yet they do so much for nature and the environment. In this book, it is about a tree and how one day it will fall even though it goes through harsh weathers, creatures using it, and fungi growing on it. It talks about the versatility of what a tree can do for animals and how it even when it falls, it is still used. The major themes in the book were to explain how trees are versatile in the ecosystem because they can be used by animals when standing tall, and even be used when they fall down and are a log. Another theme was how it explains the lifecycle of a tree. It starts off as a seed and grows and grows until it becomes a tall tree. Trees last a while through the seasons and through animals, but one day they fall and still live on as something else, like being a log for bugs or animals to live in. The main genre of this book is an informational text of fiction.
Through reading this book, children could learn how trees grow from starting off as a seed and growing into a big tall tree. Another thing children could learn is how animals use trees. They may think that it doesn’t help them, but the book shows how different animals and insects use trees. Whether that could be for hibernation, forming a nest, or even for fungi to grow. This book was a WOW book for me because it is an informational book about trees and it is very simple and brief. It shows what trees help with and how they grow. This is important for children to learn and I like how the author wrote the book.
Two of the literary devices the author used in writing this book were rhyming and personification. Rhyming increased the quality of the book because at a young age, children like a rhyme and it is fun and easy to remember. So children can remember the information they learned in the book. Personification also enhanced the quality of the book because it gave the tree a human-like quality and explained how it is born and grows old. It talked about the lifecycle in a way like humans. How it starts young and as it grows old it faces the hardships, like the seasons, the animals, and more. I would consider this book to be an anti-bias book because it talks about the lifecycle of a tree and explains what it goes through during its lifetime. It still shows how a tree can be resilient after it falls.
I would recommend this book!
Through reading this book, children could learn how trees grow from starting off as a seed and growing into a big tall tree. Another thing children could learn is how animals use trees. They may think that it doesn’t help them, but the book shows how different animals and insects use trees. Whether that could be for hibernation, forming a nest, or even for fungi to grow. This book was a WOW book for me because it is an informational book about trees and it is very simple and brief. It shows what trees help with and how they grow. This is important for children to learn and I like how the author wrote the book.
Two of the literary devices the author used in writing this book were rhyming and personification. Rhyming increased the quality of the book because at a young age, children like a rhyme and it is fun and easy to remember. So children can remember the information they learned in the book. Personification also enhanced the quality of the book because it gave the tree a human-like quality and explained how it is born and grows old. It talked about the lifecycle in a way like humans. How it starts young and as it grows old it faces the hardships, like the seasons, the animals, and more. I would consider this book to be an anti-bias book because it talks about the lifecycle of a tree and explains what it goes through during its lifetime. It still shows how a tree can be resilient after it falls.
I would recommend this book!
March 21, 2024
The wonder of the cycle of life comes across in a heart-warming and touching way.
While beginning with the lovely illustration of a tree, which is decaying and about to fall, the tale immediately switches to when the seed of that tree first found root. Page by page, the tree grows and matures, but life isn't as calm and monotone as might first appear. Yet, every hurdle opens the door to more life and change...even at the very end.
With a poetic atmosphere, this read illustrates the path a tree takes from the first seed to the last, rotting moments on the ground. While this might seem like a straight forward process, the author and illustrator go beyond the general stages of growth and, instead, visit the various challenges and situations a tree comes up against. Changing weather, fires, and even human activities create changes, which affect the surrounding environment and the tree's ability to thrive. This is balanced out with the wonder of life as the tree meets each moment and continues to mature. Each stage offers new surprises, making this a positive read through-and-through.
The text is kept short and hits the intended audience level nicely. The short phrases accompany the beautiful illustrations and bring an almost poetic atmosphere, while stating only enough to keep the events clear. It creates a calming read-aloud and balances with the illustrations, allowing them to give the right impact with each scene.
The continuous cycle of life comes across nicely and leaves with a sense of respect and hope. This read works not only as a lovely read for those quieter moments but can be used in conjunction with a fitting theme in a group or classroom setting. I received a DRC and left the book with a satisfied sigh.
While beginning with the lovely illustration of a tree, which is decaying and about to fall, the tale immediately switches to when the seed of that tree first found root. Page by page, the tree grows and matures, but life isn't as calm and monotone as might first appear. Yet, every hurdle opens the door to more life and change...even at the very end.
With a poetic atmosphere, this read illustrates the path a tree takes from the first seed to the last, rotting moments on the ground. While this might seem like a straight forward process, the author and illustrator go beyond the general stages of growth and, instead, visit the various challenges and situations a tree comes up against. Changing weather, fires, and even human activities create changes, which affect the surrounding environment and the tree's ability to thrive. This is balanced out with the wonder of life as the tree meets each moment and continues to mature. Each stage offers new surprises, making this a positive read through-and-through.
The text is kept short and hits the intended audience level nicely. The short phrases accompany the beautiful illustrations and bring an almost poetic atmosphere, while stating only enough to keep the events clear. It creates a calming read-aloud and balances with the illustrations, allowing them to give the right impact with each scene.
The continuous cycle of life comes across nicely and leaves with a sense of respect and hope. This read works not only as a lovely read for those quieter moments but can be used in conjunction with a fitting theme in a group or classroom setting. I received a DRC and left the book with a satisfied sigh.
January 17, 2024
I found this book stunning. It brought tears to my eyes, but happy tears that celebrate a life well-lived! A tree's life, that is. I love trees (I guess I have a name that works!) and our family revels in the many lives and phases of trees. We're so lucky to have them at all times of their lives, and a dead tree is a whole habitat - not just waste. This is so valuable for children and adults to truly understand. Author Leslie Barnard Booth uses simple, clear language to reflect on the things that trees survive - wind, fire, logging, and more - and to celebrate some of the animals and plants that find shelter, food and life in the space of the tree. Illustrator Stephanie Fizer Coleman uses rich colors to depict both small details and sweeping events with care and and empathy while displaying a respectful analytical distance that this matter-of-fact book consistently maintains. Backmatter is used to illuminate the subject and provide a more in-depth balance to the gentle, straightforward language in the main text.
March 21, 2024
Someday This Tree Will Fall, by Leslie Barnard Booth, is a stunning picture book. It’s a book about survival and the life cycle of a tree. It is a tree that is both unique and universal. We watch as a particular seed manages to survive, to be the one who “sailed out” and took root. We watch its slow growth, how it survived droughts and fires through its own resourcefulness (“This tree drank deeply/ Sealed itself/ Healed itself/ As well as it could”). We see how it becomes home and sustenance for so many, (“No crack or crevice ever went to waste/ because this tree/ continued to be/ a roost/ a nest/ a den”), and how, at the end of its life cycle, it supports a new life (“Where snakes slither/ and slime spreads,/ where earwigs and earthworms/ whittle and shred.”) It’s a book that helps the reader to center themselves in the river of life and feel a kinship with the forest. It’s a book filled with optimism and healing. With stunning illustrations by Stephanie Fizer Coleman, this book is a must for the library of every child.
July 15, 2024
Powerful, lyrical exploration of the FULL life cycle of a Douglas fir. Appreciate how Booth leaves room for young children to make inferences about what is happening; Coleman's vivid illustrations are supportive of this as well. Would shy away from using this in intermediate grades as an introduction to a unit of study.
DON'T SKIP THE BACK MATTER. Booth's note at the end (while only running text) explains most of what you see in the illustrations, deepening the reader's understanding of the lyrical text and illustrations. I think it's helpful for adults to read in advance so they can support children's discussions around what's happening in the text. It might also be used as an additional text for older students to read and think about.
PARTNER THIS TEXT WITH -
Booth's A Stone is a Story - which has some of the same themes about time.
Other books about trees that compliment, overlap, contrast in content -
RISE TO THE SKY: HOW THE WORLD'S TALLEST TREES GROW UP by Hirsch and Posada
THE GLORIOUS FOREST THAT FIRE BUILT by Ginny Neil
DON'T SKIP THE BACK MATTER. Booth's note at the end (while only running text) explains most of what you see in the illustrations, deepening the reader's understanding of the lyrical text and illustrations. I think it's helpful for adults to read in advance so they can support children's discussions around what's happening in the text. It might also be used as an additional text for older students to read and think about.
PARTNER THIS TEXT WITH -
Booth's A Stone is a Story - which has some of the same themes about time.
Other books about trees that compliment, overlap, contrast in content -
RISE TO THE SKY: HOW THE WORLD'S TALLEST TREES GROW UP by Hirsch and Posada
THE GLORIOUS FOREST THAT FIRE BUILT by Ginny Neil
January 15, 2025
One Day This Tree Will Fall written by Leslie Barnard Booth and illustrated by Stephanie Fizer Coleman is a slightly oversized, fascinating, narrative, nonfiction picture book. It’s a story of the amazing life cycle of a tree. Booth’s writing style is descriptive and engaging, with some repetitive text to draw the reader in to the story. Gorgeous illustrations were painted using gouache, colored pencil, and Photoshop. The tones of color and mood of the art mimic those found in nature. They cause the poetic text to spring to life on the page. Readers will be captivated by the interesting and informative text in combination with the impressive illustrations. Be sure to take a peek under the dust jacket. Back matter includes a glossary, selected sources, and two other sections with more information about trees. One Day This Tree Will Fall is the perfect read aloud when studying trees or when going on a nature walk. Highly recommended for readers of any age.
February 11, 2024
This book begs to be read out loud! Leslie Barnard Booth's lyrical text is full of internal rhymes, repetition, and other poetic techniques that make it an absolute joy to read – it sounds almost like a nursery rhyme, but one packed full of scientific information. The story follows the life cycle of a tree and explains how it supports a whole ecosystem – fungi, creepy crawlies, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals and it also highlights the roles of climate, seasons, and weather. The illustrations by Stephanie Fizer Coleman are vibrant and lovely. I especially love the detailed close-ups of smaller creatures like ants and spiders. The back matter further elaborates on scientific learnings. Highly recommended for young readers.
January 6, 2024
This is a beautiful read-aloud (or be-read-to) kind of book, full of poetic turns of phrase and questions to make a young audience wonder and feel part of the story. I love how it also conveys what might happen to other seeds, seedlings, and trees, even as the tree at the center of the story continues to grow for years. And of course, the focus on the wonderful life the tree will harbor even as a snag or a log is really the heart of the story, and where we are taken by the end. My 2nd grader was quite intrigued by the back matter, and for good reason - it's rich with information that complements the main story well.
January 12, 2024
When a tree falls, is its story over? With this intriguing premise, this lyrical and fascinating non-fiction book tells a beautiful story about the life of one tree, a ‘worn, twisted’ tree, one that has so much to offer the forest. With lovely, whimsical illustrations by Stephanie Fizer Coleman, Leslie Barnard Booth takes readers on a poetic journey through the life cycle of a tree, through its incredible ability to keep growing and then surviving against all odds. And even when the tree does fall, well, spoiler alert, the story is not done! The Back Matter was equally fascinating. Highly recommend this book to gift to nature-loving kids, but also to teachers, parents, and libraries.
March 7, 2024
From the wonderfully lyrical text to the gorgeous art, this is one book that both children and adults alike will want to experience over and over again. The author does a beautiful job of taking readers on a fascinating and easy-to-follow journey as a tree goes from seed to tree, then falls and becomes part of the soil that it once sprouted from. The rhythmic language make this book a delight to read and listen to, while the captivating illustrations offer fun details that provide opportunities for further conversations with curious little minds. Highly recommend for both home and school libraries.
March 12, 2024
As a tree lover, I found this book absolutely fascinating and deeply moving. With lyrical, evocative text and vivid illustrations, the story follows a tree from it's start as a tiny seed to a sapling to a survivor, standing tall, and then through harrowing turns of fortune involving weather events and forest creatures. And though it still stands, we know that one day it will fall. But that won't be the end of it's story! The book beautifully describes all the tree will do to nourish the forest even after it falls. This beauty informs and transports the reader and reads aloud beautifully. Highly recommended!
April 27, 2024
This is a lovely, must-read STEM picture book. Beautiful, engaging text pairs with gorgeous, detailed illustrations to illuminate a vital process to which most readers have probably given little thought. Not only does it explain the nutrient cycle of a forest ecosystem in wondrous detail, but it does so in a way that is easy for even very young readers to understand. It clearly shows how everything is connected in a complex system of interdependencies, yet it manages to follow a single, smooth storyline throughout. Extensive backmatter adds even more information. Kids (and adults) will want to read this again and again. Highly recommended!
July 18, 2024
Wow! What a read. Leslie Booth can spin a tale. Beautiful poetry about the life cycle of a tree. I was thinking once the tree falls, the story would be over, but oh no, Leslie continues on with the importance of a fallen tree to life.
I suppose a tree's life sort of mirrors a person as well. Our lives nurture the next generation in some way. We pass stories on.
The artwork was lovely. The moss was so pretty. Just a cozy feel to this story.
This is an ode to a tree and how magnificent it is. I think it's a great book.
Nature lovers will love it and it's a well told story. There are also some great facts at the end of the book.
I suppose a tree's life sort of mirrors a person as well. Our lives nurture the next generation in some way. We pass stories on.
The artwork was lovely. The moss was so pretty. Just a cozy feel to this story.
This is an ode to a tree and how magnificent it is. I think it's a great book.
Nature lovers will love it and it's a well told story. There are also some great facts at the end of the book.
September 9, 2024
When a tree falls it's life in the forest is over, right? This book explains that a tree's life never ends and keeps on giving. This book tells the story of a tree from seed through decomposition in a way that is easy to understand with a simple story and captivating illustrations. What I love about this book is that it shows just how interconnected all living things are and that we effect more than we know.
Find it in our SHARE Catalog today!
Ashley C. / Milton Public Library #CheckOutMPL
Find it in our SHARE Catalog today!
Ashley C. / Milton Public Library #CheckOutMPL
September 26, 2024
This gorgeous picture book has it all! The lyrical language lifts off the page, begging to be read aloud. Science weaves seamlessly through the narrative, while Fizer Coleman's illustrations mesmerize the reader and sing harmoniously with the text. Barnard Booth whisks the reader on a hero's journey of sorts - a seed, then sapling, then tree, encounters a barrage of challenges such as wind, ice, drought, and fire. Throughout the cycle, it remains strong, not simply surviving, but sustaining many other living organisms, even after it falls. I predict that this book, like the tree, will endure for ages, nourishing readers young and old, alike. A must for classrooms, homes, and libraries!
January 7, 2024
A beautiful lyrical story that traces the past and the future of an ancient tree, and gives a glimpse at the plants, animals, fungi, and other decomposers whose lives depend on the tree. By the end of the book the reader knows the answer to the question--one day this tree will fall and its story will end--won't it? And will have a broader understanding of the cyclical nature and interdependence of the lives of trees--and all other living things! The illustrations are captivating, and the back matter answers questions for inquiring minds.
March 18, 2024
This incredible book about trees is just that- incredible! I highly recommend it for all ages and every child and school should carry this book.
Its beautiful lyrical writing captivated me and showed me and pulled on my heart strings as it shared all the wonders of a tree- its complete life cycle, and the ecosystem it hides within. Absolutely beautiful!
The illustrations captivated my heart. So much to see and find. The back matter is through and fascinating. A wonderful book for everyone!
Its beautiful lyrical writing captivated me and showed me and pulled on my heart strings as it shared all the wonders of a tree- its complete life cycle, and the ecosystem it hides within. Absolutely beautiful!
The illustrations captivated my heart. So much to see and find. The back matter is through and fascinating. A wonderful book for everyone!
March 27, 2024
This lyrical tribute to trees will give young readers a new appreciation for a tree’s resilience and all the important services it provides, even after it falls. Gorgeous illustrations by Stephanie Fizer Coleman coupled with Booth’s beautiful, evocative text transport readers alongside a Douglas fir as it goes through its long and exciting life cycle. As readers meet the many creatures that depend on the tree, they will see how all life is interconnected. Young readers will never look at trees the same way again.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 121 reviews