Trees Stand Tall

Outside Our Window

by Mélina Mangal

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens

24 pages, Board Book

Published April 22, 2025

About the author

Mélina Mangal writes picture books, biographies, and short stories that focus on connections with nature and culture. She is the author of The Vast Wonder of the World: Biologist Ernest Everett Just, winner of the Carter G. Woodson Award, Jayden’s Impossible Garden, named One of the Best Children's Books of the Year by Bank Street Center for Children’s Literature, and the sequel, Jayden’s Secret Ingredient. Her latest YA short story appears in Boundless: Twenty Voices Celebrating Multicultural and Multiracial Identities. Mélina also works as a school library media teacher in Minneapolis, spreading book love daily.

Reviews

[Lindsey Gandhi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Trees Stand Tall is a board book for very young children teaching them the connection between nature and families and to always see the beauty in everything around you. Both of these are important lessons for kids. The author writes in a note to caregivers, "Learning about the natural world expands young children's knowledge, increases their appreciation for living beings, and helps them develop social and emotional skills as thry experience the wonders right outside their windows." I feel this book can plant the seed but it's overall message is more than the target audience will be able to process, in my opinion. The best part of this board book are the illustrations.

My thanks to the author, Free Spirit Publishing and Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Teri-K · Rating 5 out of 5]

I grew up in the country and spent my childhood surrounded by fields, plants and animals of all kinds, including lots of trees. Having now lived in urban areas for years I've come to value the nature that's around us, in our neighborhoods and cities. This small board book is part of a series designed especially for babies and toddlers growing up in urban areas. Each book highlights a part of nature they can see where they live, a physical sense they can use to explore their world, and a social idea. The illustrations are lovely, showing children moving around and interacting with the trees. The text is simple and on a level children will be able to relate to.

There's a section at the end for adults, giving them ideas of how to talk with little ones about trees, and activities to explore with them. I really loved this simple book, and recommend it highly. Interacting with nature is important for our health and happiness, and for us to develop an appreciation of our planet. This book will give grownups a good place to start.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for a copy of this book to review.

[Danielle (mischiefalwayswinsthewar) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the message of connecting humans to nature in this book. I think especially now, we often take for granted the world around us and I think it's a great thing to teach children to connect and learn from nature, as well as standing tall as a person.

The font is very difficult to see against the illustrations in this current version - the white font almost completely blends in against the trees or lighter backgrounds. However, these are possibly some of the most gorgeous illustrations I've ever seen in a children's book and tie in with the story well.

I received an eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Reading Adventures · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second book in the Outside Our Window series. In this book we get to join them as they discover more about trees. As children mimic the trees we see how much we are like the trees, like being strong & flexible and the way we dance in the wind. In this book we use our sense of sight to discover and learn more about frees & nature. We also learn about family connections and we are reflecting on the wonders of nature. Your family will want to learn more with the added activities for you to try. You will love this adventure in nature. Great for classroom and homeschool. Enjoy this adventure with your family.

[han ❀ · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Rooted in our families, we too are flexible and strong. We stand tall.”

You guys. We loved this book. Not only are kids finally admiring nature again but they’re also learning, and making connections to our Earth. I think it’s so important to teach our young about the environment, keep them interested about what’s happening around them.

Can we also talk about the art in this book?! The different trees, the different families, we loved it all. Truly a great children’s book!


Thank you netgalley!

[Shahana Kothari · Rating 3 out of 5]

Beautiful illustrations speak louder than words in this light, fun board book. Informative and concise, it teaches kids the importance and lifecycle of trees.

It would have been nice if the book had shown more benefits, like how trees help us breathe and how wood is used to make everyday items and how we can protect them.

The diverse characters were wonderfully drawn they were so adorable, such a sweet book!

Thank you Free Spirit Publishing & NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for the honest review!

[Kittie Dela Rosa-Perry · Rating 4 out of 5]

I remember those days when my sister, my cousins, and I would play outside and get in touch with nature. We will climb trees and pretend we're the kings and queens of the world when we reach the top. Those were the days when children would play more outside, and this book is such a good example of that.

Being in touch with nature and appreciating the environment is so important, especially in the digital age. I'm glad that Melina Mangal focused on that. This is something I would like my daughter to read when she's older.

[Charley Goodyear · Rating 4 out of 5]

A short, simple look at trees and their strength, and how our families mirror that strength. At the end of the book there are a couple pages dedicated to helping kids connect to nature. The illustrations are soft and beautiful. I read this digitally, but I believe this is meant to be a board book, which would fit the toddler age range it seems written for. This is a good first look into trees, but I wish they had leaned a little more into the ways trees and people/families are similar.

Thank you to Netgalley and Free spirit publishing for the review copy, all opinions are my own.

[Annie Brechbuhler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Teacher Created Materials for an advance reader's copy of Trees Stand Tall, part of the Outside Our Window series. . It is a perfect introduction to learning about how trees grow. I highly recommend this for children aged 2-6. This is a book that I would purchase for the beginning readers in my first grade classroom, or for my daughter.

The illustrations are super cute, and the font is easily readable. The story reminds us that not only do trees stand tall by their roots, but so do we, when surrounded by the ones we love.

The opinions expressed are my own.

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book compares children to trees and encourages children to act like them. Good for movement in a storytime, especially one outside or at least where kids can look out a window and see a tree, AKA not my library. Could also be used for a yoga storytime. I do like the inclusion of activities to do afterwards, but they are a little cheesy.

[Amethyst Maxey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you for the ARC. The illustrations were great in this book but the story fell flat for me. There wasn’t enough info about trees and I didn’t really see any connection between family and trees. Would’ve been nice if there were a few more examples of this connection.

[Lydia Lukidis · Rating 5 out of 5]

A gentle, calming story that compares growing kids to strong, swaying trees. The language is soothing and the pictures are gorgeous. Great for teaching mindfulness and resilience in a way little ones understand. A must-have for any nature-loving family!

[Elijah Zarate · Rating 3 out of 5]

A pleasant little book about the importance of family, and a good use of trees being strong as a metaphor for its themes. 7/10

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.

[Dana · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded up: review to come

[Aolund · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lovely celebration of trees.

Themes: Trees, Roots, Change
Age range: Baby-Preschool

[Ollie Skyba · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book leaves a pleasant impression, even though it’s not very content-heavy.
In fact, the illustrations speak louder than the text — they beautifully depict children interacting with trees, hugging them, dancing with the branches in the wind, and watching the falling leaves. It makes you reflect on how, as adults, we often stop noticing these small wonders (though just today, I looked up while walking and literally caught falling petals on my eyelashes).
I also liked how the author compares people to trees at the end — it would have been great to explore more about how we grow, who we become, and how important it is to know our roots.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review.