Hannah and the Talking Tree

by Elke Weiss

"Hannah and the Talking Tree' is a children s book specially designed to plant the seeds of environmental activism in the next generation. Printed on recycled paper. Gold Medal winner of the 2010 Moonbeam Children's Book Awards. Hannah is a little girl with a special and unique gift. She has very, very big ears which enable her to hear things in the world all around her that other people do not notice.She can hear the grass grow, the wind sing, and the ants march one by one. She can hear birds chirping far away and even hear the trees drinking water. Unfortunately, she is teased and criticized by other children and runs away to be alone. With her extra special powers she finds and befriends a very special and solitary tree and learns about the tragic fate of the trees around her. And now the last tree is threatened as well. Is there any way to save the lone tree from destruction? Will anyone listen to Hannah's cry for help? Instead of just giving up and letting the last tree get cut down, Hannah decides to be brave and do something herself to help save the last tree and create a world worthwhile living in. 'This book touched our hearts in a special way, showing strength, courage, empathy and love in a short children's story. We felt a kinship with Hannah immediately for her inner strength and compassion. Hannah has a sweet sensitive nature but is not afraid to stand up for what she believes in. Not only does this book show children that it is OK to be different, but it also shows that it's good to be heard to and to listen not only to ourselves but others and the earth. Hannah helps us understand ourselves a little better and how we can impact the environment in a positive way. Her empathy is also palpable, in a world void of much empathy it is important to help children understand what it is to care for others.' --RANDI MICHELLE, Mommyreview.com Hannah and the Talking Tree is a refreshing story about a child who adores the outdoors and especially the beauty of a special tree. To have a book written depicting children actually playing outside and appreciating nature is definitely needed during these technological sedentary times. With obesity and diabetes rates aggressively rising, children need to read about the joys of exploring this vast paradise that is found right outside the door. With Hannah s exceptional gift of big ears she has the ability to totally enjoy the intricate sounds of nature that this hustle bustle world fails to hear. During times of rejection, Hannah finds solace as she mingles with her friends and flows to the song of the wind. Isn t this the play we all once enjoyed? Play...good old fashioned PLAY! Refreshing! --Ruth Kitchen, Greening Youth Foundation 'This is a charming book for your youngsters about being different, learning to listen and the importance of saving the trees on our planet. It is a cute and colorful story about a little girl named Hannah who is different than others because of her big ears, but those ears can hear things that most can't. Hannah learns how she should help save the trees and how to get others to help. This is an environmental story that your children will love to hear. The Dove seal for all ages is awarded to this wonderful children's book.' --Dove Family Foundation

40 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2010

Reviews

[Irene]

Her big ears allow Hannah to hear all sorts of beautiful sounds, but they also make her different. When she hears people making fun of her ears, Hannah retreats into nature where she finds a lonely tree.

I love how Hannah speaks up for the lone tree and the environmental message about taking care of trees. The illustrations are gorgeous. Vivid colors, especially the shades of purple and violet to illustrate the wind.

[Lenore Webb]

Hannah and the Talking Tree by Elke Weiss is my picked for a Christmas gift to my BFF daughter. We (my BFF) have been friends since we were 10 years old. Yes, a very long time. She has a adorable young daughter that sees life as an exploration. I love that about her. A toy is not just a toy, it is an expression of herself. She paints beautiful pictures to put up in her hall gallery. And being the eco lil self she is...each painting can be used on both sides of the paper.

One of the things I love that my BFF has taught her daughter is to be ecologically minded. We learned this when I was in junior high. It was not being green or frugal or trendy. It was told to us that we needed to learn to recycle and reuse to save our earth. To just make it a way of life. And we took it to heart. Well my gift this year helps follow that process. (Oh and I always give books to her daughter.) Hannah and the Talking Tree is described as: “This is a charming book for your youngsters about being different, learning to listen and the importance of saving the trees on our planet. It is a cute and colorful story about a little girl named Hannah who is different than others because of her big ears but those ears can hear things that most can not. Hannah learns how she should help save the trees and how to get others to help. This is an environmental story that your children will love to hear. The Dove "Family-Approved" seal for all ages is awarded to this wonderful children's book.” It is also a GOLD MEDAL WINNER of the 2010 Moonbeam Children's Book Award. I also like that it is printed on recycled paper. This will make my BFF happy too!

[Laura DeLuca]

I try to teach my children every day about the importance of living a green life and caring for the world we live in. I love finding books that help to present this message in a fun and interesting way. Recently we received a wonderful book called "Hannah and the Talking Tree" which really helps children understand the importance of trees and nature.

Hannah is an adorable little girl with REALLY big ears. Her ears are so big, she can hear things like the wind singing and the ants marching. Hannah is proud of her ears, but the other kids make fun of her. So she runs away in the woods to be with nature. There she meets a tree who tells her how lonely he's been since all his friends were cut down. When the tree cutter comes back for him, Hannah must go back her town and get help to save her friend the tree.

"Hannah and The Talking Tree" is a excellent tale of environmentalism but it also teaches the value of self acceptance. Hannah was different but she learns that her differences made her special. She would never have been able to save the tree without her big ears. So in this moving and motivational story, you will find two valuable life lessons.

[Carol Harlow]

This is a great children's book! The illustrations are beautifully done and the story is just delightful. I think this is a great book for kids because it tells about how being different is ok. Everyone is different and unique, but we are all the same too.